IN MEMORIAM & APPRECIATION

Richard Aoyagi:  Thank you for being my first vocal instructor “sensei” and for teaching me the right singing techniques that laid a solid baseline for me to draw from. You trained so many talented singers, and I am proud to be one of them.

Ethel Azama:  You were a trail blazer in the local music scene, and I was so honored and proud when you befriended and encouraged me to sing professionally.  

Willy Barton:  I was very sorry to hear you had passed away.  I never got to tell you in person how much I appreciated and loved you for always coming through for me.  Your arrangements were pure magic and you always had such a kind way of challenging me to do better and be better.  Listening to the recordings we did together and your arrangements, I still marvel at your musical talents and genius.  We won music competitions together and nothing made me prouder than when you won the Best Arranger Award at the Hawaii Music Festival, Manny Cabral won Best Song Composition and against all odds I won the Grand Prize.  I miss our music partnership and only hope that you knew how important you were to me and how much I cherished your friendship and talent.  You were the best and I will always remember you for the beautiful music arrangements you produced for me.

Malani Bilyeu & Mackey Feary:  You guys were my idols. Kalapana set the standard for the local Hawaii music scene and you guys were at the top. Kalapana’s music still lives on and that is an enviable legacy you both deserve.

Jimmy Borges:  You were the man with the velvet voice and jazzy style that entranced all of us.  What a great career you had, and you left a mark on everyone who had the privilege of hearing and knowing you.  Thank you for inspiring and encouraging me, I will always cherish your graciousness and talent.

Yemun Chung : I will always cherish our friendship, your constant encouragement and support. Thank you for sticking up for the underdogs of the industry and for being a pioneer AAPI champion.

Bobby Hata:  We lost touch over the years and I am sorry that we never said goodbye.  I will miss having sushi and sake with you in LA and your generosity of mastering New Dimensions at your workplace, Warner Brothers Record studios.  Your brilliant work and legacy lives on with all of the many top LPs you worked on in LA and I’m privileged you made time to work on my album in between all of the top artist albums you were working on.  

Larry Fukunaga:  You gave me such a great opportunity to connect to the local music scene by hiring me to perform with The EbbTides.  You helped me conquer a lot of my personal insecurities and gave me the confidence I needed to grow and take chances.  You taught me to always respect the musicians, learn the arrangements, the lyrics and always be on time for every gig. Then when it came time for me to go solo, you wished me well and cheered me on.  Thank you for always believing in me; I will always cherish our practice rehearsal sessions starting with your infamous grin and greeting “Hi handsome.”  

Loyal Garner:  The Lady of Love, you were the best.  You could sing anything and make it your own style.  I still listen to your recordings and marvel at your talents – musician, singer, arranger, and on and on.  It meant so much to me whenever I came to hear you sing, how you would always graciously acknowledge me and other fellow musicians and singers who came to hear you, a master musician/singer. Mahalo for saying my singing gave you “chicken skin” after I performed my song at the Hawaii Music Festival; coming from you that’s a rare honor.

Amy & Richard Iwamoto:  Mom and Dad, I miss you both and appreciate everything you did to support me.  You were never stage parents; I learned to be independent early on and you gave me the societal and cultural values that I still live by today.  I still remember the dread I felt when I told you both I wanted to put my college scholarship on hold to pursue a singing career in Japan.  I was so young and right out of high school but you let me go to live in a foreign country to pursue my dream. I am so blessed that you were my parents and instilled in me your hard work ethic and never give up stubbornness.  It has served me well in life and I only wanted to make you proud.

Steve Jones:  We went to school together and I have always appreciated your wonderful musical talents, big heart, and friendship.  I try to check in with your wife LeeAnn (Maruyama Jones, also a former classmate) just like you asked me to before you passed.  Everyone misses you my friend.

Iz and Skippy Kamakawiwo'ole:  I will always cherish our conversations in between breaks at the Ala Moana Hotel.  I have always loved your music as The Mākaha Sons of Niʻihau, and individually Iz when you released your global hit version of Over the Rainbow.  The fact you told me that you liked my singing meant the world to me.  

Krash Kealoha:  You were the father of modern Hawaiian radio at KCCN. I never got to tell you how much I appreciated our friendship.  Co-hosting Good Morning Paradise with you, Shari Lynn and Kayce Holland was brief but such a wonderful experience thanks to your presence and broadcasting experience.  I learned so much from you and will always cherish the laughs we shared.  

Frannie Kirk: The grand dame of local entertainment, #Respect

Paul Mark:  Thank you for teaching me so much about music and singing. Your opinions and feedback always meant a lot to me.  You always pushed me to be better.

Fusae Maruyama & Tetsu Shimazu: Thank you for supporting and encouraging me through the many years I sang at the Cherry Blossom Festival Kohaku Uta Gassen. Both of you were the best red and white team captains. Being asked to be the male anchor (last singer) on the white team for many years was such an honor despite the pressure of winning resting on my singing. I’m proud that the white team won every year that I anchored the men’s team.

Tom Moffatt & Liz Hudson: I can never repay your kindness and support you both extended to me throughout my career. I miss dropping by your office to shoot the breeze or pick up VIP concert tickets for all the major acts you booked.

Rose Lee:  You were more than my manager, you were like a second Mom, feeding and encouraging me, and always my fierce defender.  Thank you for being there for me whenever I needed encouragement and support.

Rene Paulo: Thank you for making me feel part of the Paulo family by inviting me to be a periodic guest singer at Opus One. You were such a class act and I was always in awe of your musical talents.

Rap Reiplinger:  I always enjoyed visiting with you between show breaks at the Ala Moana Hotel.  You were a comedic genius and people can still recite your comedy routines and hilarious pidgin English dialog. There will never be another one like you, even after all these years; anyone listening to your routines still laugh out loud.

Brian Robertshaw:  I was lucky and privileged that you produced and arranged my first album.  You left a mark on so many local musicians and singers with your talent, and musical generosity. I will never forget how you made me feel comfortable enough to record my music with your support and reassurances.  Thanks for teaching me about the studio recording process. I always drew from your wisdom and advice to always employ the best musicians and singers every time you record. By doing that you ensure a lasting music legacy you can be proud of. Now whenever I listen to what we did in the studio, I appreciate your wisdom, musicality and talents more than ever.   Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Hideki Saijo: I was very sad to read of your passing. Thank you for befriending me in Japan in the mid 70s. You were already a superstar singer in Japan and I was a novice learning the ropes in Tokyo. Despite the cultural, language and status differences, between us, I was honored you chose to befriend me and I enjoyed hanging with you and your crew despite the craziness of your lifestyle and fanatic fans. You couldn't get away from it even when you tried to be incognito and visited me in Hawaii. I'll never forget getting chased by your fans in Waikiki and we hid in a hotel bathroom to escape them. 友情と思い出をありがとう!

David Kawika Talisman: Your multi talented abilities always inspired me. Mahalo for being so down to earth.

Arlene Tanaka:  Not a day goes by that I do not miss you and your wonderful cooking!  You were always tough in the local show business world but with me you were always brutally honest yet tender, generous, and kind.  I love you and miss you my friend.

Ray Tanaka: You were a powerful and larger than life man in the Hawaii entertainment world. Thanks for believing in me early on and always showcasing me in many of your big prestigious production endeavors including the Cherry Blossom Song Festivals, Hawaii Music Festival, and the Hula Bowl half-time show which was a dream come true for me to sing on national TV.  You kept so many musicians and performers working and we appreciated how you used your power and influence to provide work and income for so many.  You forced hotels and clubs to pay fair union wages to all performers.  I was blessed to know you and appreciate how you pushed me to believe in myself and to always ask for better wages.