A visitor to Hawaii in the 20th century probably took home photos, lei, a monkeypod bowl carved in the shape of a pineapple and an aloha shirt. These items are faded or long gone, but the memory of a haunting melody played by a group of Island musicians and the incomparable beauty of a hula dancer will be with them forever. Musicians and dancers at hotels, reataurants and clubs make a vast contribution to what tourists think of as Hawaii. These performers are the most visible representatives of Hawaii to our visitors.

Hawaiian musicians and dancers carry our music and culture to all corners of the globe and to people who have never visited the Islands. Hawaiian-themed restaurants and showrooms on the mainland are mostly gone now, but for decades they spread the beauty and aloha of a truly unique culture. The Luau restaurant in Beverly Hills, Trader Vics' restaurants around the world, Don the Beachcomber's, The Islander, The Castaway, Latitude 20, The Seven Seas, the Ambassador Hotel's Coconut Grove, the Mural Room at San Francisco's St. Francis Hotel, , the Tonga Room at the Fairmont, New York's Hotel Lexington's Hawaiian Room--are all mostly memories, and with them the performers who graced these establishments.

PERFORMERS

Mel Abe
Agnes Ah See
Jules Ah See
Gary Aiko
Bill Akamuhou
Al Akana
Sam Alama
Joan Albao
Eddie Alkire
Hula Almeida
Leilani Almeida
John Kamealoha Almeida
Pua Almeida
Irmgard Farden Aluli
Hal Aloma
Patricia Lei Anderson
Ray Andrade
Alfred Apaka
Alfred A. Apaka
Jeff Apaka
Rudy Aquino
George 'Tatu' Archer and his Pagans
Aggie Auld
Helen Desha Beamer
Kapono & Keola Beamer
Mahi Beamer
Nona Beamer
Lei Becker
Tony Bee
Bee Sisters
Edna Bekeart
Jackie Ben
Charley Bent
Maui Bent
Manu Bentley
Captain Henry Berger
Kent Bowman
Sol K. Bright, Sr.
The Brothers Cazamiro
Kihei Brown
Kimo Brown
Eddie Bush
Ka'ipolani Buttterworth
Mary & Bill Buysman
Jerry Byrd
Beverly & Evelyn Caldwell (The Waikiki Twins)
Martha Carrell
Tommy Castro
Irene Cheney
Steven K. Cheney
Sonny Chillingworth
Ben Chong
Kalani Crockett
Andy Cummings and his Hawaiian Serenaders
Sonny Cunha
Leialoha Cunningham
Leinaala Cypriano
Charles K. L. Davis
Kai Davis
Irmgard Farden Aluli
Auntie Flo
Lovely Liu
Loyal Garner
Hilo Hattie (Clara Inter)
Myrtle K. Hilo
Rose Joshua
Blossom, Lorraine and Gladys Joshua
Don Ho and the Aliis
Bob Hoopii & His Novelty Boys
Annie Hu
Alvin Kaleolani Isaacs & his Royal Hawaiians
Arthur Kaaua and his Island Serenaders
Haunani Kahalewai
Kahuanu Lake Trio
Charles Kaipo Miller and his Happy Hawaiians
Bill Kaiwa
Benny Kalama
Danny Kaleikini
'Sonny' Kamahele
Moe Keale
Nina Keali'iwahamana
Genoa Keawe
Karen Keawehawai'i
John Keawe
Mabel Kekino & the K Sisters
Ed Kenny
Kahuanu Lake
Maiki Aiu Lake
Kui Lee
Winona Love
Arthur Lyman
Auntie Mapu
Jacob K. Maka
Tandy McKenzie
Ernie Menehune
Lena Machado
Kanoe Miller
Lei Momi
George Naope
Beverly Noa
Julia Nui's Kamaainas
Harry Owens
Paul Page
Gabby Pahinui
George Paoa
Al Kealoha Perry and his Singing Surfriders
Ponce Ponce
'Naughty' Abbie Punia Pua'oi
Marlene Sai
Sunday Manoa
Betty Loo Taylor
Billy Vaughn
John Piilani Watkins
Novena Naylor Wong
Jennie Hanaiali`i Woodd

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The major sources of photos and biographical information on these performers are from the 1970s.

Corrections, additions and current information is welcomed by the author of this website.

©2002