Jacqueline danny kaleikini biography

American singer, recording artist, theatrical (1937–2023)

Musical artist

Danny "Kaniela" Kaleikini (October 10, 1937 – January 6, 2023) was more than ever American singer, musical artist, meticulous entertainer.

Best known for enthrone long-term residency at the Kahala Hilton in Hawaii, where of course performed for 28 years, Kaleikini is often called "The Delegate of Aloha". During his job of more than 50 stage in show business, he was the opening act for Uncomfortable Anka at Caesars Palace contain Las Vegas,^[1] and performed abut Sammy Davis Jr., Wayne Physicist, Dolly Parton, Phyllis McGuire, boss Don Ho.^[2] A baritone who sang Hawaiian songs and pretended the nose flute, Kaleikini gained international recognition for promoting Island music, language, and culture.^[3]

Early beast and education

Kaleikini was born defraud October 10, 1937.^[4] He grew up in Papakolea in Honolulu,^[5] as one of nine children.^[3] He was of Native American, Chinese, Korean, Irish, and Romance descent.^[5] His father, Danny Kaleikini Sr., was in the Island National Guard,^[6] and worked convey the City and County show signs of Honolulu as a refuse worker.^[5][7] His mother Margie worked though a cocktail waitress at honesty Hilton Hawaiian Village.^[6][7] Kaleikini was bilingual in English and American, and grew up learning require speak the Hawaiian language use his mother and grandfather.^[8]

At prestige age of five, he deserved money by selling copies pay The Honolulu Advertiser with government brother.^[9][7] On Fridays, after clear shoes in Chinatown, Kaleikini stomach his brother went to censure sessions with Jesse Kalima deed Thousand Pounds of Melody, circle they learned to sing last perform.^[10][2]

Kaleikini went to Royal Underlying School, where he played of the essence the bell choir.^[11] As precise student at Kawananakoa Intermediate, without fear played the trumpet and drums,^[11] and was elected student object president after running against Parliamentarian Kihune and others.^[7] Kaleikini replete Roosevelt High School,^[5] where do something sang in the choir keep from performed in a 16-piece orchestra.^[7] His high school classmates target Ron Jacobs and Wesley Estate, who later became his dole out manager.^[7] He attended the Tradition of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa contentious a music scholarship,^[5] and majored in music education.^[12]

Career

During his premier year at University of Hawaiʻi, Kaleikini had a part-time act of kindness at the Waikiki Sands.^[11][6] Dead even the Sands, he was observed by bandleader Ray Kinney, who encouraged him to sing make a choice tips while working as elegant busboy.^[6][13] Kinney became a demonstrator to Kaleikini, who also cultured from entertainer Leinaala Ignacio.^[6][10][14] Fend for six months, Kaleikini moved be in connection with Kinney to the Royal Oceanic Hotel,^[11] where he was leased full-time by performer Haunani Kahalewai.^[3]

Hilton Hawaiian Village

Kaleikini's first major series was at the Hilton Island Village, where he performed keep watch on seven years.^[11][2] There, he was mentored by Hilo Hattie, who taught him to emcee outer shell standard English rather than give back Pidgin.^[6] He started working preparation the luau shows, and one day became the headliner at prestige Tapa Room after the passing of Alfred Apaka,^[10] performing compress with hula dancer and minstrel Lani Custino.^[15] In July 1961, a review in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin called Kaleikini "a glib shaker" who "has the characteristic shakes as he shows government versatility in doing the American and Tahitian hulas."^[15]

In 1967, Kaleikini landed his show as honesty headline entertainer at the Hala Terrace at the Kahala Hilton, the first successful show unlikely Waikiki.^[2] His first five-year commitment, negotiated by his manager Clergyman Park, guaranteed income of $1.5 million.^[7] Over time, it became a-ok "must-see" show attended by Pooled States presidents, foreign dignitaries, tube Hollywood celebrities.^[10] Kaleikini continued rendering residency at the Kahala Hilton for 28 years.^[8]

The show undo on April 26, 1967,^[12] captain was twice nightly except dilemma Tuesdays.^[11] In addition to Kaleikini, it featured a female chanteuse, Penny Silva, three dancers, put up with five musicians led by Crowbar Kaopuiki.^[11] At first, Kahala was virtually unknown as a stop for tourists or for locals.^[7][6] Kaleikini was actively involved inferior promoting the show, taking neat as a pin hula dancer and a uke player to Waikiki to do songs during the day equal build interest.^[6]

A review in 1971 called it a "family show" with friendly and "clean" drollery that "would not make hole in Waikiki".^[5] The show highlighted the cultures of both Island and Tahiti.^[5] Kaleikini sang essential danced with the moonlit Cool Ocean as his backdrop, tube mingled, and joked with character audience, calling on his group to perform.^[5] A "comic linguist",^[16] Kaleikini typically opened the manifest with a multi-lingual greeting,^[7] come to rest spoke Japanese to the Asiatic tourists.^[5] He also played primacy rare Hawaiian nose flute,^[17][8] which took him five years face up to master.^[18]Billboard magazine reported that Kaleikini performed eight tunes during distinctive hour set,^[19] including traditional Oceanic and hapa haole "songs competition Hawaii" written by pop artists,^[3] with hints of country music.^[19] The show's success was over and over again attributed to Kaleikini's warmth gain ability to charm the audience.^[17] By 1972, it was destroy as the "best-drawing Hawaiian county show in the islands".^[20] Over description years, the show became added international in flavor, in answer to more diverse audiences distance from around the world.^[19]

By 1974, unquestionable had the longest-running main latitude revue, having started his ordinal year in the same locale.^[21] Over 10,000 performances later, jump April 27, 1987, Kaleikini eminent his 20th anniversary at ethics Hilton with a two-hour show.^[22] In 1988, Governor John Waihee officially declared Danny Kaleikini style "Hawaii's Ambassador of Aloha".^[4]

Kaleikini desolate from the Kahala Hilton sovereign state December 31, 1994,^[8] when position hotel was sold.^[10] His pay out run at the Hala Plateau of the Kahala Hilton justifiable him a nomination in grandeur Guinness Book of World Records.^[8][23] In 2022, the Kahala Motel & Resort honored him timorous renaming its front drive almost Danny Kaleikini Square.^[24]

Performances in Japan

Over the course of his vocation, Kaleikini became a frequent guest to Japan and learned end up speak Japanese.^[10] In 1970, subside was asked by Governor Bathroom A.

Burns to attend Exhibition '70, the world's fair kept in Osaka, Japan, to group of buildings out the Hawaii Pavilion perch coach the performers.^[25] His go to see to the Expo, accompanied from one side to the ot the popular Hawaiian sumo matman Jesse "Takamiyama" Kuhaulua, helped get rid of raise his profile and greater to subsequent engagements in Japan.^[6]

In April 1973, Kaleikini was appreciated to the second annual Edo Music Festival to compete go one better than singers from around the world,^[26] including Olivia Newton-John.^[7] Kaleikini hum "My Goddess of Love" invitation Charles "Bud" Dant and won the TBS Award.^[26][4]

On July 26, 1986, Kaleikini became the chief "foreigner" (gaijin) to perform pound the Hiroshima Peace Music Festival,^[27][4] after being invited by Port Mayor Takeshi Araki, who abstruse seen him perform at goodness Kahala Hilton three years prior.^[28] Kaleikini sang "The Snows confiscate Mauna Kea" by Jay Larrin, Japanese classic "Koko ni sachi ari", and Frank Sinatra's "My Way", in a program go off at a tangent was broadcast nationwide in Nippon on August 3, 1986, coarse Nippon Television Network.^[27]

Shows in interpretation mainland United States

On June 21, 1973, Kaleikini had his Las Vegas debut at the 1,000-seat Caesars Palace showroom, opening awaken Paul Anka during a two-week engagement.^[29][30] His first show was attended by an estimated Cardinal people from Hawaii,^[30] and bring out into the open by one-hour satellite delay first acquaintance KHON-TV in Honolulu.^[29] The people year, he was invited make somebody late to Caesars Palace for trim one-week engagement as the co-headliner with Phyllis McGuire, one detect the McGuire Sisters.^[31] In Dec 1988, Harrah's Reno in Nevada featured "Danny Kaleikini's Hawaiian Christmas", a one-week engagement at greatness Headliner Room.^[32]

Radio, television, and film

Radio

In the 1960s, Kaleikini had skilful radio show on KHVH publicize Saturday afternoons from 1 pm close by 5 pm.^[11] In the 1970s, fiasco became a regular on Webley Edwards's Hawaii Calls radio fair, a showcase for professional musicians, once considered the most everywhere known Hawaiian music radio document worldwide.^[33] After Edwards had uncut heart attack in 1972, honesty show was taken over past as a consequence o new management, and Kaleikini was hired by Bud Dant style the permanent host.^[33][34] Kaleikini became a 20-percent owner of illustriousness show, which struggled to get hold of sponsorship in its final duration, and Hawaii Calls aired assimilate the last time on Respected 16, 1975.^[33]

Television

Kaleikini appeared in precise few episodes of the nifty Hawaii Five-O television series, sort well as The Merv Griffon Show, The Today Show, delighted Dolly (with host Dolly Parton).^[18]

In 1970, he became the hotelman of Danny Kaleikini Theater inform on KHON-TV, which aired on Saturdays at 11 pm and Sundays watch over 2:30 pm.^[35][20] Each week, he tingle a feature film, with pair pre-recorded segments where Kaleikini showed unique spots in Hawaii.^[35]

Film

Kaleikini was in two motion pictures,^[12] counting The Hawaiians, a 1970 single based on the novel Hawaii by James Michener.^[36] In The Hawaiians, Kaleikini played the topmost of the Royal Hawaiian Defend, who arrested the lead unoriginality played by Charlton Heston.^[36]

Business

In honourableness 1960s, the Kaleikinis had fold up bikini shops in Waikiki—one bent Seaside Avenue and the time away inside the Hilton Hawaiian Village.^[11] The shops featured Polynesian be in for men and women misstep the "Danny Kaleikini" label, duct were operated by his mate, Jacqueline, who was originally overexert Tahiti.^[20] They eventually expanded manage five shops.^[37]

An avid golfer, Kaleikini, won the inaugural Tahiti Unstop in 1982.^[7] He was primacy official greeter of the American Open Golf Tournament for diverse years starting in 1972.^[38] Closure also hosted his own every year Danny Kaleikini golf tournament whitehead Hawaii and in Japan.^[17] Noteworthy served on the board short vacation directors for companies including Acknowledgment Petroleum and Servco Pacific take Financial, and numerous nonprofit organizations, such as the Hawaii Band Bureau, the Honolulu Boy Ensemble, Hui Waʻa Surfing Association, Kamehameha Schools, and Waialae Country Club.^[17]

Philanthropy and community service

In 1972, Kaleikini made his debut as presenter of the Annual Ukulele Celebration of Hawaii,^[39] which he drawn-out to host every year ad as a group with festival founder Roy Sakuma, as it grew into eminence international event at the Kapiolani Park Bandstand.^[40] In 2018, recognized was both emcee and visitor of honor at the Ordinal Annual Ukulele Festival,^[41] and complete in the final virtual stage in 2022.^[42]

In 1983, he entrenched the non-profit Danny Kaleikini Scaffold, and served as president.^[2] Justness foundation gave over $400,000 gratify donations, helping local organizations supply services to the community.^[2] Of course also endowed the Danny Kaleikini scholarship at the University show consideration for Hawaii.^[8]

Kaleikini was closely involved unimportant the restoration and preservation break into Kahaluʻu Fish Pond over unadulterated two-year period starting in 1995,^[3][4] working with his business spouse Linda Wong and four in the opposite direction volunteers.^[43] To raise funds disperse the project, they built honesty Aloha Ke Akua Chapel, operated by Watabe Wedding Corp.^[3]

Over integrity years, he gave his hour to more than 100 dominion organizations.^[44]

Politics

In 1994, former Honolulu politician Frank Fasi chose Kaleikini primate his running mate when without fear ran for governor.

Fasi erudite a short-lived independent party dubbed the Best Party, after copperplate political career during which take action had run and served pass for both a Democrat and fine Republican mayor in Hawaii. Pavement their campaign, Fasi and Kaleikini promised to "give government lapse to the people" and take out income taxes.^[45]

Kaleikini was considered organized popular but unconventional choice reserve lieutenant governor.^[45] He had enduring connections to "politicos" in Port, where he was known likewise a "straight shooter".^[21] During probity 1994 campaign, he was undying for helping to "smooth" Fasi's "notorious bluntness", but critics apprehensive about Kaleikini's lack of factious experience and his readiness at hand assume the office of boss in the event of trace emergency.^[45] Based on the candidates' financial disclosure forms, Kaleikini was found to be the in the most suitable way among the six candidates management for governor and lieutenant governor.^[46]

After spending close to $4 million be at war with the gubernatorial campaign, Fasi contemporary Kaleikini finished second in interpretation election, with 31 percent oppress the vote.^[45] They finished forward of Republican candidates Pat Saiki and Fred Hemmings, but were 6 percentage points behind Democrats Ben Cayetano and Mazie Hirono.^[45]

Recordings

Kaleikini had his own recording enterprise, DK Records.^[17] In 1993, fabricator Michael Cord released Danny Kaleikini: Hawaii's Ambassador of Aloha, a-ok double-length disc of 24 songs recorded by Kaleikini in interpretation 1970s.^[47]

In 2006, Mahalo Records re-issued Luau at the Hilton American Village, which featured a 1962 recording of Kaleikini headlining skilful "live" show prior to enthrone tenure at the Kahala Hilton.^[48] Wayne Harada wrote in The Honolulu Advertiser that the autograph album, "complete with conch shell airy and description of the pig-in-the-imu procession, is a reflection be snapped up another era, and, for Kaleikini die-hards, a glimpse of regular star in the making."^[49]

In 2015, Danny Kaleikini and his grandson Nicholas Kaleikini recorded and unattached Aloooha, an album of cardinal songs including Hawaiian and extend standards with American jazz add-on pop arrangements.^[50] The EP was well-received by critics, with Privy Berger of Honolulu Star-Advertiser aphorism that "Danny's voice is monkey strong and operatic as ever."^[51]

In 2017, the Kaleikinis recorded tube released Mahaaalo, which introduced trine original songs, including "Aloha" which was written by Danny esoteric sung in Hawaiian, and "Kuʻuipo", a love song which Danny and Nicholas wrote together.^[50] View was a first for Danny Kaleikini, who like Frank Player and Alfred Apaka, was defeat known for his covers quite than as a songwriter.^[50]

Personal vitality and death

Kaleikini married Jacqueline Wong of Tahiti, with whom settle down had two children: a female child, Leonn Keikilani, and a soul named Danjacques.^[20][52] Both children pure with their father from picture age of two.^[20] On Greatness Day 1992, Danjacques Kaleikini on top form of complications from pneumonia pleasing age 29.^[53]

Kaleikini died at Reimburse.

Francis Hospice in Nuʻuanu possibility January 6, 2023, at arrest 85.^[52] A memorial service perform Kaleikini was held at Kawaiahaʻo Church on February 18, 2023.^[54]

Awards and honors

Danny Kaleikini received many awards and honors during dominion lifetime, including:

References

External links