Aloha Oe Don Ho...

As the world celebrated Cinco De Mayo,just before sunset in Hawaii, islanders and visitors celebrated the life of Don Ho.

This afternoon and evening was a celebration that Hawaii hasn't seen in years and may never see again. The love and affection for Don has always been strong here but emotions were running high as we said goodbye to an icon of the late twentieth century. For someone who hasn't grown up in Hawaii, it may be hard to comprehend how many of us in our travels are always asked if we knew Don Ho. Was he our next door neighbor? Did he really spend his time as an entertainer talking with with his audience members after a show and take a photograph with anyone who asked? Could anyone that famous be filled so much Aloha. He was simply a man who loved his family and loved performing. He never intended to be an entertainer. A musician's life wasn't his life goal as a young man but destiny intervened and the rest is musical and cultural history.







His music has been a part of our lives and without a doubt...have become island classics. The late Kui Lee's greatest legacy as a songwriter met worldwide success due to Don. It may have been timing due to sixties turmoil or a fluke that "Tiny Bubbles" grabbed the world's attention. Whatever the case may happen to be, the songs that Don Ho and The Ali'is released in the mid to late sixties were taken to heart. "Ain't No Big Thing", "Days Of My Youth", "Suck 'Em Up", "Lahainaluna", "One Paddle, Two Paddle", "The Simple Folk" and "I'll Remember You" were just a handful of songs that spoke to audiences worldwide.

The seventies brought staying power to Don as an entertainer. NBC's television special "Hawaii-Ho" was a certified hit back for the 1969-1970 tv season. The Singer sponsored show had the chairman of the board Frank Sinatra as their first superstar headliner. The second episode was Elvis Presley. The third was Barbara Striesand. The fourth episode was Don who had no special guest stars to fill the hour. It was Hawaii that filled the hour. Members of The Time Machine got to witness the making of a television program right here in Lahaina at the corner of Lahainaluna Road and Front Street. Firecrackers were set off in the old supermarket across from Lahaina TV for a segment of the show. It was a great way to kick off the decade. 1970 was off and running.

We would come home after school in the mid seventies to watch Don join the daily daytime talkshow hosts with his own show to compete with; Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore and Merv Griffin. We were proud to have someone from Hawaii have his own show.

The counter-culture merged with the mainstream to yield Don's regional hit "Who Is The Lolo Who Stole My Pakalolo?" that radio DJs obviously had a ball playing to radio audiences and singles were hard to keep in stock. Just when we thought that Don couldn't become more famous than he already was, Dr. Demento began to play Don's hilarious record, making him one of the few entertainers loved by the masses and also a cult musical hero. No easy feat.

The eighties brought us "Papa's Lament" which to this day still touches people who hear it for the very first time. Don was so much more than just being the "Dean Martin of Hawaii". A former Air Force pilot who became an international superstar was a man truly filled with Aloha for everyone around him. His career can be easily be found anywhere. It's the lives he touched that means the most to us.

Below photographs: Don's wife Haumea Ho, scattered his ashes wrapped in Hawaiian 'ti' leaves, from an outrigger canoe off Waikiki Beach.








Below photograph: Don's daughter, Hoku Ho, waved to friends during her Dad's memorial.



Below photograph: Haumea covered her face as a U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle flies over the memorial service in honor of the former pilot.




Below photograph: Thousands gathered on Waikiki Beach to pay tribute to Hawaii's Ambassador of Aloha




Below Photograph: Hoku and her family joined the thousands on the beach to blow bubbles in the air during final moments of the ceremony.




Many of Hawaii's most beloved performers and recording artists joined the celebration of Don's life this evening from The Brothers Cazimero to Melveen Leed to Willie K. The family members were the strongest tonight for all of us with Kaimana, Kea and Hoku all singing their hearts out. Hoku closed the ceremony with her touching and heartfelt version of "I'll Remember You". The Time Machine sends out our love to the entire family. We will miss him too.






1976 Fourth Of July Television Special



The Pro Bowl



"The Brady Bunch"



Kamasami Kong and Don



Don and Willie prepare for their duet on "Night Life"



Don and Duke





Judy B.



May 6, 2007 8:02 PM

Thank you sooo much, Michael. Aw, this was so nice. Don was such a wonderful part of Hawaii. I'm so glad they gave him such a terrific send-off. Thanks for this.

- Judy B.




Gina



May 7, 2007 12:15 PM

Are you kidding about Don Ho on Front Street? I was there...there were tons of kids there at that intersection. I was up right next to him...he held my hand...I told my sister Penny we were getting married...and she could keep Tom Jones all to herself...1970s...wow...thanks for the memories...

Gina




Mark Hershberger



May 7, 2007 3:27 PM

I grew up in the 60's and was a fan of Don Ho and "Tiny Bubbles". That was a song I used to sing around the house when I was little! I was hoping to one day get to Hawaii and see Mr. Ho in person.....too late now.....but great memories!

- Mark Hershberger, Pop Detective Records




Luna Girl

May 10, 2007 11:08 AM

Hey Michael,

I grew up thinking that Don Ho was my father. My mother used to refer to him as if he were. I guess like all other women of her generation, it must have been their dream. Now that I know he isn't my father, life goes on. More importantly his music lives on, in all our hearts.

As a resident of the mainland, he is probably the one "thing" that everyone knows about Hawaii and I am very proud to have had him as part of my life via his music.

My heart goes out to his family.

I hope you know that I am kidding about him being my father (I know better). I'm sure Don Ho was to my mother as Donny Osmond was to me...................

Luna Girl

Nashville artists. Tico Torres. MySpace spam. Don Ho. "The Office"...there's alot going on today.

Singer-songwriter Courtney Jaye returns as a guest to "The Time Machine" this week. There's nothing nicer than when an artist comes back on the radio show. She's scheduled for an on-air appearence in the afternoon later this week. While we look forward to Courtney's return, she's here to let us know what she's been up to.

Hello my dears out there. How goes it for you on this fine day?
Well, I have been lame. Not writing. Busy as a bee. It's been nuts round here. It's no excuse. Just call me lame-o.

So much to talk about, where shall we start?

First of all, what is up with all of the spam on myspace? It's spamtastically out of hand, no? No, I don't want a weight loss pill (I eat alot andIi like it), no I don't need a new ringtone (I'll stick with Astrud Gilberto's "The Gentle Rain", thank you very much;), no I don't need a new handbag(my hobo wallet will do just fine;), and no I do not want to check to see who is visiting my profile page (even though I am slightly curious if the ex is checking in on me...but I'm such a girl like that, who wouldn't want to know that?).
So, just in case you think myspace is one giant advertisement...I say, don't waste your precious time...I delete and don't think twice about it.

So I have been traveling a bunch...went to the beautiful and sophisticated city of Montreal for some meetings, then to NYC for some more meetings and to visit with my friends whom I haven't seen in ages. NYC is like Vegas for me...I have no business being there for more than 3 days max...I ate so much good food, drank a wine that tasted like I was drinking a big red rose and adopted what I call the "vampire schedule"...which pretty much means what it says. I slept alot during the day because people go out in NYC til the wee hours of the morning and I gotta say, I'm a wuss anymore when it comes to the party circuit. Nashville has made me soft and I like it.

Since I have been back, I have been writing a bunch with some really awesome and fantastic Nashville talents...ok, here's the list ya'll, check these folks out now!

1. Thad Cockrell - my brotha from anotha mutha. Wow, what a talent. One of the finest songwriters I have ever met with the biggest heart in the world. Good human.

2. Seth Kauffman - ok, he is not from Nashville, he's from ASHE-ville but that's close enough right? He was here last week and we were working together, so that makes him an honorary member of the Nashville music community. Ok, his music is like Beck and the Rolling Stones go to jamaica in the early 1960's and make a record at Johnny Cash's house with Willie Nelson hanging out and smoking weed in the control room just for fun. Wow. It's brilliant.

3. Jeremy Lister - he's gonna be huge, just signed with Warner Bros ya'll...go JL.

4. Trent Dabbs - I love your moves and your boots buddy, one of my favorite shows I've seen since I moved here.

5. Sam Ashworth - we write the hits, ya know? Astronaut pushers-all star band.

6. Kyle Andrews-out on tour with Josh Rouse right this SECOND! Go look now, he might be in your city...today!

7. Bill Demain of Swandive - aaahhh, Swandive. I like to swandive into the ocean from big cliffs. Well, not THAT big. In fact, if I was a bird, I might be a swan. Or a hummingbird. Or a flamingo. Ok, I'm indecisive today...obviously.

8. The Bee's - oh, The Bee's. My little beelet's.



Been seeing some great live shows lately...saw Autovaughn about a month back and they rocked my face off. Saw Citizen Cope on Friday and I danced like a hippie. saw Jessie Baylin and James Morrison last night and it was lovely. She is lovely. He is lovely. It was a lovely affair. In fact, James made me weep like a child. Seriously, weep. I couldn't help it...the tears just would not stop...for like, 2 songs! PLUS, the guy with the curly hair from Bon Jovi was there...I can't remember his name, and it wasn't Tico Torres even though I just like saying that name. Tico Torres. Tico Torres. In fact, I'm gonna name my next cat Tico Torres. It's official.

Been listeing to all kinds of really old music lately...a ton of early, early Rolling Stones, still listening to Thad Cockrell and Caitlin Cary's "Begonias" like it is going out of style...um, what else...alot of Martin Denny early exotica style music, just got introduced to Skeeter Davis and Chico Hamilton and I am hooked...alot of really old, old Hawaiian records that I don't know the names of because they are THAT old...which reminds me...a moment of silence in remembrance of Don Ho..............................................................................
........................................................................aw shucks, he was the Hawaiian Elvis...the king...gotta pay respects where respects are due, ya know?






Ok, well I am officially addicted to "The Office"...the American version. Sometimes I live under a rock and don't hear about or catch on to things until like, YEARS after they have been a big cultural phenomenon...but yes, I did just get into it and I am loving it. But I really want Pam and Jim to hook up and every episode that they do not hook up makes me sad. Pam can be such a wimp sometimes, it drives me batty. I'm all like, "you know you want him Pam! Admit it homegirl, your life would be so much better!" but now Jim has a girlfriend and Pam's gotta back off and it's obviously killing her but geez man, girl had her chance.

Ok, enough bout that. thanks for letting me vent.

I am talking to some record labels at the moment and things are looking good, so I am hoping to be in the studio by summer making a new record. Since I have been in Nashville I have written 46 songs and the record is almost written. Out of those 46, there are about 9 that will make up the next record and it's gonna be stupid cool. I am so focused on putting the BEST songs on this record and it may very well take another year til those perfect songs come but I am not gonna compromise just to put a record out. The thoughts will be complete, the hooks will be off the chart and the production will be really cool...I'm on a roll.

Allright, I gotta stop talking now...I'm hungry and need a cup of joe...or if joe is not available, a coconut latte will do just fine.

I heart you. stay tuned ya'll. I'm working hard and I promise the wait will be worth it .

Hugs not drugs,
Courtney



Posted by Courtney Jaye








Courtney's music has had a home on our playlists and in our hearts since her debut release. Be sure to pick up a copy of her first album, "Traveling Light" and keep an eye peeled out for CJ's upcoming release "Bamboo Moon". Sample "Are You With Me?", available at iTunes, you can also get a sampling of what she's been up to lately (including both "Til It Bleeds" and "The Sweetest Tune" which are getting some positive response from our radio listeners on the studio lines) at her website www.courtneyjaye.com and also Courtney Jaye's MySpace Music Profile