About Me
This page is dedicated to my favorite Hawaiian musical group, the legendary Sons of Hawaii. For over 30 years they played Hawaii's most beautiful music, true backyard country music. Nothing fancy or over produced, just great traditional Hawaiian music by Hawaii's greatest musicians.The group was originally formed in 1960 under the leadership of 'ukulele virtuoso Eddie Kamae and consisted of Kamae, slack key great Gabby Pahinui, Joe Marshall on bass and David "Feet" Rogers on steel guitar. Each of these musicians came to the group with years of experience in not only Hawaiian music, but many other kinds, such as jazz and latin. Kamae had long been one of Hawaii's top 'ukulele players, Pahinui had been playing clubs in Hawaii for over 20 years and had a loyal following of devoted fans, Marshall had been playing music since high school, and Rogers, who was a merchant seaman by trade, had steel in his blood (his father was also a steel player).According to Kamae they got together to create a new sound. He said in four months of playing, sleeping, thinking, talking, drinking and sharing one another's ideas, the sound was an extension of who they were. They had no preconceived ideas of the sound they were seeking, but the sound evolved as each member made suggestions. It was the steel guitar, Kamae said, that really made the Sons of Hawaii unique. In the early 60s, the steel was out of favor in Hawaiian music. "Hawaiian music without steel is not really Hawaiian music", Kamae has said.In 1960 they opened at the Sandbox in Honolulu and were soon the highest paid Hawaiian group in the Islands. It was in their first year that they recorded their first album and it became an instant hit (Hula Records 503). But soon the group disbanded, as Feet Rogers was back on his ship as a merchant seaman. Soon, however, Rogers was back in town and they recorded a second album (Hula Records 506).After the second album, Rogers was gone for 6 years. During this time, Pahinui and Marshall played with other groups. But Kamae was researching the old Hawaiian music, looking for old songs that were composed years before and known by few but the old folks in the Hawaiian backcountry. He went to the outlying districts, little villages and hamlets, to find the people who knew the old songs and learn from them how they should be sung. Usually, these people would not be willing to teach outsiders their family songs, but they came to trust Kamae and could see in him someone who wanted to learn the songs in the old way.The Sons would regroup with different musicians. In the mid 60s, the second Sons of Hawaii consisted of Eddie, Joe and Feet along with Atta Isaacs, another legendary slack key artist; Bobby Larson, who had a beautiful tenor voice; and Norman Isaacs, Atta's brother, who filled in for Marshall on bass sometimes. In the late 60s, the third Sons of Hawaii consisted of Eddie, Joe, Feet, Sonny Chillingworth and Zulu, who acted on Hawaii 5-0.In 1970, the group reassembled once more, this time to make another album. To the original four musicians was added a man from Ni'ihau, Moe Keale. Moe was a young solo performer when Kamae walked into his show one day. According to Moe, who idolized Kamae (both are 'ukulele virtuosos), he was so awed that Kamae was there that he immediatly took a break, hoping that if he was offstage long enough, Kamae would get bored and go home. But 90 minutes later, he was still there, so he went to a comfy, family song, "Kanaka Wai Wai", which Moe's "Tutu Man" had written. Kamae was so impressed with Moe's singing and playing that he eventually asked him to join the Sons of Hawaii.
Miss Kolika dancing at Pua's Wedding
