Watching the 2006 King Kamehameha Day Floral Parade last month reminded us again how Hawai`i musicians, singers and dancers often are involved in many events and other aspects of our community life, and not always singing, playing, or dancing.

There, near the beginning of the parade was the float carrying the Grand Marshals of the 90th annual parade honoring the king who united all of our Islands into a single kingdom.

As they were introduced from the broadcast/reviewing stand by KINE deejay Billy V., it was heart warming to see and hear the response of the crowd of parade watchers. It was as if everyone within earshot knew the Makaha Sons, and loved them. They were easily more recognized than most Grand Marshals. Moon, John, & Jerome, are celebrating their 30th anniversary as the Sons.

Jerome Koko, John Koko, Moon Kauakahi, THE MAKAHA SONS. Grand Marshals for the 90th annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade - June 10, 2006. (Photo by Keith Haugen)

The night before the 2006 parade, K&C helped the Royal Order of Kamehameha decorate their float. The last time we helped in decorating a float for a parade was in 1979, when Hawaiian Telephone Co., used our new song, "Chasing Rainbows," title song for our first LP, as the theme of their float, and invited us to kokua. HawTel won top honors - The Governor's Award - that year.

On the Kamehameha float this year were musicians, including Eddie Akana of the Order, and our longtime friend, Albert Kaai. Among others we saw Saturday were Big Island vocalist Diana Aki, who was the pa`u princess for O`ahu, who didn't sing; and dancer Debbie Nakanelua, who didn't dance. She coordinated Hawaiian Airline's participation, and WALKED the entire parade route. She is pictured here with another good K&C friend, Marge Kealanahele, who represented Hale O Na Ali`i, another of the Hawaiian "societies."

Debbie Nakanelua, former Miss Hawai`i, HAL executive, and featured dancer at the Halekulani Hotel, with Marge Kealanahele of Hale O Na Ali`i. (Photo by Keith Haugen)

We thought back at how many of our friends in the music business have been a part of this and so many other parades. Dozens of entertainers, including Myra English and Sonny Chillingworth were often seen in pa`u units in parades of the past. This year, when the Honolulu Advertiser showed Honolulu firefighter Ocean Kaowili, another outstanding musician and singer, on the front page, we remembered that he also had ridden in the parade. So we dug into our archives and came up with this picture.

Ocean Kaowili, firefighter, musician, singer, emcee, and yes, shown here on horseback in an earlier parade. This year, he helped decorate the statue of King Kamehameha the day before the parade, but watched the Saturday event from the grounds of `Iolani Palace. (Photo by Keith Haugen)

Another musical giant from the past, the late, great slack-key guitarist and singer, Sonny Chillingworth, riding in a Kamehameha Day Floral Parade. (Photo by Keith Haugen)

The Royal Hawaiian Band, the only Municipal band in the United States, is ALWAYS in the parades. They are seen and heard throughout the year at the Coronation Stand at `Iolani Palace every Friday noon, and Kapi`olani Park Bandstand every Sunday afternoon, plus dozens of other performances every month. The band dates to 1836, and is currently under the direction of maestro Michael Nakasone.

The Royal Hawaiian Band. That's Bandmaster Michael Nakasone at left. This photo was from a May 2006 parade through Waikiki. (Photo by Keith Haugen)

Two of our favorite Royal Hawaiian bandsmen, Whitney M. Haugen (l.), percussionist; and his dad, Stanton K. Haugen, trumpeter, (r.) ready for last month's King Kamehameha Day parade. (Photo by Keith Haugen)

FREE & BENEFIT CONCERTS

Keith & Carmen Haugen, first recipients of the LEGACY AWARD for LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT as a Musical Group, will perform in free & benefit concerts

Keith & Carmen performing recently in the Legends of Hawaiian Music III Concert at Enchanted Lake. They were backed by pakini bass player Frank Uehara and steel guitarist Keoki Lake. (Keiki Palaka Band Photo)

MONDAY, JULY 3, 7 P.M.
RUTH BACON AUDITORIUM
POHAI NANI RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, KANE`OHE
IT'S THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY CONCERT (PATRIOTIC, HAWAIIAN, COUNTRY, FOLK MUSIC). FREE - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

SATURDAY, JULY 22, 7:30 P.M.
THE ATHERTON PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO AT HAWAI`I PUBLIC RADIO
738 KAHEKA STREET
IT'S A KEITH & CARMEN CD RELEASE CONCERT ("A LIFETIME OF HAWAIIAN MUSIC"). CELEBRATING THE LEGACY AWARD HONOR AND COMMEMORATING 25 YEARS OF RECORDING HAWAIIAN MUSIC.
(A BENEFIT FOR HAWAI`I PUBLIC RADIO)
CALL 955-8821 FOR INFO/TICKETS
(The new CD will be on sale, at a special, discounted price, with proceeds donated to Hawai`i Public Radio)

K&C in March 2006, with the First Annual Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement as a Music Group, after more than 33 years performing in Waikiki and around the world. - Photo by Kathy Boast

Frank Uehara - pakini bassman

We've had so many positive comments about Frank Uehara, who has been accompanying K&C on his pakini bass in concert performances during the past 6-8 months. Some asked "where did you find such a great bass player?" After the Legends In Hawaiian Music III Concert at Enchanted Lake, someone asked if Frank was the first pakini bassist to perform with K&C.

We said 'yes,' but have since stumbled upon a picture that corrects us. We've been going through tens of thousands of pictures and negatives over the past 50 years, selecting pictures and other art for our upcoming book on the history of Hawaiian music, and ran into this picture from a Japan concert tour in 1989.

We share this photo to correct the record. Although we both remember pakini basses from childhood days, this may have been the first time we shared the stage with such a bassist. For those unfamiliar with the term or the instrument, it's a pretty simple instrument that uses a broom handle, a piece of rope, and a bucket or washtub. They are sometimes called a "gut bucket bass" or a "washtub bass." Pakini is Hawaiian for tin (kini) pan (pa).

This group was scheduled to perform during our intermission, and asked Keith to stay on stage to play with them. Carmen was on break. This performance was at Zama, Japan, where Keith lived in the 50s and 60s and where he launched his Hawaiian music career with The Islanders. Kobayashi played steel in those days. During that trip, K&C also played at the Tokyo Bay Hilton and the Sheraton Grande Hotel on Tokyo Bay.

1989 IN JAPAN: Left to right, they are Kozo Yoshino on steel guitar; George Kobayashi on `ukulele; Keith on guitar; Gordon Agena on `ukulele; and that's KO ARAKAKI on pakini bass (although the bucket is hidden by a monitor speaker).