The Brew: Doug Jerebine, Bob Gillett, Tommy Ferguson, Yuk Harrison and Trix Willoughby early 1967. Photo: AudioCulture / Phil Warren Collection
After jumping ship in the late 1950s, Tommy Ferguson, originally from Glasgow, quickly won himself a place in the New Zealand music scene as a resident singer on C'Mon, a member of the legendary band Brew and a string of other top nightclub bands.
Musical Chairs follows Tommy’s career from coal carrying urchin to pop and soul singer through to his efforts on behalf of the Phobic Trust.
Tommy Ferguson never enjoyed a hit record but he has a long-time reputation as an exuberant showman and crowd-pleaser and remains one of the most colourful characters in New Zealand rock.
Tommy Ferguson died on 7 September 2025.
Read all about Tommy Ferguson at AudioCulture
This edition of Musical Chairs was produced by Keith Newman with sound engineering by Jeremy Ansell for National Radio, June, 2006.
Music heard in this documentary:
Title, (Composer),Artist ‘Album Title’, Record label, CD number
Working in the Coal Mine (Alan Tousaint), Lee Dorsey, Charley SAM1
It’s Only a Paper Moon (Arlen / Rose / Hamburg) Nat King Cole, Capitol, C-ST23282
Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On, (Willliams-David), Tommy Adderley w Max Merrit & the Meteors, Viking 156
Good Morning Mr Rock’ n Roll (T & P Adderley), The Headband Collection, EMI 7243 5236882 2
Jenka Rock (D.Benns), The Astrobeats, Allied International JAR.515
Shoot Em Up Baby, (Berry / Kim), Tommy Ferguson, Pye, YN 14006b
Tea for Two (Youmans-Ceasar), The Brew, Allied International JAR.554 –
Bengal Tiger (Gillet), The Brew, Allied International JAR.554
Tea Council advert, Tommy Adderley, Top of the Dial, EMI 571506-2
Uptight (Wonder), Sounds 68 Orchestra, Live to Air broadcast
Breaking Down the Walls of Heartache (John Cameron), Sounds 68 Orchestra with Tommy Ferguson, live to air broadcast
Trini Baby (Claude Papesch), Claude Papesch, Hammond Electrique, Zodiac ZLP 1055
Fire (Brown), Sounds 68 Orchestra with Tommy Ferguson, live radio broadcast
Your Looking Good (unknown), Tommy Ferguson, C’Mon 1968 soundtrack
Hush Not A Word to Mary (M. Murray; P. Callander), Tommy Ferguson, C’Mon 1968 soundtrack
Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing, (Ashford-Simpson), Tommy Ferguson, Festival MXNZ-42
Never Too Late (Tommy Ferguson), Peter Morgan, unpublished
Pocket Full of Miracles (Tommy Ferguson), Jose Rika, unpublished
Pacific Cowboys (Tommy Ferguson) Tommy Ferguson,
Phobi Song (Ferguson), Phobic Trust
