Israel Kamakawiwoʻole: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Facing Future.jpg|right|thumb|200px|"Bruddah Iz" on the cover of ''Facing Future'']] |
[[Image:Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Facing Future.jpg|right|thumb|200px|"Bruddah Iz" on the cover of ''Facing Future'']] |
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'''Israel "Bruddah Iz" Kamakawiwo{{okina}}ole''' ([[May 20]], [[1959]] – [[June 26]], [[1997]]) ([[pronunciation|pronounced]] [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] {{IPA|[kamakaʋiwoˈʔole]}}) lived in [[Hawaii|Hawai{{okina}}i]] until his death at the age of 38. He became famous outside Hawai{{okina}}i when his album ''[[Facing Future]]'' was released in [[1993]] with his medley of "[[Somewhere Over the Rainbow]]" and "[[What a Wonderful World]]", which has been featured in several [[film]]s, [[television program]]s, and [[Television advertisement|television commercials]]. |
'''Israel "Bruddah Iz" Kamakawiwo{{okina}}ole''' ([[May 20]], [[1959]] – [[June 26]], [[1997]]) ([[pronunciation|pronounced]] [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] {{IPA|[kamakaʋiwoˈʔole]}}) lived in [[Hawaii|Hawai{{okina}}i]] until his death at the age of 38. He became famous outside Hawai{{okina}}i when his album ''[[Facing Future]]'' was released in [[1993]] with his medley of "[[Somewhere Over the Rainbow]]" and "[[What a Wonderful World]]", which has been featured in several [[film]]s, [[television program]]s, and [[Television advertisement|television commercials]]. He is recognized as one of the all-time great ukulele players. |
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On [[21 July]] [[2006]] it was announced on [[BBC Radio 1]] that the song would be released as a single. |
On [[21 July]] [[2006]] it was announced on [[BBC Radio 1]] that the song would be released as a single. |
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Revision as of 05:59, 26 February 2007
Israel "Bruddah Iz" Kamakawiwoʻole (May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997) (pronounced IPA [kamakaʋiwoˈʔole]) lived in Hawaiʻi until his death at the age of 38. He became famous outside Hawaiʻi when his album Facing Future was released in 1993 with his medley of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World", which has been featured in several films, television programs, and television commercials. He is recognized as one of the all-time great ukulele players.
On 21 July 2006 it was announced on BBC Radio 1 that the song would be released as a single.
Facing Future (1993) debuted at #25 on Billboard Magazine's Top Pop Catalogue chart. 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 chart .
Early years
Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole was born on the island of Oʻahu at Kuakini Hospital to Henry Kaleialoha Naniwa and Evangeline Leinani Kamakawiwoʻole. He was raised in the community of Kaimuki on the outskirts of Waikīkī, where his parents had met and married. He began playing music with his older brother Skippy at the age of 11, being privy to the music of the great Hawaiian entertainers of the time such as the likes of 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 Ni’ihau.From 1976 throughout the 1980s, the Hawaiian contemporary band gained in popularity as they toured Hawaiʻi and the continental United States and released 50 successful albums.
In 1982, Iz's brother Skippy Kamakawiwoʻole 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
In 1990, Iz released his first solo album Ka'ano, which won him awards for Contemporary Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year from the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA). Facing Future was released in 1993. Considered his "best" album by many, it featured his most popular song, the medley "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World", along with "Hawaiʻi 78", "White Sandy Beach of Hawaiʻi", "Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man", and "Kaulana Kawaihae". In 1994, Iz was voted favorite entertainer of the year by HARA.
E Ala E (1995) featured the political title song "ʻE Ala ʻE" 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 the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts 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.
His version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" has been featured in many television programs and commercials.
Death
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Throughout the latter part of his life, Iz was morbidly obese and at one point carried over 750 pounds (340 kg) on his 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 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. The Hawaiʻi State Flag flew at half-mast throughout the day. Iz lay in state at the Capitol building in Honolulu. He was only the third person in Hawaiian history to have this honor bestowed, and the only non-politician (the other two were Governor John A. Burns and US Senator Spark Matsunaga). Over 20,000 came to pay respects over the course of the first day. His ashes were scattered into the ocean at Mākua Beach. Kamakawiwoʻole 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 and of the people of Hawaiʻi.