Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 36, Number 8, 1 March 2019 — The Life and Legacy of “The Golden Voice of Hawai'i” [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Life and Legacy of “The Golden Voice of Hawai'i”

By Jeffrey Apaka Born into a musical family, Alfred Apaka, Jr., eame from Hawaiian royalty. His great-aunt, Lydia Aholo, was an educator and the hanai daughter of Queen Lydia Lili'uokalani. Apaka's father, Alfred, Sr., was himself an

accomplished musician and later recorded with his son for Capitol Records; his son, Jeffrey, is also a musician. Alfred Junior's great talent eventually landed him a spot as a featured

singer on the famed "Hawai'i Calls" radio broadcasts - and then eame regular shows with the Moana Serenaders at Waikīkī's Moana Hotel. From there, he moved to Don the Beachcomber's where, in 1952, Bob Hope "discovered" him. Appearances on

Ed Sullivan's prestigious "Talk of The Town" and "The Dinah Shore Show" followed, giving national television exposure for both Apaka's golden voice and for Hawai'i. George Kanahele, a critical observer of Hawaiian music later wrote, "Alfred Apaka possessed one of the most remarkable voices

to ever eome out of Hawai'i." Apaka was indeed the most influential Hawaiian performer of his time, setting the standard for all modern Hawaiian music. Performances showcasing his voice, good looks and personality put Henry Kaiser's Hawaiian

Village Hotel "on the map." An enormous, golden, 4,000-seat geodesic dome was built by Henry Kaiser's Kaiser Aluminum and Buckminster Fuller (inventor of the geodesic dome) to aeeommodate Apaka's huge audiences. As his fame grew, he became a recording artist and rising MGM movie star, spreading the appreciation of Hawaiian music around the world. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

onee said, "He was definitely one of my biggest inspirations, maybe the biggest. The red carnation lei, the spotlight on the ukulele player in the middle, the hula dancers coming out every onee in a while - he invented all of that." Apaka elevated many of the romantic "hapa haole" songs to international prominence, including: "Haunani," "Nalani," "My Isle Of Golden Dreams," "Lovely Hula Hands," "I'll Weave A Lei Of Stars," "Beyond The Reef," "Ebb Tide," "White Ginger Blossoms," "Here In This

Enchanted Plaee," "Hawaiian Wedding Song," and "Red Sails In The Sunset." Apaka was planning his first national television special at the time of his unexpected heart attack and death at the age of 40, in 1960. He was interred with a microphone in his hands in Honolulu's Diamond Head Memorial Park. On March 19, 2019, we remember what would have been

his 100th birthday. "Because Hawai'i is a land far removed from all others, the most distant populated plaee on earth, the people of Hawaii hold on to their traditions - their history - dreams," former This Week Magazine publisher Ron Cruger. "The splendid voice of Alfred Apaka remains in the memories of the Hawaiians. His magical voice filled the sweet Hawaiian air with thoughts of love and dreams of what could be. When Apaka sang a hush fell over those listening. Most had never heard such beauty weave through the air. It was romantic and strong. It made you dream." Should you wander through the Tapa lobby of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort in Waikīkī, you'll find a life-size bronze statue honoring the legendary Hawaiian romantic baritone, Alfred Aholo Apaka, Jr. At the statue's 1997 dedication, long-time family friend, the late Gladys Brandt said, "His ability to render a Hawaiian melody was unduplicated for the time, and perhaps forever." ■

Video Tribute View the 201 1 Alfred Apaka Tribute Concert at the Hilton Hawaiian Village at: archive.org/details/AlfredApakaHiltonHawaiianVillage2011_338

Alfred Apaka, Jr. and Shirley īemple. - Photo: Courtesy Scott Foster