Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

Infobox Musical artist



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Background = solo_singer
Name = Israel Kamakawiwookinaole
Birth_name = Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwookinaole
Instrument = Ukulele, vocals
Born = May 20, 1959
Died = death date and age|1997|6|26|1959|05|20
Origin = Hawaii, USA
Genre = Jazz, reggae, Hawaiian
Occupation = Musician, singer
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Notable_instruments = Ukulele

Israel "Iz" Kaokinaanookinai Kamakawiwookinaole (May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997) (pronounced|kaˌmakaˌvivoˈʔole) was an Hawaiian musician.

He became famous outside Hawaiokinai when his album "Facing Future" was released in 1993 with his medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World", which was subsequently featured in several films, television programs, and commercials.

Kamakawiwookinaole was nicknamed "The Gentle Giant" by his admirers. He was described as always cheerful and positive, and he was best known for his love of the land, people and food of HawaiokinaiFact|date=May 2008. Through his consummate ukulele playing and incorporation of other idioms (such as jazz and reggae), Iz remains one of the major influences in Hawaiokinaian music over the last 15 years. [ [http://iz.honoluluadvertiser.com/story_p3.html The Legacy: A Voice Of Hawai'i and Hawaiians] , "http//iz.honoluluadvertiser.com", August 19, 2008]

Wiwookinaole means courage or courageous in the Hawaiokinaian language. Ka maka means the eye, the center, the outlook, to see.

Early life

Israel Kaokinaanookinai Kamakawiwookinaole was born at Kuakini Hospital in Honolulu to Henry Kaleialoha Naniwa Kamakawiwookinaole, Jr. and Evangeline Leinani Kamakawiwookinaole. He was raised in the community of Kaimuki, where his parents had met and married. He began playing music with his older brother Skippy at the age of 11, being exposed to the music of Hawaiokinaian entertainers of the time such as Peter Moon, Palani Vaughn, and Don Ho, who frequented the establishment where Iz's parents worked.

In his early teens, his family moved to Makaha, Hawaii. There, he met Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Sam Gray, and Jerome Koko. Together with his brother Skippy they formed the Makaha Sons of Niokinaihau. From 1976 throughout the 1980s, the Hawaiian contemporary band gained in popularity as they toured Hawaiokinai and the continental United States and released fifteen successful albums.

In 1982 Iz's brother Skippy Kamakawiwookinaole died of a heart attack. In that same year, Iz married his childhood sweetheart Marlene and soon after had a daughter who they named Ceslieanne "Wehi".

Music career

Israel formed the musical group Makaha Sons of Niokinaihau with brother Skippy plus Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Sam Gray and Jerome Koko. They recorded "No Kristo" in 1976 and released four more albums, including "Kahea O Keale", "Keala", "Makaha Sons Of Ni'ihau" and "Mahalo Ke Akua", before Skippy's death of a heart attack in 1982. The group became Hawaii's most popular traditional group with breakout albums like 1984's "Puana Hou Me Ke Aloha" and its follow-up, 1986's "Hookinaola". Israel's last recorded album with the group was 1991's "Hookinaoluana". It remains the group's top-selling CD.

In 1990, Iz released his first solo album "Kaokinaanookinai", which won awards for Contemporary Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year from the Hawaiokinai Academy of Recording Arts (HARA). "Facing Future" was released in 1993 by [http://www.mountainapplecompany.com The Mountain Apple Company] . It featured his most popular song, the medley "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World", along with "Hawaiokinai 78", "White Sandy Beach of Hawaiokinai", "Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man", and "Kaulana Kawaihae". "Facing Future" debuted at #25 on Billboard Magazine's Top Pop Catalogue chart. On October 26, 2005, "Facing Future" became Hawaii's first certified platinum album, selling more than a million CDs in the United States, according to figures furnished by the Recording Industry Association of America. [ [http://starbulletin.com/2005/10/06/news/briefs.html Braddah Iz's "Facing Future" goes platinum, a first for Hawaii] , "Honolulu Star-Bulletin", October 6, 2005] On July 21 2006 BBC Radio 1 announced that "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" would be released as a single.

In 1994, Iz was voted favorite entertainer of the year by the Hawaiokinai Academy of Recording Arts (HARA).

"E Ala E" (1995) featured the political title song "okinaE Ala okinaE" and "Kaleohano", and "N Dis Life" (1996) featured "In This Life" and "Starting All Over Again".

As his career progressed, Iz was known for promoting Hawaiian rights and Hawaiian independence, both through his music (whose lyrics often stated the case for independence directly) and through his life.

In 1997, Iz was again honored by HARA at the Annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards for Male Vocalist of the Year, Favorite Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Island Contemporary Album of the Year. He watched the awards ceremony from a hospital room.

"Alone In IZ World" (2001) debuted at #1 on Billboard's World Chart and #135 on Billboard's Top 200, #13 on the Top Independent Albums Chart, and #15 on the Top Internet Album Sales charts.

Death

Throughout the later part of his life, Iz suffered from severe obesity and at one point carried convert|758|lb on his convert|6|ft|2|in frame. He endured several hospitalizations and died of weight-related respiratory illness on June 26, 1997 at 12:18 am at the age of 38. [ [http://starbulletin.com/97/06/26/news/story1.html 'IZ' will always be] , "Honolulu Star-Bulletin", June 26, 1997]

The Hawaiokinai State Flag flew at half-staff on July 10, 1997, the day of Iz's funeral. His koa wood coffin lay in state at the Capitol building in Honolulu. He was the third person in Hawaiian history to be accorded this honor (the other two were Governor John A. Burns and United States Senator Spark Matsunaga) and the only non-politician. Over 10,000 people attended his funeral. Thousands of fans gathered and cheered as his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean at Mākua Beach on July 12, 1997. [ [http://starbulletin.com/97/07/10/news/story3.html Isles bid aloha, not goodbye, to ‘Braddah Iz’] , "Honolulu Star-Bulletin", July 10, 1997]

On September 20, 2003, hundreds paid tribute to Iz as a 200-pound bronze bust of the revered singer was unveiled at the Waianae Neighborhood Community Center on Ookinaahu. The singer's widow, Marlene Kamakawiwookinaole, and sculptor Jan-Michelle Sawyer were present for the dedication ceremony. [ [http://starbulletin.com/2003/09/21/news/indexwild.html Sculpture's debut honors 'Braddah IZ'] "Honolulu Star-Bulletin", September 21, 2003.]

After death

Israel's recording of "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" reached #12 on "Billboard"'s Hot Digital Tracks chart the week of January 31, 2004 (for the survey week ending January 18, 2004).

On July 4, 2007, Israel Kamakawiwookinaole debuted at No. 44 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart with "Wonderful World," selling 17,000 units. It was his biggest sales week ever, helping him garner his second No. 1 on Billboard's Top World Music chart. As of October of 2007, the album has sold 75,000 copies.Fact|date=July 2008

The song continues to be a low-charting best seller, passing 1,348,000 downloads sold as of the survey week ending August 10, 2008, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

Notes

"Finding Forrester" ending credits

References

*Citation
last =Carroll
first =Jim
title =IZ: Voice of the people
publisher = Bess Press, Inc.
year = 2006
isbn = 978-1-57306-257-2.

External links

* at LyricWiki
* [http://liveukulele.com Live Ukulele: Featuring Israel Kamakawiwookinaole songs and tabs.]