![]() “Whatever was going on that night, he was inspired. ![]() He was right, as the album went platinum as one of Hawaii’s highest-selling records ever. Only in 1993 while working on Kamakawiwo‘ole’s follow-up album Facing Future did Bertosa realize it had to be included. While Kamakawiwo‘ole’s debut solo album in 1990 included that song, it was produced with added instrumentation and formed into a medley with a cover of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” It was the acoustic version that would conquer the world - and that version remained in Bertosa’s archives for years. Then I put up some microphones, do a quick soundcheck, roll tape, and the first thing he does is ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’ He played and sang, one take, and it was over.”Īnd that song would be requested on stage at every show until Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole’s death. “The first thing at hand is to find something for him to sit on. “And in walks the largest human being I had seen in my life,” Bertosa recalled, alluding to Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole’s weight. “I got this idea.” “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” when he called recording engineer Milan Bertosa from a payphone at Sparky’s Bar, a notorious hub of Honolulu’s cocaine trade - and kindly requested an audience. Kamakawiwo‘ole kept at it, however, and eventually changed his life forever with one simple recording in 1988. It was a time when most Hawaiian music was bastardized commercial art aimed to satisfy the misconceptions of mainland America.ĭespite launching his career and finding his voice by speaking to and for his people, Kamakawiwo‘ole suffered a major setback when Skippy died in 1982 of an obesity-related heart attack at 28. Mākaha Sons gave their Hawaiian brethren with authentic songs of their homeland. Officializhawaii/Instagram From substance abuse to obesity, the singer was tragically unhealthy. And that thing just cut right through the air, stopped everybody in their tracks.” “Every great singer has something special. “As soon as Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole opened his mouth and sang, that whole place went quiet,” said Beazley. His friend Del Beazley has never forgotten that moment. Despite dropping out of high school and becoming dependent on drugs and alcohol, he found himself at a graduation party where most of his peers heard him sing for the first time. Kamakawiwo‘ole was 17 years old when he formed Mākaha Sons with his brother Skippy. Only relatives, invited guests, government officials, and supervised tourists are allowed on land. It’s not only the westernmost main island of Hawaii, but one that remains entirely populated by its Indigenous people. While the time he spent with his cousin and brother was foundational, so too were the summers he spent with his grandparents on Ni‘ihau. Officializhawaii/Instagram Kamakawiwo‘ole started playing the ukulele at 11.
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