Over the Rainbow / Wonderful World
Paul O'Rear -- Friday, October 17, 2008, 9:53 PM (No Comments)Categories: Favorite Songs, Music
Tags: Chicago, Facing Future, Haole, Hawai'i, Honolulu, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Jon de Mello, Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau, Milan Bertosa, Mountain Apple Company, Skippy Kamakawiwo'ole, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Ukulele, What a Wonderful World
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole is a legend. For many people around the world, he is the voice of Hawai’i. A native Hawaiian, he started playing the ‘ukulele as a boy. In 1976 he formed a band called “Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau” with his older brother Skippy and three other native musicians. Even after Skippy died of a heart attack in 1982, Iz (as he was known to his friends and fans) stayed with the Makaha Sons until 1993.