[Singing Molokaʻi Nui A Hina]  Ua like no a like Me kuʻu one hānau Ke poʻokela i ka piko a nā kuahiwi Me Molokaʻi Nui A Hina ʻĀina i ka wehiwehi E hoʻi no au e pili Kaʻupena Wong:  The beginning of the 20th century found Hawai‘i's musical heritage firmly scored with vocal and instrumental harmony, and especially with the vibrant sounds of the guitar, ʻukulele and steel.

Together, these musical elements established a national identity for Hawaiʻi, her people and her music.

In the islands, it was and it is, kani ka pila, let's make Hawaiian music.

[Singing Molokaʻi Nui A Hina] I ke kū kilakila i ka ʻōpua ʻO kuʻu pua kukui aia i Lanikāula ʻO ka hene wai ʻolu lana mālie Kaʻupena Wong Aloha mai.

E hoʻo kani ka pila kākou.

Let's make Hawaiian music.

Tonight, with Mele Hawaiʻi, we spend a fun filled evening here at the Blue Dolphin room on the beach at Waikīkī with three of the island's finest Hawaiian entertainers: Myra English on ʻukulele, Sonny Chillingworth on guitar, and Billy Hew Len on steel.

Their music is in the warm style of old Hawaiʻi, a style which totally invites you to be a part of Hawaiʻi's life so vividly reflected in the performance of our island music.

[APPLAUSE] [INSTRUMENTAL] [Singing ʻAlekoki] ʻA ʻole i piliwi ʻia Kahi wai aʻo ʻAlekoki Ua hoʻokohu ka ua i uka Noho maila i Nuʻuanu Anuanu makehewa au Ke kali ʻana i laila Kai nō paha ua paʻa Kou manaʻo ʻi ʻaneʻi Āu i hoʻomalu ai Hoʻomalu ʻoe a malu Ua malu nēia kino Ma muli aʻo kou leo E kilohi au i ka nani Nā pua o Maunaʻala Ha ʻina mai ka puana O kalani pu laʻa ʻoe E kilohi au i ka nani Nā pua o Maunaʻala Ha ʻina mai ka puana O kalani kūliu e [APPLAUSE] Myra   English: Very nice.

That was a number called ʻAlekoki.

And that was a song that was written somewhere around the 1800s, a song that was written and tells a story about love.

Another favorite we'd like to do is called Anapau Lā.

[Singing Anapau Lā] He aha ē ka hana ʻAnapau lā Holo lio ē ka hana ʻAnapau lā He aha ē ka hana ʻAnapau lā Hoʻolewa ē ka hana ʻAnapau lā Myra English:  I just saw two of our friends sitting at the table.

I'd like to call them up to dance the hula for you lovely and charming ladies, cousin Ruby and cousin Lily.

[APPLAUSE] [Singing Anapau Lā] He aha ē ka hana ʻAnapau lā Hoʻolewa ē ka hana ʻAnapau lā Ea ea, ea ea He aha ē ka hana ʻAnapau lā Hoʻolewa ē ka hana ʻAnapau lā Ea ea, ea ea I luna aʻe ʻoe ʻAnapau lā I luna loa ʻoe ʻAnapau lā Ea ea, ea ea I lalo iho ʻoe ʻAnapau lā I lalo loa iho ʻAnapau lā Ea ea, ea ea He aha ē ka lole ʻAnapau lā He silika ē ka lole ʻAnapau lā Ea ea, ea ea Haʻina ko maʻi ʻAnapau lā
Ua pau ē ka   lewa ʻAnapau lā Ea ea, ea ea Haʻina ko maʻi ʻAnapau lā Ua pau ē ka lewa ʻAnapau lā Ea ea, ea ea [APPLAUSE] Myra English: Ruby and Lily, mahalo.

Thank you, cousin Ruby and Lily.

No matter where you go in the world, wherever you hear the strings of the Hawaiian steel guitar, you will be reminded of Hawaiʻi.

And today we have one of Hawai‘i's finest steel guitarist, his name is Mr. Billy Hew Len.

[APPLAUSE] There is an unusual request for Billy to do a song called The Moana Chimes, and this will be Billy playing the steel guitar on his lap, the pancake steel guitar.

Right now, here's Billy with the beautiful Moana Chimes.

[INSTRUMENTAL] Kaʻupena Wong: Hawaiʻi's contribution to the world of music is the steel guitar, or kikakila.

It was invented in 1893 by Joseph Kekuku, a student at the Kamehameha Schools.

The story goes that Kekuku accidentally dropped a comb on his six string guitar, liked the sound, began to experiment with a pocket knife and eventually designed a steel bar in the school shop.

Satisfied, Joseph Kekuku introduced to his fellow students and later to the world, the Hawaiian steel, a new method of playing the guitar.

[INSTRUMENTAL] [APPLAUSE] Myra   English:  Oh, that was the way the steel guitar sounded a long time ago and but it was electrified in 1935 and when recorded, it might have sounded like this.

[INSTRUMENTAL] [Singing Honolulu I Am Coming Back Again]  I seem to hear the Pali calling me I seem to hear the surf at Waikīkī And from Pacific Heights I seem to see the lights Of a city that’s very dear to me I seem to hear the waving sugar cane The coco palms nodding in the rain In fancy I am led Back to dear old Diamond Head Honolulu, I am coming back again Honolulu, I am coming back again I seem to hear the waving sugar cane The coco palms nodding in the rain In fancy I am led Back to dear old Diamond Head Honolulu, I am coming back again Honolulu, I am coming back again [APPLAUSE] Myra English: Yeah.

Thank you much.

A little while ago, I saw a very familiar face in the house.

A very familiar face in the world of Hawai‘i's entertainment.

He's not only an accomplished composer and musician, but one of Hawaiʻi's finest falsettos.

I'd like to call him up to do a few numbers for you, Mr. Bill Aliʻiloa Lincoln.

Kaʻupena Wong:  The origin of the falsetto, or leo kiʻe kiʻe, in Hawaiʻi is unclear, but one thing is for certain, and that is that falsetto singing is as much a part of Hawaiʻi's own music as the rhythmic sounds of the guitar, ʻukulele and steel.

Some say that the falsetto goes back to the days of the Spanish cowboys, who in 1832 brought with them a style of yodeling.

The Hawaiians heard it and quickly learned it.

Bill Lincoln, Hawaiʻi's grand entertainer for more than 25 years, is one of the island's most enjoyed falsetto singers, and he is a master in the art of yodeling, Hawaiian style.

[Bill Aliʻiloa Lincoln singing] The wise from over the sea Sing sweet lei aloha to you  The waves as they fall on the sands Say aloha and bid you to land The myriad flowers in bloom Waft aloha in every perfume I live in this love that I Aloha, aloha sweet you [Yodeling] [APPLAUSE] Bill Aliʻiloa Lincoln:  And now for my next number, I'm going to sing a hula, and it's called the Hula O Makee.

[Bill Lincoln singing Hula O Makee] ʻAuhea iho nei la ʻo Makee A ka Malulani la e huli hele nei ʻAuhea iho nei la ʻo Makee A ka Malulani la e huli hele nei Eia O Makee kaha   i ka pa'a Ka waiho kapakahi i ka 'āpapa Kū mai Hailama paʻa i ka hoe Imua a i hope ke kulana nei Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana ʻAuhea iho nei la ʻo Makee [APPLAUSE] Kaʻupena Wong:  As Myra English strums her ʻukulele, I'm reminded of an interesting story about how the ʻukulele received its name.

Originally adapted from the braha, introduced by the Portuguese in 1879, it immediately became popular with everyone.

A talented army officer attached to the court of King Kalākaua often entertained and amused the members of the park with his expertise on this four-string instrument.

He earned the nickname of ʻukulele, or jumping flea, because of his nimble fingers, small stature and his lively spirit.

Soon, this musical device became known as ʻukulele’s instrument, then simply the ʻukulele.

[Myra English singing Waiomina] Nā āiwaiwai o ke ao lā No Waimea e ka ʻeu Ka ua Kīpuʻupuʻu Me ke anu aʻo Kaleponi ʻOlua nā moho puni ke ao lā Nā ʻeu kīpuka ʻili ʻAʻohe kupuʻeu nāna ē aʻe lā No Waimea e ka ʻeu Ka ua Kīpuʻupuʻu Me ke anu aʻo Kaleponi Na ke kelekalapa i haʻi mai lā Nā ʻeu kīpuka ʻili ʻIkuā e ka moho puni ke ao lā No Waimea e ka ʻeu Ka ua Kīpuʻupuʻu Nā kuahiwi ʻekolu Haʻina ʻia   mai ka puana lā  Nā ʻeu kīpuka ʻili Ke kaula ʻili aʻo kani ka uwepa lā No Waimea e ka ʻeu Nā kuahiwi ʻekolu No Waimea e ka ʻeu [APPLAUSE] Myra   English:  The song Waiomina is one of my very favorites.

It tells about two of our island cowboys who competed in the national roundups in Cheyenne, Wyoming 1908, where they won first and third places.

The third place winner was Archie Kaʻaua.

The winner, Ikua Purdy was declared world champion.

Purdy also happened to be one of Hawaiʻi's finest slack guitar artists, players.

His grandnephew Sonny Chillingworth followed in his footsteps and is today one of Hawaiʻi's most respected and versatile slack guitar artist.

Ladies and gentlemen, Sonny Chillingworth.

[INSTRUMENTAL] [APPLAUSE] Sonny Chillingworth:  Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to call on my Aunty.

She's another Purdy, we got so many.

I call my Aunty Harriett Purdy.

[APPLAUSE] Sonny Chillingworth: I’d like do a song called Kaula ‘Ili, and this goes to all the cowboys.

Listen to this song, it’ll bring back memories.

[Singing Kaula ‘Ili]  Hoʻomakaukau ko kaula ʻili I luna o ka puʻu Kanakaleonui Hoʻolohe i ke kani o nā manu
O   never mind ua hina pū ua hiki nō O never mind ua hina pū ua hiki nō Hoʻomakaukau ko kaula ʻili I luna o ka puʻu Kanakaleonui Hoʻolohe i ke kani o nā manu O never mind ua hina pū ua hiki nō O never mind ua hina pū ua hiki nō O ʻoe ka i huia ihola Ka manaʻo e pua puaʻi ʻala Eia o Puʻuohulu Ulu nō wau ua hiki nō Ulu nō wau ua hiki nō Hoʻomakaukau ko kaula ʻili I luna o ka puʻu Kanakaleonui Hoʻolohe i ke kani o nā manu O never mind ua hina pū ua hiki nō O never mind ua hina pū ua hiki nō O never mind ua hina pū ua hiki nō [APPLAUSE] Myra English: Honoring the ʻEwa side of the island of Oʻahu,   we'd like to do our next number, which is Pūpū A O ʻEwa.

[Singing Pūpū A O ʻEwa] Pūpū (aʻo ʻEwa) i ka nuku (nā kānaka) E lawe mai (a e ʻike) Kaʻupena Wong:  It was this people's music that borrowed melodies and ideas that was taken by Hawaiian troubadours to all parts of the world over a century ago.

It was a new folk music of which the Hawaiians could be proud for its identity was Hawaiian, an identity which says so much about Hawaiʻi and the spirit of her people.

[Singing Pūpū A O ʻEwa] Alahula Puʻuloa he ala hele nō Kaʻahupāhau, Pūpū (aʻo ʻEwa)   i ka nuku (nā kānaka) E lawe mai (a e ʻike) I ka mea hou (o ka ʻāina) Ahe ʻāina (ua kaulana) Mai na kupuna mai Alahula Puʻuloa he ala hele no Kaʻahupāhau Alahula Puʻuloa he ala hele no Kaʻahupāhau Pūpū (aʻo ʻEwa) i ka nuku (nā kānaka)  E lawe mai (a e ʻike) I ka mea hou (o ka ʻāina) Ahe ʻāina (ua kaulana) Mai na kupuna mai Alahula Puʻuloa he ala hele no Kaʻahupāhau [END]