subject: Israel Kamawawiwo'ole's Life and Music [print this page] Israel Kamawawiwo'ole's Life and Music Israel Kamawawiwo'ole's Life and Music
Israel was born in 1959 in Hawaii. He developed an interest in music and started playing it at the age of eleven. Israel Kamawawiwo'ole was a musician whose first album was released in 1993. His earliest participation in commercial music was in 1976 when he formed a musical group consisting of five members including him and his brother. They were successful in releasing four albums making the group the most popular in Hawaii.
In 1990, he later produced his first solo album, which won several awards. In 1994, he was voted by the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts as the favorite entertainer of the year. He later died in 1997 because of weight related problems. He had suffered from obesity most of his life and weighed 750 pounds at one time. He was only 38 years old when he died and left behind his daughter and wife. When he died, he was laid at the Capitol building in Honolulu, which showed how large he was rated. Only two government officials had been bestowed that honor. HIS ashes were later scattered in the ocean according to Hawaiian culture.
There are some of his songs that became major hits. On of these was Somewhere over the rainbow'. The song has featured in television shows and films. Some of these are Scrubs, 50 first dates, Finding forester and Meet Joe Black. One of his biggest albums was Facing Future. This album had 15 songs, which included Kuhio bay, White sandy beach of Hawaii and Take me home country road. It was released in 1993. People loved it because of its great interpretations.
His other album was Alone in this world. It consisted of fourteen songs and was released in 2001. Some of the songs are Mona Lisa, starting all over and in this life. The Ka Anoi album consists of ten tracks that include songs like Margarita, Men who ride mountains and sea of love. The other album that is called E ala E album had thirteen songs that included songs like Kalamani, Aloha ka manini and a Hawaiian like me.
In some of his songs, he took the stand of a staunch supporter of Hawaiian independence. He also touched on cultural and environmental issues. His music was mainly about his life and the love for the people of Hawaii. Facing future has remained his most popular album and the top selling Hawaiian music. It was certified platinum in 2005 for selling over a million copies.
