Early work 300px|Billy TK on stage at Nambassa in 1981. As a child, Billy TK lived in Bunnythorpe, a small town outside of Palmerston North, New Zealand. His surname of Te Kahika was abbreviated to 'TK' by Pakeha teachers. He was inspired to learn guitar by listening to construction workers working on nearby hydroelectric dams. He began playing guitar at an early age, and was surrounded by talented young musicians during his family's frequent visits to Ratana Pā, who helped fulfill his lust for improving his skills on his instrument. He played gigs for friends and family during his high school years, and once he had finished school, he set to build his own band.
Early work 300px|Billy TK on stage at Nambassa in 1981. As a child, Billy TK lived in Bunnythorpe, a small town near of Palmerston North, New Zealand. His surname of Te Kahika was abbreviated to 'TK' by Pākehā teachers. He was inspired to learn guitar by listening to construction workers working on nearby hydroelectric dams. He began playing guitar at an early age, and was surrounded by talented young musicians during his family's frequent visits to Rātana Pā, who helped fulfill his lust for improving his skills on his instrument. He played gigs for friends and family during his high school years, and once he had finished school, he set to build his own band.
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