Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 6, 1 Iune 2015 — A fete for music's finest [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A fete for music's finest

By Lynn Cook The Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts had a packed house for what may have been its longest Lifetime Achievement Awards celebration. Honoring eight music legends, the May 3 event kicked off at 1 p.m. and continued past 6. Only the audience members who absolutely had to leave did. Emeee Kimo Kahoano kept the program moving along, getting a laugh by saying: "Someone said we are going too long, not true. We are 3, 4, 5, past too long." It was a Sunday afternoon kanikapila at the Ala Moana Hotel with nonstop music. Special awards were presented by state Sen. Brickwood Galuteria, assisted by Marlene Sai. Eaeh Lifetime Achievement honoree was profiled in a video, researched and scripted by Harry B. Soria of Territorial Airways and produced by Gaylord Holomalia and Kenneth Makuakāne, himself an honoree. Performances followed eaeh honoree bio, including a tapedperformanee by awardee Henry Kaleialoha Allen from his shipboard concerts somewhere in the South Paeihe. The program was written with entertainment expert John Berger, who, with Soria's research, highlighted dozens of did-you-know facts about the awardees. For example, did you know: • At age 15, Allen got a job playing with Alfred Apaka at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel? • By age 10, awardee Jimmy

Mo'ikeha played at the Willows with Vickie Ii Rodrigues, and at age 11, he recorded "Maui Girl" with Johnny Almeida's band and the "Voice of Hawai'i Radio," J. Akuhead Pupule? • Awardee Ron "Whodaguy" Jacobs, and Unele Tom Moffatt, started in radio with KHVH, Kaiser's Hawaiian Village Hotel, ruling the airwaves as the Poi Boys before going to L.A. to partner with Poi Boy TomRounds and Casey Kasem, creating the American Top 40? Entertainers eame out in force to fete the musical luminaries. Mo'ikeha was honored by Nina Keali'iwahamana and Aaron J. Sala. Awardee Harold Hakuole's accomplishments were celebrated by Noelani Mahoe and the Leo Nahenahe Singers. The late Hakuole, prolific in many instruments, produced and performed on more than two-dozen albums and dozens of 45-rpm singles with Tradewinds Records. The Ho'opi'i Brothers - Richard and the late Solomon - were celebrated by Richard and Kai Ho'opili, joined by family members. The audience was told that singing from early church years, Richard and Solomon were inspired by Joseph and Genoa Keawe, developing their own leo ki'eki'e style with falsetto and yodeling. When it was radio personality Jacobs' turn, the awardee took over the podium and left the audience holding their sides with laughter, taking shots at everyone. Honoree Kenneth Makuakāne is a musician, prolific composer

and producer of many acts, including Nā Leo, 0'Brian Eselu, Jeff Rasmussen, Amy Hanaiali'i and Raiatea Helm. A board member of HARA, musician from small-kid days and leader of Pandanus Club, Mākuakane brought back the Pandanus Club to rock the audience. Awardee Puamana, founded by the late Irmgard Farden Aluli in the 1970s, continues with daughters Mihana Aluli Souza, Aima Aluli McManus and nieee Luana Farden McKinney. The traditional Hawaiian music group played at The Willows Restaurant from 1979 to 1993. Three strums of the song "Puamana," and a dozen dancers always spring to their feet. Finally, the Krash Kealoha Industry Award, originally created to honor Sidney Grayson, owner of KCCN, this year saluted the Kamehameha Glee Club under the direction of Aaron Mahi. ■

Lynn Cook i.s a loeal freelance journalist sharing the arts and culture ofHawai'i with a glohal auāienee.

Two members of the Lifetime Achievement Award-winning group Puamana - Aima Aluli McManus, left, and Mihana Aluli Souza, right, surround Richard Ho'opi'i with love. The Ho'opi'i Brothers, comprised of Richard and his late brother Solomon, also received a Lifetime Achievement Award. - Courtesy: HARA