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Topic: Playing on a Cruise Ship |
George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 24 Sep 2004 5:59 pm |
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Just got back today from a fabulous experience...playing steel on a cruise ship! I received a call from the Spirit of Polynesia, (type their name to obtain their web site), asking if I'd like to join their group on the luxurious Royal Caribbean cruise ship "Vision of the Sea" for a one week gig cruise, Vancouver to Hilo! What a great experience! We did 2 shows daily until the last two days when we did 3 shows each day. Did I mention FOOD ? The ship almost sank due to my increased weight !  |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 24 Sep 2004 6:18 pm
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Glad you're back! Glad you had fun and plenty to eat.
I'm not surprised YOU got the call. I've been writing your name and phone number in telephone booths all across this great land and particularly in truck stops....noting:
"If you want to have a good time, call Keoki". Advertising does work, how about that?
Before I consent to making such a trip, I first confirm that this is not the ship's inaugral or first crossing.[This message was edited by Ray Montee on 24 September 2004 at 07:19 PM.] |
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Sep 2004 6:30 pm
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Keoki;
When I lived in Honolulu, in 1980; I was working with a Country Music Band. (Playing my Fender T-8 Custom & Sho-Bud Non-Pedal Steels) On Fridays we would board a small excursion ship and leave Honolulu and cruise out to sea about 2 or 3 miles and just float around out there and we played on the ship's stern, until one time a large wave came across and nearly drowned us out. From then on we played inside. Our name for the 2-hr excursion was: “The Booz-Cruise”. I wonder if they still have those rides!
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“Big John” Bechtel
(2)-Fender ’49–’50 T–8 Customs
Fender ’65 Reissue Twin-Reverb Custom™ 15”
click here
click hereclick hereclick here |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 24 Sep 2004 6:48 pm
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Big John...I recall they had "nude cruises" a fair distance out of Waikiki. We happened upon one while we were out on a catamaran...the cameras were sure clicking away and not at Diamond Head!
Hey Ray, I was a bit concerned when I noticed "TITANIC 2" painted on the bow, but figured there were very few icebergs near Hilo. Thanx for all the free publicity in the truck stops, pal! It sure paid off big-time! |
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Richard Brandt
From:
Waymart, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2004 11:21 am
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| Hey Keoki,How do i go about sighing up for that nude cruise.Quick reply requested |
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Bob Markison
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 25 Sep 2004 12:16 pm
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| George - sounds wonderful. What instruments were in the ensemble? - Bob |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 25 Sep 2004 5:34 pm
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HEY KEOKI, I HEARD THEY WANTED YOU ONLY TO USE YOUR LAP STEEL AS A PADDLE!!!!!
GLAD YOU'RE BACK.
I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE FOOD, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE EDMONTON IS NOT OUT OF THE FISH AND CHIP ERA YET!!!!!
GEORGE (IN PEACH PICKING COUNTRY) |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 25 Sep 2004 7:20 pm
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| Bob...Typical Hawaiian ensemble...Steel, r/guitar, ukulele, el bass. Musicians were the leader Kimo Baird, (haole) who played fine ukulele (Hawaiian and Tahitian), plus a lot of hot uke solos; Bobby Stant (Hawaiian) who has played with many of the best, (ie Eddie Kamae, etc) on r/guitar; Hanale Lipinekilikaokoololou Bray on bass; and myself on steel. (Hanale knew legends like Dick McIntire, Eddie Bush, Sol Ho'opi'i and the list goes on.) I don't sing however the 3 of them sang beautifully together. Bobby and Hanale, plus myself are all in our 70's, while Kimo is 60. It was sure a fun gig. Kimo and Bobby have done about 160 cruises to date ! |
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Graham Griffith
From:
Tempe, N.S.W., Australia
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Posted 27 Sep 2004 10:51 pm
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Keoki,
Now you don't have to die because you've already been to heaven.
Graham |
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Bob Markison
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 28 Sep 2004 7:15 am
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| George - thanks!! Sounds like a great group. The music really comes to life on a cruise gig. Glad to hear about it. - Bob |
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Rick Collins
From:
Claremont , CA USA
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Posted 28 Sep 2004 9:34 am
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You are a lucky man, George. I'll do that one day.
Rick |
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Dan Sawyer
From:
Studio City, California, USA
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Posted 28 Sep 2004 11:19 am
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"plus a lot of hot uke solos"
George, i'd like to hear more about the hot uke solos. Does this guy have any CDs out where we can hear his style?
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Dan Sawyer
Fender Deluxe 8® (stringmaster), Fender Deluxe 8 (trap), Gibson EH-150, Wayne Lap Steel |
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Larry Jones
From:
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
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Posted 28 Sep 2004 5:12 pm
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| heygeorge,aloha my name is larry kanaka jones and im the guy you replaced im glad they found somebody good i play with them alot here in calif. i also play bass with them the whole toupe is a class act . mac pavane used to play with them to. great dancers, great musicians. iam glad you had a good time. maybe someday well meet. aloha |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 28 Sep 2004 7:00 pm
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Hi Larry...Yah, I hope we will meet someday!
The guys were great and it was a real joy for me to meet and gig with them. As for the question about a uke cd, I'm not aware he made one. He plays great uke and he is obviously an authority of the hula.
BTW, I heard Mac Pavon a number of years ago in HNL. What a wild steel man ! Wow ! He did things on the steel I never thought possible. Sadly he passed away not too long ago. He was one in a million !
Larry...I tried to e-mail you. Your address seems incorrect on the Forum. Care to disclose it here ? Mahalo.[This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 28 September 2004 at 08:04 PM.] [This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 29 September 2004 at 09:23 AM.] |
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Larry Jones
From:
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 3 Oct 2004 8:52 am
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| Hey Keoki! I sorta played on a wanna-be CRUISE SHIP from Hawaii.........once upon a time. Nothing like your major headlining success but it was "a boat". See elsewhere in this section. |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 8 Oct 2004 6:04 am
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| Hi Larry...sent an e-mail to your new address about a week ago. Perhaps you have been away....? |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 8 Oct 2004 8:29 am
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Listings for Cruise Ship gigs.
There is a distinct lack of steel players, so get 'em while they're hot!
http://www.cruisegigs.com/
(takes a few seconds to fully load) |
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Tim Tweedale
From:
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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Posted 9 Oct 2004 11:16 am
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Wow, George. That sounds amazing. What kind of repertoire did you play? Can you post a sample set-list? Thanks!
-Tim |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 9 Oct 2004 8:54 pm
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| We played the old chestnuts...Grass Shack, Tiny Boobies, Shirley Smells, et al, and lots of hulas. All fake stuff. It was a fun gig ! [This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 09 October 2004 at 09:55 PM.] [This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 10 October 2004 at 06:22 AM.] |
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Keith DeLong
From:
Dartmouth NS Canada
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Posted 12 Oct 2004 10:39 am
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Hey George, glad you made it back in one piece, I knew you'd have a great time. I'll email or call and tell you about the Australia trip.
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