The Steel Guitar Forum

THANKS DERRICK FOR FILLING IN THE GAPS.

OR IN HAWAIIAN - MAHALO NUI LOA

I understand that the Hawaii Legislature did fund the program for many years, but I did not understand the additional funding coming from other sources as in your post.

Thanks again.

Aloha,
Don<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 08 March 2005 at 08:56 PM.]</p></FONT>

Hawai'i Calls was "born" in 1935 ... Thanks to Webley Edwards who founded the show and emcee'd it until cancer did him in around 1974. The original 1935 group was lead by Harry Owens for a very short interval until Al Kealoha Perry became the musical director. (Those were the great years of David Keli'i on steel). Many years later Perry was succeeded by Benny Kalama as musical director. After Webley died, the show was emcee'd by Danny Kaleikini until it went off the air. It was later revived by Bill Bigalow using a smaller group with Nina Keali'iwahamana as musical director. Legal complications soon arose and the name "Hawai'i Calls" could no longer be used. Bigalow re-named the show "Sounds of Aloha" and retained the same format. This show lasted approximately 4 or 5 years at most. Finally, HTB and other sponsors pulled out leaving Bigalow in debt. That was the final "pau". The Bigalow shows started out with Barney on steel until his illness became so critical he could no longer do the shows. Casey Olsen replaced Barney. Just a short abreviated history of perhaps the longest running show on radio.

Rick,

Just talked to Kaipo tonight. He said he is borrowing the frypan stand from Greg Sardinha.
He mentioned that someone named Ray Knapp had built it.