Then, in 1993 he dropped his next album called Facing Future (my personal favorite). This album netted him the award for the best Contemporary Album of the Year and also the Male Vocalist of the Year from the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts. He sought to change this.Īnd change it he did, bigger than anyone else could have done it! Israel's AccoladesĪs time went on, Kamakawiwo'ole began releasing solo records starting in 1990 with Ka 'Ano'i. By the age of 11 he was already getting involved in the scene, singing with his brother, cousin, and later in a group called the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau.ĭuring this growth period, he was becoming increasingly proud of his heritage and noticed that most of the music that was being associated with Hawaii wasn't even traditionally Hawaiian. Iz came up in the community of Kaimuki where his uncle Moe Keale was already making a name for himself as a notable Hawaiian musician. He was born on May 20th, 1959 and passed away on June 26th, 1997. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole has quite the name, which is why people took to calling him Bruddah Iz. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole playing his cherished soprano ukulele The Bruddah Iz's Backstory Even fewer do that while sharing positivity with the entire world. 12 on Billboard's Hot Digital Tracks chart and has sold millions of digital copies.Few people live a life of such authenticity and genuine realness that it impacts entire cultures. IZ's version of "Over the Rainbow" has been used in many films, television shows and ad campaigns. "Facing Future" became the top selling Hawaiian music album in the world it was certified gold in 2002 and platinum (selling more than 1 million units) in 2005. His first release, "Facing Future," included his memorable cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World," which was recorded around 3 a.m. In 1993, IZ left the Makaha Sons to begin a successful solo career. The Makaha Sons went on to record 21 albums and win countless Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts Awards (also known as Na Hoku Hanohano Awards). But it was there, in the early 1970s, that IZ and his brother Skippy met John Kapualani Koko, forming a friendship that was the basis for the musical group the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau. His family left the city, much to his chagrin, and moved to the Wai'anae coast. He was often called up onstage to perform by his uncle, the well-known musician Moe Keale, or some of the other big names in Hawaiian music like Eddie Mamae or Gabby Pahinui. Israel was a 10-year-old boy watching from the side of the stage, sometimes with ukulele in hand.
In the late 1960s, his father was a bouncer and his mom the manager at a nightclub called Steamboats in Waikiki where the Sons of Hawaii performed, often singing traditional songs in Hawaiian. Israel's exposure to music came at an early age.
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