Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 17 Mar 2012 12:43 am |
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There will be a special tribute to the legendary Alfred Apaka on SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2011 – at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki, From 3:00-6:30 p.m. celebration of the 50th Anniversary and the 92nd birthday of Hawaii’s Golden Voice of Hawai’i the late great Alfred Apaka will take place. The event will be REMEMBERING THE SONGS ALFRED APAKA MADE FAMOUS
“The Golden Voice of Hawai`i” Alfred Aholo Apaka
born March 19, 1919 – died January 30, 1960
Picture of Alfred with son, Jeff.
Entertainers will be gathering at the Alfred Apaka statue at 3:00 p.m. for the opening procession with Pu Kakahea, Halau Hula O Maiki and Kumu Hula Colleen Aiu, Kahu Curt La’alua Kekuna along with Kaupena Wong, Master Oli (chanter), Jerry Gibson, Area Vice President & Managing Director Hilton Hawaii and Jeff Apaka.
Providing nahenahe music is Mihana Souza of Puamana, Aaron Mahi, Greg Martin and the lovely Kanoe Miller.
Keaumiki Akui, Master of Ceremonies and a throng of performers will serenade in the Tapa Bar for 3 hours performing songs made famous worldwide by Apaka.
The biggest Waikiki show cast includes Jeff Au Hoy on steel guitar, Jeff Teves, Hal Seabury, Ethelynne Teves, Mona Teves, Ihilani Miller, and Kealoha Kalama.
Following is Hala’i & Friends plus a special friend none other than Melveen Leed and a cameo appearance by Clayton Naluai of The Surfers. Na Hoku Winner and 2011 Grammy Nominee will sing in honor of the Golden Voice are Cyril Lani Pahinui with George Kuo. Al Harrington, star of the original Hawaii 5-0 will introduce Alfred’s son Jeff Apaka & The Village Serenaders orchestrated by Scott Furushima. Gracing the stage is the lovely hula hands of Queenie Ventura who worked with Alfred Apaka, Kawena Mechler the exponent of hula and the lyric soprano of Broadway productions Cathy Foy. Others are expected to join the party is a 2011 Grammy Nominee and master ‘Ukulele virtuoso will make special appearances and the cast of Alfred Apaka Tapa Room show.
A little history - Alfred’s great talent eventually landed him a spot as a featured singer on the famed Hawai‘i Calls radio broadcasts -- and then came regular shows with the Moana Serenaders at Waikiki’s stately Moana Hotel. From the Moana, 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.
In Hawai`i Apaka was best known for his lavish shows in the Hawaiian Village’s Tapa Room and later in the property’s enormous gold aluminum geodesic dome constructed by Kaiser to accommodate Apaka’s large crowds. As his fame grew, he became a well known recording artist, spreading the appreciation of Hawaiian music to the world. Apaka was planning his own national television special at the time of his unexpected heart attack and death at the age of forty in 1960. He was buried with a microphone placed in his hands before his casket was closed. In 1997, Alfred Apaka was honored by a prestigious Nā Hōkū Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Award and in 1999 with an album, Lost Recordings of Hawai‘i’s Golden Voice. |
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