May 07, 2024
Herbs’ voice Willie Hona dies
The sweet voice of Herbs singer and songwriter Willie Hona has been silenced.
Hona died yesterday at his home in Paraparaumu of pancreatic cancer.
Herbs founder Dilworth Karaka says he’d been impressed at his friend’s solo act, and when founding members left in 1983 Hona was invited to join as lead guitarist and singer.
He made major contributions to the albums Long Ago and Sensitive to a Smile and with Tama Lundon wrote hits like Long Ago, Nuclear Waste and Listen.
“The first song he wanted to record, he said ‘you’ve been round the block your way, I’ve been round the block my way, let’s go down the studio now with Tui Te Moti and record Maori song.’ I said ‘which one?’ He said ‘E Papa’. And that’s where it all started from there, it rolled one with Willie’s talent in song writing and guitar playing, he stood up really, really strong,” Karaka says.
Willie Hona is being taken today to his marae, Te Piiti. Omanaia South Hokianga, and tomorrow he will travel to Pa Te Aroha Marae Whirinaki, where he will lay for the duration of his huimate.