Solomon Ho'opi'i Ka'ai'ai A/K/A
Sol Ho'opi'i (pronounced "Ho-oh-pee-ee") was born in 1902 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Sol began playing ukulele when he was three and then added guitar and Hawaiian lap steel guitar. He stowed away on an ocean liner in 1919 arriving in San Francisco. He made his way to Los Angeles, where he formed a trio with Glenwood Leslie and Lani McIntire.
Sol was soon a hit amongst Hollywood's elite and his music became the sound and groove of 1920s-30s Hollywood flms. Sol performed in many movies, including "Bird of Paradise", "Waikiki Wedding", "Song of the Islands", and a few Charlie Chan film. Sol performed on the soundtrack to the Betty Boop cartoon "Betty's Bamboo Isle".
In 1938, Ho'opi'i gave up his career in secular music, although he did continue to record until he died at the age of 51 in 1953.
Rounder Records has a two-volume set of his tunes compiled by Bob Brozman .
A short clip of Sol in film .....
RIP Sol
