Eddie Low

Eddie Edward McRoy was born blind in Rotorua on 14 May 1943. His Māori mother, Rangitukua McRoy contracted German measles and TB during pregnancy and died weeks after his birth. His Scottish father, Robert McRoy, could not care for Eddie and his brother David, so they were adopted by widow Maria Low, who already had four children. Eddie grew up surrounded by music in Rotorua.

From age five, Eddie lived at the New Zealand Foundation for the Blind in Auckland. At 12, surgery restored limited sight in one eye. Despite a school report claiming he had no musical talent, he mastered numerous instruments and sang with a rich baritone. At 13, he formed The Three Blind Mice.

After school, he joined The Chevronaires alongside his brother David, John Rowles, and Graham “Trixie” Willoughby. In 1964, Eddie and Rowles performed in Melbourne as “The New Zealand Beatles,” later becoming The Sundowners. Eddie also played with the Truetones and the Māori showband Quin Tikis, appearing in the 1966 film Don’t Let It Get You. From 1965–69, the band toured New Zealand, Australia, and Southeast Asia, including entertaining troops in Vietnam.

In 1970, promoter Joe Brown signed Eddie as a solo artist, touring him through Australasia, Fiji, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, Canada, and the USA, including three appearances at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. He recorded multiple albums and singles, including hits Help Me Make It Through the Night and Lonely Women Make Good Lovers.

His song Songs of Home became widely covered.

A 1975 tax hike on local recordings pushed Eddie to Australia, where he built a strong cabaret and club career. Between 1980–84, he appeared on TVNZ’s That’s Country and recorded albums with RCA, including Eddie Low Sings and Heart and Soul. He also founded MAL Records, releasing I Am Me, about life with disability. In the 2000s, Rajon Music issued a three-CD set of his work.

Eddie toured with a Roy Orbison tribute in 2003 and the Highway of Legends in 2008 before settling in Christchurch. In 2012, he founded EdRab Records with his wife Kathleen “Bunny” Low. Bunny’s sudden death in 2019 was followed by Eddie’s own battle with colon cancer, from which he recovered.

His career highlights include opening the inaugural Rotorua Lakeside Festival in 2014 with Frankie Stevens and John Rowles as The Bald, The Blind and The Beautiful. He remains active, recording and touring, with his compilation Voice in a Million going platinum in 2012.

Eddie is also a keen sportsman, playing cricket, vision-impaired golf, and pool. In 2023, During a New Zealand Highwaymen tour, he collapsed before a show in Hokitika but recovered in time for his 80th birthday.

He has three children with his first wife, Mira — Maria, Dayne, and Tania.

Awards and honours include:

NZ Entertainer & Songwriter of the Year (1980)

Country Hands of Fame (Australia 1983, NZ 1993)

Variety Artists Club Scroll of Honour (1984) & Benny Award (2009)

MNZM for services to music (2006)

NZ Country Legend Award (2009)

Rockonz International Star Award (2010)

Attitude Artistic Achievement Award (2011)