GARY AIKO

Son of the legendary Aunty Genoa Keawe, Gary Puniwai Keawe-Aiko was born in Laie, Oahu. He was one of Don Ho's early discoveries and played at Ho's mother's place in Kaneohe, Honey's Tavern. Since then, He has played all the major nightspots in Waikiki, with all the legends. He put on a show at a nightclub (long gone) called Coconut Grove Honolulu in 1981, and was backed by all the great instrumentalists.

The engagement used Sonny Kamahele's arrangements and a sound more like the Hawaiian groups of the 30s, 40s and 50s. Unrecorded at the time, Aiko, in 1997, virtually duplicated the 1980 show on a recording, Gary Aiko and the Legends, A Romantic Night in Hawaii (CGCD 1001).

He often appears with his mother, who still plays at a Waikiki hotel weekly and performs at other events.

Biographical material from Tony Todaro, The Golden Years of Hawaiian Entertainment (Tony Todaro Pub., 1974) and Aiko's CD.