Tapa Room Tapes COMPLETE + Tau Moe BBC

[Levi Gemmell]

I certainly believe it's Iwalani Kamahele.

You can hear her singing Lei Awapuhi here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWthuaAVM9U

The rest of the album appears to be available for streaming.

[Nic Neufeld]

Interesting. I've listened to that track and her voice on it actually has a younger, sweeter quality to it, especially on the high notes, it sounds like a different singer to me. The Iolani on the Tapa Room tapes seems to have, well, a slightly older and more varied timbre, more vibrato and falsetto.

But I could be wrong! I might check with Alan Akaka, he seems to have spent enough time hanging around Benny Kalama and the rest of the "Old School", he might know!

Edit....announcer does sound like he pronounces it Iwalani in several spots, slight v/w sound is noticeable. I'll update if Alan has any inside info...

[Nic Neufeld]

Alan got back to me today, and the answer is "Door Number Three", 'Iwalani Kahalewai. It now no longer surprises me that he not only knows about all these people in detail, but has personal connections to and experiences with many of them.

The singer is Iwalani Kahalewai who is Haunani Kahalewai’s sister-in-law who happens to be a cousin of mine. Iwalani had a gorgeous soprano voice and was raised in Maui. Her step mother Abbie Kong wrote a song that is still popular today - “Kaneohe”. 'Iwa sang on a couple of my CDs “Islands Call” and “Hawai'i’s Golden Treasures”.

'Iolani Luahine was a hula master and not known as a singer. 'Iwalani Kamahele is a soprano who now resides in Seattle. Her brother Sonny Kamahele was a member of the Hawaiian Village Serenaders and many years later my group the Islanders.

There's more info in her bio here...she passed away 9 years ago. Mentions: " in 1958 joined the Alfred Apaka Show at the Tapa Room , Hawaiian Village; "
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/477 ... -kahalewai