Neil Finn

Neil Finn is a songwriter. He was born in Te Awamutu, a small New Zealand town on May 27, 1958, the youngest child to accountant, Richard Finn, and Irish immigrant, Mary Finn (nee Mullane). Neil's happy childhood included parties in the family home, complete with wine and song, catholic priests in attendance, and an obligatory performance from Neil and older brother Tim. Mother, Mary, was known for her enthusiastic songs on the piano...all in the same key, while their father, Richard, though a music enthusiast, was tone deaf. The boys both took music lessons, beginning with piano, and their mother taught them to sing in harmony. Though Tim was the more reluctant performer of the two, in 1972 he went on to form one of the most successful bands to ever originate from New Zealand, Split Enz. Neil was too young to join the band initially, as he was still in school, but sometimes opened for Split Enz as a solo artist in the band's early years. When Neil left school, because they would not