Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau

Artist: Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau

LP: No Kristo

Song: "Waikiki Hula" 
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Speaking of Fantasy Islands, here's something soothing from the beautiful state of Hawaii. This 1976 LP was the first from Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau, which included siblings Skippy and Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole. When Skippy died in 1982 at age 38, his younger brother followed in his musical footsteps and eventually became rather famous throughout the world. Sadly, Israel (far right on the LP cover) also died at age 38, back in June of 1997. You can read about Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau here. 

Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau in 1979 on YouTube:
[ "Ka Mamakakaua" ]

[ Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau ]

Annette Funicello [1942-2013]

Artist: Annette Funicello

LP: Hawaiiannette - Annette Sings Songs of Hawaii

Song: "Pineapple Princess"

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Song: "Hawaiiannette"

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I didn't hear the sad news last month that Annette Funicello had died until a week or so after it had happened. I still haven't seen any of her famous beach movies with Frankie Avalon, but they're certainly on my movie bucket list. Annette's cheerful 1960 Hawaii-themed LP on Disney's Buena Vista label is one of my favorite records to listen to in the springtime. A "Hawaiiannette" must be a sort of cute little half-Hawaii that you might find in an exotic restaurant in Utica, NY or somewhere, just like how a "kitchenette" is a little half-kitchen in the room of a nice motel. You can read all about the life and career of one of the most famous Mouseketeers ever on Wikipedia here and go here to find Annette's obituary in the New York Times.

Annette Funicello

[ October 22, 1942 — April 8, 2013 ]

We will miss you, Annette.

Jonnie Aluani and His Orchestra

Artist: Jonnie Aluani and His Orchestra

LP: Hawaiian Interlude

Song: "Hawaiian Holiday"

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Song: "Hawaiian Starlight"

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Here's a neat Hawaiian-rockabilly-surf-themed LP I came across in Toledo, Ohio last summer. There's no photo or information about Jonnie Aluani to be found on the web, but that might be because he doesn't really exist. Click here to visit The Atomic Attic blog where you can read about how the songs on this album have been recycled, re-packaged, and re-released by a variety of different "artists" with Hawaiian-sounding names. Even the "Hawaiian Interlude" liner notes avoid mentioning Jonnie Aluani and His Orchestra, rambling on instead about geography, the weather, the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands, and the placidity of the Polynesian people. Visit The Steel Guitar Forum here to find more confusion about who's actually playing these songs and to log your own complaint about Jonnie's choppy work on steel guitar. After taking a good hard look at the LP cover, Gerald Ross of Ann Arbor, MI even goes so far as to call that lovely Hawaiian lady's ukulele-playing abilities into question.