I'll kick things off with this 1966 Capitol release from Webley Edwards - Hawaii Today which was linked to Hawaii Calls, a radio program that ran from 1935 through 1975 that featured live Hawaiian music. It was broadcast each week from the courtyard of the Moana Hotel on Waikiki Beach and was hosted by Webley himself. The first show reached the West Coast of the continental United States through shortwave radio. At its height, it was heard on over 750 stations around the world. However, when it went off the air in 1975, as only 10 stations were airing the show. Because of its positive portrayal of Hawaii, the show received a subsidy for many years - first from the government of the Territory of Hawaii, and then from the State of Hawaii. The termination of the subsidy was one of the reasons that the show went off the air.
Hawaii Calls is credited with making many Hawaiian performers household names across the US and around the world. Among the regulars of Hawaii Calls were Alfred Apaka, Haunani Kahalewai and Pua Almeida. Other well known performers such as Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman also made appearances. Each show opened with the sounds of the pounding surf and the enthusiastic bounding voice of Webley Edwards proclaiming "The sound of the waves on the beach at Waikiki.."
During the height of the shows popularity Webley Edwards served the role of producer of numerous records such as this, released on the Capitol Records label, under the title of "Webley Edwards presents Hawaii Calls." This particular albums contains some typical renditions of hawaiian classic songs and exotica, some as lovely instrumentals as well as some vocal arrangements. I hope you enjoy it...
Webley Edwards presents Hawaii Calls - Hawaii Today. Capitol Records 1966.
Well that was 1966... but what does the same view look like today? Check out Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon 2010 style!
Links can be re-uploaded or deleted on request. Mahalo.
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