August 19^th marked the seventh anniversary of the birth of Ho`olohe Hou. But Ho`olohe Hou has had so many starts and stops that I should be very clear what this is the anniversary of.

Ho`olohe Hou had an inauspicious beginning as a podcast on January 1, 2006. But it was short lived. After only six episodes – critically acclaimed by Hawai`i’s musicians and distributed widely across the Hawaiian music blogs, chat rooms, and threaded discussion boards – I was advised to “shut it down” to protect myself. At the time, there was no legal means of using copyrighted music in podcasts – an issue eventually escalated all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. But despite that I did not generate any revenue from my podcasting revenue, I could have been fined heftily – or even imprisoned – for spinning Hawaiian music recordings – despite that the recordings I played were largely out of print for 40 or more years, despite that most of the artists and composers had long ago departed this life. Fearing reprisal or legal action, I gave up.

Enter a Hawaiian music lover with an entrepreneurial spirit, Don Narup. Don spent his life in high finance, but his passion was Hawaiian music. Upon his retirement, Don decided to use some of his investment acumen to fund one of the early internet Hawaiian music radio stations from his home in Las Vegas. And thus 50^th State Radio was born. Don heard about my podcast and its too soon demise. He reached out to me, and we struck a partnership. Despite that he could not pay me to produce my show as the station was in its infancy, he could pay to produce it legally and ethically. Unlike podcasts at the time, the royalty rates for radio stations were long ago firmly established. Don took on Ho`olohe Hou, giving me a 9:30am Sunday time slot – immediately following a Christian chat program hosted by Reverend Gary Haleamau and his wife, Sheldeen. And what was once a humble podcast became a weekly two-hour radio program which – through 50<sup>th</sup> State Radio – reached listeners around the world via the internet. And because the world included Hawai`i, Narup eventually agreed to move the show to a 6pm Sunday evening timeslot to accommodate the many fans across the Pacific.

But this, too, was short lived. One week in April 2008, I uploaded my program via FTP to 50^th State Radio’s servers, and I waited eagerly at 6pm to hear my own voice hit the airwaves – fancying myself a Hawaiian-style Ryan Seacrest, opening each program with, “It’s time for more music and memories of Hawai`i. THIS is Ho`olohe Hou. Are you listening?” But the show never aired. The station appeared to be on autopilot – songs streaming, but no voice-overs, no time checks… I started calling the station. No answer. I started calling Don’s cell phone over and over again frantically. No answer. No response came until two days later when I received a call from Don’s wife with whom I had never spoken previously. I was shocked to learn that Don was dead – throat cancer, about which he clearly knew but chose not to treat, and about which he told nobody, and certainly not the staff at the station. 50^th State Radio was Don’s dying wish, but sadly, the wish died with him. There was no further funding source beyond his passing. And, so, with Don’s passing, so, too, passed Ho`olohe Hou into oblivion yet again.

Over the years – with the help of friends who also happen to be ardent Hawaiian music lovers – I have tried to breathe new life into Ho`olohe Hou the radio program. But to no avail. There is too little market for Hawaiian music, and that market is already flooded with awesome broadcasters, and what the hell could a haole guy from New Jersey know about Hawaiian music anyway? But the truth is that my show is different from Territorial Airwaves and others. Arguably, my collection of more than 25,000 Hawaiian music recordings is one of the largest in the world, and I have access to recordings that even Harry B. Soria does not – unofficial and unreleased recordings given to me by the artists themselves or their children and grandchildren. They were given to me because they knew I would know what to do with them – preserve them and share them, ensure that these Hawaiian music legacies endured. But I have not been given the opportunity again since 50<sup>th</sup> State Radio. Moreover, my approach to sharing this music may be different from other broadcasters. My life has been what ethnographic researchers might refer to as a “practitioner inquiry” – or learning by doing. I am not merely a Hawaiian music fan. I am also a musician practicing as much of the Hawaiian music craft – from slack key guitar to steel guitar to falsetto singing – as I can without stretching myself so thin that I break. I was raised on Territorial Airwaves, and Harry B. Soria is a friend without whose encouragement I would have stopped participating in – and would never have won – the Aloha Festivals Falsetto Contest which he hosted. But there are myriad ways in which Ho`olohe Hou is not a carbon copy of Territorial Airwaves. It is largely my approach to analyzing (or overanalyzing) Hawaiian music that ensures that Ho`olohe Hou is not Territorial Airwaves. I approached Ho`olohe Hou as if I had sold it to NPR. I was Sam the Eagle to Harry’s Fozzie Bear. Ho`olohe Hou may have even been a first in Hawaiian music broadcasting – “edutainment.” I wanted to have fun, but I felt it was my kuleana (or responsibility) to educate.

On January 1, 2013, I returned to blogging in the name of Ho`olohe Hou – offering up rarities from my collection a few at a time along with the stories of the artists and composers and the details of how the music is actually made – nuggets of information which might otherwise be lost on non-musicians. Facebook – which did not exist when I began attempting to broadcast – made it easier to reach Hawaiian music lovers. But here is the rub. In the 20 months since its re-re-launch, with dozens and dozens of posts and episodes to its credit, Ho`olohe Hou has more than 400 Facebook followers and an amazing more than 10,000 downloads. Despite that the month is not yet over, there have already been more downloads in August 2014 – more than 1,000 – than in any other month in the program’s history. And yet I don’t know you. When Ho`olohe Hou was a radio show, I received more fan mail than I could respond to. But despite the instant communication that Facebook affords us, I have not heard from you. I realized this when a recent post about Kui Lee received more than 400 downloads but only a half dozen “likes” and only two comments.

So in the tradition of my radio show, I have to ask… This is Ho`olohe Hou. Are you listening?

If so, let me know. Write me at hwnmusiclives@gmail.com or comment on a post that moved you. Or recommend an artist, a composer, or a musical style to be profiled, and I would be happy to oblige.

Meanwhile, I give you a Ho`olohe Hou anniversary gift – the entire two hour broadcast of the first episode of Ho`olohe Hou originally aired on August 19, 2007.* Check out the original playlist (at this link). What do you see? The show was chock full of rarities you would likely hear nowhere else. At the time, almost all of the recordings I was spinning were out of print (as indicated by the asterisk in the “LP/Source” column at the link above). I offered long forgotten rarities not available on CD or MP3 by Sonny Chillingworth, Alfred Apaka, Sterling Mossman, George Kainapau, Chick Floyd, Poncie Ponce, Karen Keawehawai`i, Kekua Fernandez, Marlene Sai, George Paoa, Ihilani Miller, Alice Namakelua, and Don Ho. Seven years later, all of those recordings remain out of print. More than this, who else would inform you that one of Sonny’s ethereally voiced back-up singers was none other than Nina Keali`iwahamana, that the ridiculously jazzy steel guitarist backing Poncie Ponce was California-based Vince Akina, or that the falsetto singing in George Paoa’s trio was Buddy Fo and The Invitations’ highest voice, Johnny Costello? Only a musician would know these things because there were no credits on the album covers. These are discoveries that can only be made with the ears.

It is my fondest desire to put Ho`olohe Hou the radio program back on the airwaves. If you think you know someone who can help fulfill my dream once and for all, please reach out to me. Until then, Ho`olohe Hou will remain a blog which – in case you do not realize the intricacies of copyright law – is as illegal now as it was when I started on January 1, 2006. Despite that I make no money from this labor of love, despite the historically and culturally important service of preserving this music, artists and composers still demand to be paid. Fortunately, since its inception seven years ago (or nine years ago, depending on when you start counting), no artist has asked for compensation. Either they “get it” or Ho`olohe Hou remains unnoticed. I do not fancy myself either a pirate or a Robin Hood. With your help, maybe I will someday soon find the way to fulfill this mission legally and ethically

Until then, as I said at the close of every episode of Ho`olohe Hou, “Keep aloha in your hearts, and take Hawaiian music wherever you go. A hui hou…”

Me ka ha`aha`a – 

Bill Wynne

*Note that in order to listen continuously to this program, you will need to open a separate browser window. Closing that browser window will stop the streaming of the program. Note also that it may take up to 10 minutes to buffer the entire two-hour program.

This week, two hours of Hawaiian steel guitar from the 1950s featuring more than two dozen steel guitarists.

But this is only half the story.  There were so many great steel guitarists to choose from in this era that we have another two hours of 1950s steel guitar in store for you next week.  So be sure to tune in again.

The track listing below doesn't mention the steel guitarists by name.  So who should you expect to hear?  How about Eddie Bush, Sonny Kamaka, Ernie Tavares, Splash Lyons, Prince Kawohi, Lovey Lui Conn, Benny Rogers, David Keli`i, Joe Custino, Danny Stewart, Jules Ah See, Bernie Ka`ai, and Freddie Tavares?!  Now that is an all-star team.

Enjoy!

SONG TITLE	ARTIST	LP/SOURCE	LABEL
Ku`u Lei Lehua	Joe Kahaulelio and the Hooheno Serenaders	Mele Hula - Volume 2	Noelani
Nani Waimea	The Surfers	Tahiti	HiFi
Haunani Mine	The Richard Kauhi Quartette	78rpm Single*	Bell
That’s The Hawaiian In Me	Julia Nui’s Kamaainas	Souvenir Songs Of Hawaii - Volume 3	49th State
Ke Kaupu	Ernest Tavares	Songs Of Old Hawaii	Waikiki
Evening In The Islands	Splash Lyons and His Hawaiians	Aloha Serenades	Decca
Luau Chant	Prince Kawohi and the Luau Boys	At The Luau	RCA Victor
Selamoku	Pauline Kakahuna and Her Hauoli Girls	45rpm Single	Waikiki
Manu O`o	Pauline Kakahuna and Her Hauoli Girls	45rpm Single	Waikiki
Ala Moana Annie	Pauline Kakahuna and Her Hauoli Girls	Keep Your Eyes On The Hands	Waikiki
Steel Guitar Boogie	Benny Rogers	45rpm Single	49th State
Ku`u Lei `Awapuhi / Maui Moon	Benny Rogers with The Harmony Isles Group	Romantic Hawaii	49th State
Maui Chimes	Benny Rogers with The Harmony Isles Group	Souvenir Songs Of Hawaii - Volume 20	49th State
Moana Chimes	David Keli`i with Hawaii Calls Orchestra	Aircheck (Live Broadcast)	--------
Hula Oni Oni E	Al Perry and The Singing Surfriders	Favorite Hawaiian Chants and Hulas	Decca
My Little Grass Shack	Akoni Lani and His Islanders	Hawaiian Favorites	Tops
Anytime, Anywhere	Chick Floyd’ Orchestra	Have Fun With Lucky	Mahalo
Hilo Hula	Honey Kalima and His Royal Hawaiian Serenaders	Starlight In Hawaii	Decca
Holoholo Ka`a	The Maile Serenaders	Let’s Hula*	Hula
Hanohano Hanalei	Danny Stewart	Songs Of Old Hawaii	Waikiki
Ke Aloha	George Kainapau with Danny Stewart’s Hawaiians	Souvenirs Of Hawaii	Decca
Hapa Haole Hula Girl	Danny Stewart and His Islanders	Song Of The Islands	Coral
Two Shadows On The Sand	Alfred Apaka with Danny Stewart’s Hawaiians	The Hawaiian Wedding Song	Decca
Pagan Love Song	Alfred Apaka with The Hawaiian Village Serenaders	Sing Me A Song Of The Islands	Decca
Na Ali`i	Benny Kalama and The Hawaiian Village Serenaders	Echoes Of Hawaii	Decca
Na Kuahiwi `Elima	Mahi Beamer	45rpm Single	Decca
Rhumba Medley	The Hawaiian Village Serenaders	Aircheck (Live Broadcast)	--------
Maile Lau Li`ili`	The Hawaiian Village Serenaders	Aircheck (Live Broadcast)	--------
Noho Paipai	Danny Kua`ana	Holiday In Hawaii	Capitol
Princess Pupule	The Polynesians	Hawaii Calling	Crown
Hame Pila	Ray Andrade and His Orchestra	My Own Hawaii	RGA
Go Around The Island	The Polynesians	Hawaiian Paradise	Crown
Stars Shining O`er Hawaii	The Polynesians	Lovely Hula Hawaii	Crown
Malihini Mele	William Kealoha & His Orchestra	Hawaiian Luau	Roulette
Little Grass Shack	William Kealoha & His Orchestra	Hawaiian Luau	Roulette

All selections out-of-print unless indicated. (Click on the link to a title to locate a possible distribution source.)

*Remastered and rereleased on CD.

Can you believe it’s been a year already? This program began as a modest podcast on January 6, 2007. But with the help of 50th State Radio, the number of listeners has grown from single digits to thousands around the globe!

We begin the new year by remembering the humble beginnings of the program and the “charter? - the reason why we’re even doing this at all. Then we’ll spend the remainder of the program exploring Hawaiian music in the 1950s - including a look at falsetto singing in that decade, the great male vocalists of that era, and some comic hulas from the great ladies of song of this period.

We celebrate the birthday - what would have been the 100^th birthday - of a Hawaiian boy who made his mark as a steel guitarist in the Big Apple - Hal Aloma. In our “Why In The World Is This Out Of Print?? segment, we revisit 78rpm classics from Andy Cummings featuring Hawai`i’s Songbird, Lena Machado. (Listen for some of the earliest slack key guitar on record by none other than Gabby Pahinui!) And in “Then and Again,? we take a look at two versions of the seldom heard Lani McIntire composition “Kalihi“ - one by the composer from the 1940s and another by The Brothers Cazimero from the 1980s.

Thanks for making it a memorable year! Here’s looking forward to many, many more. This is Ho`olohe Hou! Keep listening…

Bill Wynne 

All selections out-of-print unless indicated. (Click on the link to a title to locate a possible distribution source.)

*Remastered and rereleased on CD.

This week, two hours of uninterrupted holiday music done Hawaiian style. These songs and the artists that performed them are just a few of my many favorites. I hope I picked a few your favorites, too! I hope these songs bring you wonderful memories that warm the heart and make this season just that much more special. Thanks for making this program a small part of your holidays.

Wishing you and your loved ones the happiest of holidays and peace, love, and joy in this season and thoughout the new year.

Thanks for listening!

Bill Wynne

This week, we begin to celebrate the season with holiday classics - both old and new - from Hawai`i. Along the way we’ll take away the instruments and look at a capella gems from Nina Keali`iwahamana and Danny Kaleikini. I’ll share some sacred songs done in the traditional Hawaiian falsetto by Sam Keli`iho`omalu, Ata Damasco, and Na Palapalai. And it wouldn’t be Ho`olohe Hou if we didn’t blow the dust off of some rarities, so I will share some special holiday memories from Lucky Luck, Alfred Apaka, and a favorite of listeners of this program, Aunty Genoa Keawe.

Plus more songs of snow, sleigh bells, children, family, presents, Santa Claus, and the real reason for the season - the birth of a Savior.

I hope you enjoy these songs I’ve picked to share with you this week. Season’s Greetings from Ho`olohe Hou! Thanks for making us a part of your Sunday.

Enjoy!

Bill Wynne

We cover a lot of ground this week, listeners! We spend the first hour examining the influence of the rhythms of Spain, Brazil, and the Latin Americas on Hawaiian music from the 1960s - when the Bossa Nova craze was sweeping the country - to the present. We then look at just a few of the songs that make us homesick for Hawai`i. We’ll celebrate the birthday of entertainer Nani Lee Meadows with some rare live performances by Nani with her late husband, legendary composer and entertainer Kui Lee, and their pals Don Ho, Sonny Chillingworth, and Zulu - just as it happened one evening at Don’s parents’ place, Honey’s Tavern, in Kane`ohe in the early 1960s. We will also celebrate the birthday of a falsetto legend - arguably the best of all time - Mahi`ai Beamer, with some of his earliest and most rare recordings. And, finally, we return to our “Then and Again? segment with a look at a classic composition from then pen of friends Mary Kawena Pukui and Maddy Lam in two recordings made 40 years apart by two different artists using the exact same Benny Saks arrangement.

As you might already have guessed by my lengthy conspicuous absence from the airwaves, I have been more than a little under the weather for a few weeks now - a pretty nasty bout with bronchitis. And I have coughed myself right out of a voice! My silence has been a blessing to family, friends, and co-workers, but it doesn’t do much for the avocation of a budding radio show host.

But, as they say, the show must go on! So I bring you a most unorthodox show this week… My first foray into the world of radio was as a child making mix tapes in my parents’ den. I made epic mix tapes from my then still growing collection of Hawaiian music, and these tapes became a staple for long road trips with the family. (In a manner of speaking, I still make my mix tapes. But now I share them with you every week and call them Ho`olohe Hou. ) This week’s program is one of those mix tapes I made circa. 1989 (or nearly 20 years ago). So there is no new music here - mostly classics from some of the legends of Hawaiian music plus a few from seldom-heard artists. I remastered this right from the original cassette tape. I hope it satisfies all of our cravings for some much needed Hawaiian music to make our day of rest even more restful and see us through the week ahead.

I hope to be back with you in person - or as much as we can be “in person? via the Internet - next week. Until then…

Enjoy!

Bill Wynne

What do you say about a living legend on the occasion of her 89^th birthday? You don’t. With a career spanning more than 60 years and hundreds of recordings covering 50 of those years, you simply let her music speak for itself.

It’s Aunty Genoa Keawe’s birthday! Mahalo for helping me celebrate in style. It is my sincere hope that you enjoy this program as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you.

Bill Wynne

All selections out-of-print unless indicated. (Click on the link to a title to locate a possible distribution source.)

*Remastered and rereleased on CD

**Recent release available on CD

***Remastered and re-released on a compilation CD

This week on Ho`olohe Hou we feature 50 years of recordings by the godmother of all Hawaiian music, Aunty Genoa Keawe, as we celebrate this Halloween baby's 89th birthday.

Tune in this Sunday at 50th State Radio for two hours of reminiscing with the music of everybody's favorite aunty - from her very first recording in 1946 to her most recent in 1996 and including even more recent guest appearances with the young lions of Hawaiian music like Zanuck Lindsey, Raiatea Helm, and Pali.

1-3pm HST

3-5pm PST

6-8pm EST

This week’s program begins by continuing our look at traditional Hawaiian music today that I began last week after my return from Hawai`i. Having spent seventeen days on O`ahu in September, I am eager to share with you the beautiful Hawaiian music I heard - and I heard plenty! I open this week’s program by sharing my typical Wednesday and Thursday evening in Honolulu with you. Wednesdays begin at the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel with Chris Kamaka and Baba Alimoot (known together as Hema Pa`a), then down Ala Moana Boulevard to Aloha Tower Marketplace where The Brothers Cazimero perform in the relaxed but elegant atmosphere of Chai’s Island Bistro, then back to Waikiki for a late evening with Weldon Kekauoha at Tiki’s Grill and Bar at the ResortQuest Waikiki Hotel.

The remainder of the program focuses on someone who was arguably the islands’ greatest female composer of all time: Hawai`i's Songbird, Lena Machado. I don’t know what else to say about Auntie Lena except the she had a “way with words? - unlike any other. This program takes a look at the two facets of her career as vocalist and composer. This set opens with several numbers from out-of-print Columbia 78 rpms with Andy Cummings featuring Auntie Lena‘s beautiful voice, and then we spend an hour with the greats of Hawaiian music interpreting Auntie Lena’s many compositions.

As part of our Lena Machado birthday celebration, I challenge you with another “Three-Of-A-Kind? contest. I have tried to adjust for the difficulty level of this week’s contest in two ways: I have added a fourth song to this set to give you an additional clue, and I have created a set that has not one, but two correct answers. If you think you know what these four Lena Machado recordings have in common, send me an e-mail at bill@50thstateradio.com.

I encourage you to learn more about the life and music of Lena Machado. I have filled this program with lots of Auntie Lena’s music and, in so doing, I left little time to talk about the songs or the amazing woman who gave them life. But Auntie Lena’s hanai daughter, Pi`olani Motta, with the help of Kihei Silva, has written the definitive book about Lena Machado’s life and compositions. Check out Songbird of Hawai`i.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and requests. Send me an e-mail at the e-mail address above. Enjoy the show!  

All selections out-of-print unless indicated. (Click on the link to a title to locate a possible distribution source.)

*Remastered and rereleased on CD

**Recent release available on CD

This week on Ho`olohe Hou, we celebrate the birthday of one of the most important figures in the history of Hawaiian music: Alvin Kaleolani Isaacs. “Papa? Isaacs’ contributions to Hawaiian music are incalculable - including the formation of one of the seminal Hawaiian music ensembles (the Royal Hawaiian Serenaders featuring the falsetto voices of Benny Kalama and George Kainapau and the unique steel guitar stylings of Tommy Castro), composing more than 300 songs in both English and Hawaiian (think “Nalani,? “Analani E,? and the comic “No Huhu?), and bringing into the world three more musical Isaacs (steel guitar great Barney Isaacs, slack key legend Atta Isaacs, and singer, bassist, and funnyman Norman Isaacs).

My goal was to cram as much of “Papa? Isaacs music into a two-hour program as possible. In so doing, I made the mistake of saying very little about the man. So, some things you should know:

Alvin Kaleolani Isaacs taught himself to play most string and wind instruments by the age of ten. He formed an orchestra by the age of 13 - doubling on piano and mandolin - and composed the first of his more than 300 songs a year later. (The first - “Kau`ionalani? - has been recorded countless times - most recently by Amy Hanaiali`i Gilliom, a selection featured on this week’s program.) During this period, this husky lad also excelled in sports. As a freshman at McKinley High he became the first freshman in Hawai`i’s history to make the All-Star Scholastics football squad, and he did equally well in track, baseball, and swimming.

Alvin married his high school sweetheart, Julita Chung, in 1924. To support the large family they planned (they eventually raised ten children), Alvin joined the Honolulu Police Department as a motorcycle patrolman. But after a debilitating motorcycle accident on the HPD job which left him hospitalized for a year, he turned his full attention to music for income - and the Hawaiian music world hasn’t been the same since.

After the tragic accident, Alvin organized a group, the K.M.M. Syncopators, in 1929. He formed several other groups after, including the original Royal Hawaiians (which often featured the great Ray Kinney) and The Islanders which enjoyed a long run at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. In 1935, he joined a band led by Harry Owens’ (who took over at the Royal), and Alvin was this group’s featured singer and comic hula dancer until 1940.

Alvin reorganized The Islanders in 1940 and they played at the Young Hotel Roof Garden until the attack on Pearl Harbor. At the same time as his run at the Young Hotel, Alvin led another band - Alvin Kaleolani and The Royal Polynesians - who were the house band for the nationwide NBC program “The Voice Of Hawai`i.? After the attack of December 7th, Alvin joined the U.S. Engineers and served as lieutenant of the guard at Punahou and took his troup of entertainers on the U.S.O. circuit.

In 1947, he assembled the aforementioned Royal Hawaiian Serenaders - an aggregation featuring Honolulu’s finest musicians of that era. Benny Kalama had a beautiful voice, a way with an `ukulele, and a knack for arranging. George Kainapau was Hawai`i’s premier falsetto singer. And Tommy Castro was a well-regarded and oft-copied steel guitarist. Along with Isaacs’ compositions, the Royal Hawaiian Serenaders were an unbeatable combination who made musical history at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel from 1947 until 1951. They made numerous recordings for the then fledgling Bell Records label (under their own name and as accompanists for other singers) and they embarked on four mainland tours which broke attendance records at the leading west coast hotels. It was this mainland exposure which helped introduce Alvin to Bing Crosby (who featured Alvin on his radio programs) and which led to work on Hollywood soundstages with Harry Owens.

A guiding principle that helped shape Alvin’s philosophy on life was his faith. He was a lifelong member of the Mormon Church, and it was not uncommon for the Isaacs clan to spend evenings in family prayer. Alvin was very active in his church, and it was while producing a talent show at his church that he conceived of the comedy classic “No Huhu.? They were rehearsing a one-act skit featuring a Chinese-dialect comedian, and Alvin dreamed up the idea for the song and had it finished it only two hours. “No Huhu? remains a staple of the Hawaiian comedy repertoire. You may hear steel guiatarist Alan Akaka perform this with aplomb on Thursday evenings when performing with Genoa Keawe and Her Hawaiians, or you may catch Ocean Kaowili regaling audiences at Honey’s at Ko`olau with this number on Sunday afternoons. (In an earlier time, two steel guitarists were known for their way with this song - Jules Ah See and Alvin’s son, Barney Isaacs. You will hear Barney’s version on this program, and you will hear Jules Ah See’s version when this program celebrates his birthday next June.)

The world lost Alvin Kaleolani Isaacs in 1984, but his memory lives on through his many compositions. This program will take a look at the new generation of Hawaiian music artists’ take on Isaacs’ classic compositions.

This week’s program opens with music from a 1984 recording by Alvin Isaacs’ longtime friend and partner, Benny Kalama - a recording on which Benny recreated the classic sound of the Royal Hawaiian Serenaders (and an album which, in my personal opinion, was robbed of a well-deserved Na Hoku Hanohano award). We then spend some time listening to the 1940s recordings of the Royal Hawaiian Serenaders on Bell Records on which Benny and Alvin performed together. Listen and discover the timeless sound Alvin and friends created that is still recognized as epitomical “Hawaiian music? - a sound you can still hear today at sunset each evening at the Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki.

The remainder of the program focuses on Isaacs’ numerous compositions performed by some of Hawai`i’s most well-loved artists - including some long forgotten names and voices. I expect that these selections will bring back great memories for some of you and for others the realization that some of your favorite Hawaiian standards are, in fact, Alvin K. Isaacs compositions. During this set, you will hear some selections from an extremely rare LP entitled “A Lei Of Songs From Sam? by Sam Kahalewai. I included as many songs from this recording as I could fit since it was extremely rare to get the Isaacs `ohana into the recording studio together, but “A Lei Of Songs From Sam? features Barney Isaacs on steel guitar, Norman Isaacs on bass, Alvin Isaacs on `ukulele, and - a surprise! - Gabby Pahinui on guitar, and more than half of this beautiful record features the compositions of Alvin Isaacs.  (If only slack key guitarist Atta Isaacs had been present at these sessions...)

And speaking of Barney, this week in our “Why In The World Is This Out Of Print?? segment, we revisit an out-of-print treasure from just a few years ago - “E Mau - Take One? - with a band led by Barney Isaacs and which - like Benny Kalama’s “He Is Hawaiian Music? just a few years before - recreated the classic Royal Hawaiian Serenaders sound. Barney enlisted the help of Benny Kalama for this recording, as well as Aaron Mahi on bass and singer, guitarist, and vintage Hawaiian music acolyte Scott Furushima.

This week’s “Three-Of-A-Kind? contest is very special. After listening to so much Alvin Isaacs music, listen closely to these three selections and the answer should be apparent to you! If not, listen closely anyway because they are three beautiful recordings which represent rare moments in Hawaiian music history. (That is a hint!)

And we close the program with proof of the timelessness of Alvin Isaacs’ compositions as we feature a handful of recording by today’s Hawaiian music artists performing Isaacs’ classic songs.

To listen to the show, click on the link to 50th State Radio or on the radio logo in the navigation pane.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and requests. Send an e-mail to bill@50thstateradio.com .

All selections out-of-print unless indicated. (Click on the link to a title to locate a possible distribution source.)

*Remastered and rereleased on CD.

**Selections from the same recording session by the same artist remastered and rereleased on CD but which does not include the out-of-print selection featured on this program.

***Recent release available on CD.

****This selection remastered and rereleased on a compilation CD.

This week’s program opens with music from the 1970s before taking a further leap backward to the 1950s and 60s with some long out-of-print treasures. (My goal each week is to play at least one recording you have likely not heard before - even if you are an aficianado and collector of Hawaiian recordings.  But I am guessing there will be more than one you have never heard before in this first half hour set!) We then proceed to celebrate the birthdays of three Hawaiian music giants: the Sons of Hawaii bassist and arranger Joe Marshall; singer, guitarist, composer, and arranger Sonny Kamahele; and slack key master Ledward Kaapana. We mourn the passing of the multitalented Walter Mo`okini. And in this week’s “Why In The World Is This Out Of Print?? we take another listen to a party favorite of long, long ago from Tony Lindsey and Friends.

Oh, and of course, there is another “Three-Of-A-Kind? contest this time around! But I’m not sure why since none of our listeners have even attempted the last two! If my hunch is correct that I have simply been making these much too difficult, I made this week‘s contest considerably easier. Give it a try…

To listen to the show, click on the link to 50th State Radio or on the radio logo in the navigation pane.

Enjoy the show! We look forward to hearing your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and requests. Send an e-mail to bill@50thstateradio.com. 

All selections out-of-print unless indicated. (Click on the link to a title to locate a possible distribution source.)

*Remastered and rereleased on CD.

**Selections from the same recording session by the same artist remastered and rereleased on CD but which does not include the out-of-print selection featured on this program.

***Recent release available on CD.

This week’s program opens with music perfect for a Sunday morning - vintage recordings from the 1950s and 60s. Last week we took a look at Hawaiian music across three decades - the 50s, 60s, and 70s. This week we take another look forward - at what we have in store in the weeks, months, and years to come on Ho`olohe Hou - by taking a look back - at classic out-of-print Hawaiian music of the 80s and 90s. In “Why In The World Is This Out Of Print?? we take a quick look at three Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning albums from not so long ago by Kapono Beamer, Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, and The Peter Moon Band. In a new segment - "Unlikely Heroes In Hawaiian Music" - we examine the life and work of steel guitar master Jerry Byrd. And then a look at another master as we revisit the unique slack key guitar stylings of Atta Isaacs. We challenge you with another “Three-Of-A-Kind? contest - this time one especially for slack key guitarists and other fans of slack key. And we celebrate the birthday of chanter, composer, author, lecturer, and consultant on all things Hawaiian, Kaupena Wong.

To listen to the show, click on the link to 50th State Radio or on the radio logo in the navigation pane.

Enjoy the show! We look forward to hearing your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and requests. Send an e-mail to bill@50thstateradio.com. 

All selections out-of-print unless indicated. (Click on the link to a title to locate a possible distribution source.)

*Remastered and rereleased on CD.

**Selections from the same recording session by the same artist remastered and rereleased on CD but which does not include the out-of-print selection featured on this program.

***Recent release available on CD.

Welcome back to Ho`olohe Hou! We’re pleased and honored that you joined us for this program’s new beginning at 50th State Radio. Because 50th State Radio has revived this program, now we can continue to revive the Hawaiian music of a bygone era. Mahalo nui loa to my new `ohana at 50th State Radio. Here’s looking forward to many happy years together…

This week’s program opens with music from four living legends. And then for those who have never heard the program before, we get a feel for what Ho`olohe Hou is all about - and the many treasures in store in the coming weeks, months, and years from this program - by reliving the halcyon days of Hawaiian music with some out-of-print classics from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. (Slack key guitarists will revel in the earliest recording of one of their heroes, Sonny Chillingworth.) We challenge you with the first of many “Three-Of-A-Kind? contests. We reintroduce a segment - “Why In The World Is This Out Of Print?? - by revisiting an out-of-print treasure from not so long ago from the Brothers Cazimero. We celebrate the birthdays of singer/pianist George Paoa, singer/composer Ihilani Miller, composer and slack key guitarist Alice Namakelua. And we remember a different side of the late, great Don Ho.

To listen to the show, click on the link to 50th State Radio above or on the radio logo in the navigation pane.

Enjoy the show! We look forward to hearing your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and requests. Send an e-mail to bill@50thstateradio.com. 

All selections out-of-print unless indicated. (Click on the link to a title to locate a possible distribution source.)

*Remastered and rereleased on CD.

**Selections from the same recording session by the same artist remastered and rereleased on CD but which does not include the out-of-print selection featured on this program.