Israel "Iz" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole translation: "The Fearless Eyed"; May 20, 1959 – June
26, 1997), also called Bruddah Iz, was a Hawaiian musician.
His voice became famous outside Hawaii when his album Facing Future was released in 1993.
His medley of "Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" was subsequently featured
in several films, television programs, and television commercials.
Through his skillful ukulele playing and incorporation of other genres, Kamakawiwoʻole's music remains
a very strong influence in Hawaiian music.
Early life Kamakawiwoʻole was born at Kuakini Hospital
in Honolulu to Henry Kaleialoha Naniwa Kamakawiwoʻole, Jr., and Evangeline Leinani Kamakawiwoʻole.
The notable Hawaiian musician Moe Keale was his uncle. He was raised in the community
of Kaimuki, where his parents had met and married. He began playing music with his older
brother Skippy and cousin Allen Thornton at the age of 11, being exposed to the music
of Hawaiian entertainers of the time such as Peter Moon, Palani Vaughn, and Don Ho,
who frequented the establishment where Kamakawiwoʻole's parents worked. Hawaiian musician Del Beazley
spoke of the first time he heard Israel play, when, while playing for a graduation party,
the whole room fell silent on hearing him. Israel continued his path as his brother Skippy
entered the Army in 1971 and cousin Allen parted ways in 1976 for the mainland.
In his early teens, he studied at Upward Bound of the University of Hawaii at Hilo and his
family moved to Mākaha. There he met Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Sam Gray, and Jerome Koko.
Together with his brother Skippy they formed the Makaha Sons of Niʻihau. A part of the
Hawaiian Renaissance, this talented Hawaiian band's blend of contemporary and traditional
styles gained in popularity as they toured Hawaii and the continental United States,
releasing fifteen successful albums. Israel's aim was to make music that stayed true to
the typical sound of traditional Hawaiian music. During that time period, the songs
that many people associated with Hawaii, typically, weren't traditional sounding songs.
Music career The Makaha Sons of Niʻihau recorded No Kristo
in 1976 and released four more albums, including Kahea O Keale, Keala, Makaha Sons of Niʻihau
and Mahalo Ke Akua. In 1982, Kamakawiwoʻole's brother, Skippy, died at age 38 of a heart
attack related to obesity. In that same year, Kamakawiwoʻole married his childhood sweetheart
Marlene. Soon after, they had a daughter whom they named Ceslie-Ann "Wehi".
The group became Hawaii's most popular modern traditional group with breakout albums 1984's
Puana Hou Me Ke Aloha and its follow-up, 1986's Hoʻola. Kamakawiwoʻole's last recorded album
with the group was 1991's Hoʻoluana. It remains the group's top-selling CD.
In 1990, Kamakawiwoʻole released his first solo album Ka ʻAnoʻi, which won awards for
Contemporary Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year from the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording
Arts. Facing Future was released in 1993 by The Mountain Apple Company. 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". The decision to record a cover of Somewhere Over the Rainbow was
said to be a last minute decision by his producer Jon de Mello and him. Facing Future debuted
at #25 on Billboard magazine's Top Pop Catalogue chart. On October 26, 2005, Facing Future
became Hawaii's first certified platinum album, selling more than a million CDs in the United
States, according to figures furnished by the Recording Industry Association of America.
On July 21, 2006, BBC Radio 1 announced that "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful
World" would be released as a single in America. In 1994, Kamakawiwoʻole was voted favorite
entertainer of the year by the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts.
E Ala E featured the political title song "ʻE Ala ʻE" and "Kaleohano", and N Dis Life
featured "In This Life" and "Starting All Over Again".
In 1997, Kamakawiwoʻole was again honored by HARA 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. Alone in Iz World 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 charts. Kamakawiwo'ole's Facing Future has become
the best selling Hawaiian album of all time. Support of Hawaiian rights
Kamakawiwoʻole was known for promoting Hawaiian rights and Hawaiian independence, both through
his lyrics, which often stated the case for independence directly, and his life, for example
his song Hawai'i '78, where the lyrics 'the life of this land is the life of the people/
and that to care for the land is to care for the Hawaiian culture', a statement which many
consider to summarise his Hawaiian ideals. The state motto of Hawai'i is a recurring
line in the song and encompasses the meaning of Iz's message: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina
i ka Pono. Kamakawiwo'ole used the ukulele to promote
awareness of his belief of a second class status pushed onto the natives by the tourist
industry. Death
Throughout his life, Kamakawiwoʻole was morbidly obese and at one point weighed 767 pounds
standing 6-foot-2-inch tall. He endured several hospitalizations because of health problems
caused by his genetic obesity. Beset with respiratory, heart and other medical problems,
he died at the age of 38 in Queen's Medical Center at 12:18 a.m. on June 26, 1997. Kamakawiwoʻole
was survived by his wife, Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole, and their daughter, Ceslie-Ann "Wehi".
The Hawaii state flag flew at half-staff on July 10, 1997, the day of Kamakawiwoʻole's
funeral. His koa wood coffin lay in state at the state capitol building in Honolulu.
He was the third person in Hawaiian history to be awarded this honor, and the only one
who was not a government official. Approximately ten thousand people attended the funeral.
Thousands of fans gathered as his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean at Mākua
Beach on July 12, 1997. The funeral and the scattering of Kamakawiwoʻole's ashes were
featured in the official music video of "Over the Rainbow" released posthumously by the
Mountain Apple Company; as of July 2014, the video as featured on YouTube has gained over
110 million views. On September 20, 2003, hundreds paid tribute
to Kamakawiwoʻole as a bronze bust of the revered singer was unveiled at the Waianae
Neighborhood Community Center on Oʻahu. The singer's widow, Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole, and
sculptor Jan-Michelle Sawyer were present for the dedication ceremony.
Legacy On December 6, 2010, Kamakawiwoʻole was named
one of "50 great voices" in a National Public Radio series.
On March 24, 2011, Kamakawiwoʻole was honored with the German national music award Echo.
The music managers Wolfgang Boss and Jon de Mello accepted the trophy in his stead.
MMA fighter and native Hawaiian BJ Penn has used the song E Ala Ē as his walkout song
on several occasions. What a Wonderful World
Kamakawiwoʻole's recording of "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" gained notice in 1999 when
the first thirty seconds was used in the TV commercials for eToys.com. The full song was
featured in the movies K-Pax, Meet Joe Black, Finding Forrester, Son of the Mask, 50 First
Dates, Fred Claus and IMAX: Hubble 3D. It was also featured on TV series like ER, American
Dad!, Scrubs, Cold Case, Glee, South Pacific, LOST, Storm Chasers, and the UK original version
of Life on Mars among others. "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World"
reached #12 on Billboard's Hot Digital Tracks chart the week of January 31, 2004. It passed
the 2 million paid downloads mark in the USA by September 27, 2009, and then sold 3 million
in the USA as of October 2, 2011. And as of March 2014, the song has sold over 4 million
digital copies. On July 4, 2007, Kamakawiwoʻole debuted at
No. 44 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart with "Wonderful World," selling 17,000 units.
In April 2007, "Over the Rainbow" entered the UK charts at #68, and eventually climbed
to #46, spending 10 weeks in the Top 100 over a 2-year period.
In October 2010, following its use in a trailer for the TV channel VOX and on a TV advertisement
– for Axe deodorant – it hit #1 on the German singles chart, was the number one seller
single of 2010 and was eventually certified 2× Platinum in 2011.
As of November 1, 2010, "Over the Rainbow" peaked at No. 6 on the OE3 Austria charts,
which largely reflect airplay on Austria's government-operated Top 40 radio network.
It also peaked at No.1 in France and Switzerland in late December 2010.
His rendition of "Over the Rainbow", is often used as bumper music on the overnight radio
show Coast to Coast AM. Discography
Albums Studio albums
Ka ʻAnoʻi Facing Future
E Ala E N Dis Life
Compilation albums Iz in Concert: The Man and His Music
Alone in IZ World Wonderful World
Over the Rainbow Notes
References Carroll, Rick. IZ: Voice
of the people. Honolulu, Hawaiʻi: Bess Press. ISBN 978-1-57306-257-2. OCLC 71325451.
Kois, Dan. Facing Future. 33⅓. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.
ISBN 9780826429056. OCLC 676695887. External links
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole at the Internet Movie Database
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole at Find a Grave Mountain Apple Record Company's Official Israel
Kamakawiwoʻole Site video: "Somewhere over the Rainbow" on YouTube