A favourite song dedicated to all mums has been re-recorded and will feature as part of a debut album to be released on the week of Mother's Day, May 14.
People first fell in love with the song, Mum, when the late Prince Tui Teka released it in the mid-1970s.
More than 40 years later, entertainer and broadcaster Howie Morrison Jnr (Wynn Anania, Waatea Music) is breathing life back into the much-loved tune.
“I love the song and it hasn’t been re-released since Tui recorded it and I think a lot of mum’s will relate to it, especially on Mother’s Day,” Howie said.
The song will be part of his self-titled debut album called "Howie" that in total will feature nine tracks including two originals.
The single, Mum, will be released on May 12. The music video to the single will be released on May 14.
The album, “Howie”, will be released on May 19.
Howie co-wrote Take Me Home with his wife, Wai. It goes some way to dispelling the assumptions heaped upon entertainers.
“There is a misconception when people look at my life and think it’s the high-life, that I’m travelling around the world and having a good time.
“In actual fact, it’s a lot of hard work and the best thing about it, is actually coming home. A lot of entertainers just want to be at home with their families.”
The other original song on the debut album is called, If Only I Could Change My Life, which was released in 2016.
It’s a song Howie co-wrote with Kiwi entertainer, Russell Harrison. It was dedicated to Howie’s late father, Sir Howard Morrison.
And while Howie takes some inspiration from his father’s music, he’s adamant the debut album will have a unique sound.
“There’s a lot of pressure releasing a debut album and I know a lot of people are going to be comparing me to my father.
“Hopefully people will hear the variety in my voice, something they haven't heard from me before.”
Other tracks on the new album will be a chance to “add my own flavour” to more familiar big-ballad hits by singers such as Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones
and Engelbert Humperdinck.
“I grew up listening to old crooners, through my dad, and that has filtered down to me. So I’ve got a few songs which where I have used Maori lyrics and big harmonies, so they’ll have a new flavour.”
One of his favourite songs on the album is Fly Me To The Moon.
“I've always loved that song but I have topped it up a bit, I’ve thrown in some Maori
lyrics, edited a key change to give it a different sound.
“On the new album, my mother likes the song, Mum, and my wife likes Children Go
[Where I Send Thee], a gospel remake.”
Howie said he hoped to tour the new album if his “supporters” liked the new songs.
“That’s the idea but it all depends. And hopefully I’d like to work on a second album in the near future.”
The 54-year-old who was born and raised in Rotorua, and still lives there now, said he was happy with the final sound of the debut album and was looking forward to its release in May.