Source: PMA
The Pacific Music Awards Trust is proud to announce this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to pioneering Cook Islands musician Will Crummer.
Will is best known to many music fans as frontman of the Royal Rarotongans, alongside Pepe and the Rarotongans, a trailblazing Cook Islands group that became a fixture of Auckland’s Polynesian music scene in the 1960s.
Decades later, his passion for performing remained undiminished.
In January 2015, he took to the stage aboard HMNZS Otago, performing to an audience of around 10,000 with his daughter, Annie Crummer, by his side.
Born in Rarotonga, Will grew up in the village of Turangi speaking Cook Islands Maori, Te Reo Maori Kuki Airani, as his first language.
His mother led the church choir, and it was her influence, alongside the Rarotongan string bands he heard locally, and the American pop stars like Pat Boone and Nat King Cole on the radio, that shaped the singing style he would make his own.
In his teens he formed a vocal group and would sing wherever he could, with a favourite spot being the top of a coconut tree – and was soon a regular winner at local talent quests.
At 20, Will left Rarotonga for New Zealand for a concreting job his brother had arranged, a shoebox of hand-written Rarotongan songs among his belongings so they would never be forgotten.
He settled into Auckland life fronting his own band, performing at The Orange Ballroom and The Reefcomber, signing to the Viking label and releasing Rarotonga as Will Crummer and the Seastars in 1962, followed by Romantic Rarotonga, Cook Islands Magic and Love Songs of Polynesia as Will Crummer and the Royal Rarotongans.
As his family grew, Will stepped away from professional music to provide for his children, David and Annie.
Luckily, music ran in the family.
Annie went on to become one of New Zealand’s most recognised singers, while David built a career as a bassist and vocalist in Australia, opening his own recording studio.
It was a trip to this very studio that reignited Will’s musical singing career, old shoebox of hand-written songs in tow, where these songs were first recorded.
What came out of those sessions led to a collaboration with, musician and writer Nick Bollinger and songwriter Arthur Baysting.
With funding from Creative New Zealand, the pair produced Shoebox Lovesongs – The Rarotongan Music of Will Crummer along with an accompanying documentary ‘Songs for a Bigger Island’.
Its release reignited Will’s career, leading to performances at WOMAD, the World Music Festival in Penang 2011 and the Ukulele Festival in 2014, and he has continued performing to this day.
Pacific Music Awards Trustee Petrina Togi-Sa’ena says the Trust is thrilled to honour Will’s career and legacy with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Will Crummer epitomises what it means to have a lifelong career in music,” Petrina says.
“He has a charismatic personality and vibrant energy that shines through every performance, bringing so much joy to everyone.
“It’s important for all of us, especially our next generation and the Cook Islands community, to have Will Crummer celebrated and recognised.
“Will has made a significant contribution by creating and recording music in the language and sound of his beloved Rarotonga – treasures from a past era that are now rare for us all to enjoy.”
When the Trust spoke with Will Crummer about the award, he was lost for words and was very happy and thankful for the recognition.
In true Will style, he had more questions about the performance, than about the award itself.
His family are very humbled and proud for their Dad to recognised with this award.
Annie Crummer shares her dad has not been honoured like this before so he does not quite realise the magnitude of the award.
“He is so rare,” she says.
“There are so many stories and layers to Dad’s story – I can’t put it into words but performing is what Dad knows and his focus is on the performance.
“All he can do is his best – with what he does best, and if he does a good performance, then he is serving, that is what he has taught me.”
The Pacific Music Awards will take place on August 12, 2026 at Due Drop Events Centre, Manukau.
Will Crummer will perform on the night alongside 2026 finalists Sam V, A.R.T, Island Vibes, Kenzie from Welly, JAHBOY, Jaro Local, Wameblood and more.
The awards night is open to our families and communities. Everyone is welcome. Visit HERE to buy tickets.
It will be screened LIVE across the Pacific via Pasifika TV – check the schedule or your local broadcaster for further details.