I first heard him at a fundraiser golf tournament in the late 1980s. A couple of hundred people were laughing and buffet-ing at Honolulu Country Club post-tournament when he took the stage. No one even looked up as the prime rib, beer, and golf stories took precedence over an unknown, background musician.
But something was different. By the third song, I told my gang-ee to zip it and listen, as this guy was captivating, unique, versatile, engaging, even mesmerizing. He was introduced as “uncle” from Maui. Yes, Willie Kahaiali`i won that crowd over, along with every other crowd he entertained over the next 30+ years. He had the greatest vocal dexterity and guitar/ukulele virtuosity of any performer in Hawai`i. Ever. High octane/octave arias, chang-a-lang traditional, Jawaiian, Jewish folk, Mediterranean, flamenco, blues (his first love), country, Latin, jazz, Hawaiian contemporary, hard rock, Christmas classics (“O Holy Night”= chicken skin)… you name it- Willie brought it every night, every performance, every time. Part of the excitement and drama of a Willie K. show was wondering- what’s next?! A simmering smorgasbord of songs; a comprehensive aural compendium; he was a veritable virtuoso of variety.
I worked with Willie K. via KHNL/KFVE local shows- “Hot Hawaiian Nights”, “Na Hoku Hanohano Awards”, and others. He could be engaging, intense, or even stand-offish, but he was always pleasant, present, and fair with me. I emceed as Willie and Amy Hanaiali’i played a dynamic set on the lawn at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s 50th anniversary gala dinner in 2015. Willie exploded into the “Star Spangled Banner”/ “Smoke on the Water” Jimi Hendrix-style as phenomenal fireworks exploded offshore.
I watched Willie perform at Alaska Airlines 10th Anniversary in Hawai`i celebration on the Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s back lawn in October, 2017. He told the crowd he was going to play only the blues going forward; he’d leave local music to the “kids” and teach. He suggested to me post-concert that I come to his annual, January “Willie K. BluesFest” at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. That 2018 Maui event featured guest performances by Patrick Simmons, Michael McDonald (both Doobie Bros.) plus legends Alice Cooper and Dave Mason. Willie and I chatted and laughed backstage, yet I sensed that he was exhausted. Soon thereafter, he was diagnosed with what proved to be fatal lung cancer.
He commanded our attention at the MACC, Chai’s Bistro, Kamehameha Country Club, Blaisdell Arena, Blue Note Hawai`i, and Hapa’s on Maui (check out 2000’s “Live at Hapa’s” CD). Willie K. battled cancer with his kolohe smile- similar to his onstage persona- brash, playful, effervescent, moving, and captivating. There was no quit in Uncle Willie, even in sickness. His legacy endures via his expansive musical palette, family, friends, fans, reverent musicians, students, and his unflinching zest for life- doing it his way, Willie-style. Willie K. passed away on May 18,2020, at 10:40pm… and undoubtedly began jamming immediately on his new, celestial stage.
Think About it…