Alfred Apaka, considered by many to be the Golden Voice of Hawaii, was marketing Hawaii to visitors from distant shores decades before Don Ho captivated audiences with "Tiny Bubbles" or Bruno Mars sang about his own version of paradise.
In the 1940s and ’50s, Apaka perfected a style of music known as hapa haole, which weaved Polynesian themes into pop tunes with English lyrics. He performed with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Ed Sullivan and Dinah Shore and was a regular on "Hawaii Calls," a syndicated radio program produced by Webley Edwards. He helped the Hawaiian Room at the Lexington Hotel in New York City become so famous that it enjoyed a 30-year run, which gave other local singers and dancers a chance to support themselves through art and serve as ambassadors of aloha.
Like the mystical sea sirens of old, Apaka’s hypnotic baritone and exotic good looks romanced visitors, encouraging them to come to his island home. Here, Apaka performed at a number of venues including Don the Beachcomber’s, now closed; the Royal Hawaiian Hotel; the Moana Surfrider; and Kaiser’s (now Hilton) Hawaiian Village. Henry J. Kaiser, who developed Kaiser’s Hawaiian Village, built the Tapa Showroom and later the property’s gigantic geodesic dome to showcase Apaka’s talent.
Apaka’s life was cut short at 40 by a heart attack in 1960, but his legacy continues. His son Jeff Apaka, now 66, performs each Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Hilton’s Tapa Room, just steps from where his father’s showroom once stood and where Hilton erected a bronze statue in 1997 to honor the singer who helped put its hotel and Hawaii tourism on the map. Alfred Apaka was honored that same year by a prestigious Na Hoku Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Award and in 1999 by the release of an album, "Lost Recordings of Hawaii’s Golden Voice."
During Apaka’s time, the state-funded "Hawaii Calls" was championed as one of the state’s best tourism campaigns. However, in 1972 the Hawaii Visitors Bureau pulled its program support to free up funding for a different $700,000 mainland marketing campaign, according to the book "Hawaiian Music & Musicians," by the Star-Advertiser’s John Berger and the late George Kanahele.
Today, music is evolving into a more important marketing strategy for the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Tourism officials recognize that the authentic cultural visitor experience that historic legends and contemporary performers offer distinguishes Hawaii from all other sun, sand and surf destinations, said Keli‘ihoalani Wilson, who was hired as the HTA’s director of Hawaiian cultural affairs after the state position was created in 2006.
"In the 1920s or ’30s, music and hula were a natural extension of the Hawaiian culture and were identified with Hawaii," Wilson said. "Over time, tourism focused on other things. Now I think that we’ve come full circle. We’re especially trying to get more music back into Waikiki."
HTA also is supporting Hawaiian music by broadening its role at statewide events like Mele Mei, Prince Kuhio Day, Aloha Festivals and Merrie Monarch.
"We just gave Merrie Monarch funding so that they could do an HD broadcast and stream it around the world," Wilson said.
Mike McCartney, HTA’s president and CEO, said the HTA recognizes music as an important aspect of Hawaii’s host and multicultural identity.
"We continue to work towards perpetuating all of the elements that make the Hawaiian Islands a one-of-a-kind destination," McCartney said.
Hula and Hawaiian music also preserve the host language, Wilson said.
"Around the overthrow, they banned Hawaiian language from schools," she said. "By the late 1970s, only 40 children under the age of 18 could speak the language. Hawaiian had become endangered. Hawaiian music gives us an avenue to have the language continue."
Hilton is on board with this new cultural vision. Other members of the visitor industry, some of whom cut back on music during the last downturn, have been increasingly following suit. Wilson said the musical renewal comes because today’s higher visitor counts support it and that "it’s just the right thing to do."
At Hilton, Jeff Apaka is continuing the traditions of his father, who was one of the first local entertainers to get noticed by Hollywood, said Lora Gallagher, regional director of marketing for Hilton Hawaii.
"It’s important to have the continuity between the father and the son," Gallagher said. "It ties into our ‘Home of Hawaii’s Music’ theme, which is our commitment to offer a variety of local entertainment. Jeffrey brings that old style with him. He sings his father’s songs and brings the quality of another era back to life."
Henry Kapono, Nohelani Cypriano, Olomana, Typical Hawaiians, Acoustick Playground, Beach 3, Jon Basebase, Juke Joint, Kailua Bay Buddies, Little Albert and the Piranha Brothers also play at Hilton. The emphasis has created opportunities for residents and visitors to mingle and has served as a model for other visitor industry businesses, Gallagher said. "The bigger picture is that we are trying, since we are a leader in a sense, to influence other hotels and businesses to also hire Hawaii’s musicians."
There’s plenty of musical momentum in Waikiki. On Tuesday, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa will host its second annual Prince Kuhio Day craft fair, which includes music and performances by an employee hula halau. The popularity of having local musicians and dancers provide an authentic cultural experience was evident at Hyatt’s tree lighting ceremony in November, said Laura Van Sciver, Hyatt Regency Waikiki’s director of marketing communications.
"The crowd could not get enough of the musicians, and when the dancers from the halau walked before them in formal dress, it was unbelievable, especially for our male employees. They had made their own grass skirts and headwear, and they looked remarkable," Van Sciver said. "Our guests would not stop taking pictures and asking questions even as Aka (Oclinaria) was playing on the nose flute. The next day the same employees, who were then dressed for their daily duties, continued to answer questions from guests about the show."
Hyatt also hires local professionals such as Sunway, Taimane Gardner, ManoaDNA, Tahiti Rey and Jason Alan to perform regularly at SWIM, its poolside bar, Van Sciver said.
The Outrigger Reef on the Beach’s Kani Ka Pila Grille has Hawaiian music nightly by Kaukahi, ManoaDNA, Brother Noland, Sean Naauao, Weldon Kekauoha, Cyril Pahinui and Kawika Kahiapo.
The music movement has expanded beyond Waikiki. Just last year the Polynesian Cultural Center launched a concert series, which features mostly local talent.
"Concerts enhance the cultural experience for our guests," said Ray Magalei, PCC’s vice president of sales and marketing. "Throughout the day they are exploring our villages and stepping into the Polynesia of the past, but the concerts allow them to experience contemporary and modern local music. Much like country music, local music tells stories about Hawaii and is one of the best ways for visitors to familiarize themselves with the islands of today."
The renewed emphasis brings optimism to Jeff Apaka, who is trying to resurrect the romantic music of Hawaii’s golden era, and longs to see music return to full visitor industry prominence.
"My great hope is that the music my father once sang — the classic music that exemplified aloha, that set Hawaii apart from the rest of the world and attracted so many to visit — will someday be heard again in the empty showrooms of Waikiki," he said.
Apaka played to a full house when he held his third tribute to his father, near what would have been Alfred Apaka’s 93rd birthday.
"I was just 13 when my father died. If I have one regret, it’s that my father never heard me sing," said Apaka, who was joined at the tribute by contemporary performers as well as those from closer to his father’s time, including hula girls who made it big in New York City because Alfred Apaka paved the way. Also taking part were Kai Markell, Aaron Mahi, Mihana Souza, Leinaala Kalama Heine, Na Pualei o Likolehua, Paahana, Kanoe Miller, emcee Harry B. Soria Jr., Manoa Madness, Kealoha Kalama, Celtic Pipes & Drums of Hawaii, Jeff Au Hoy Trio, Kawena Mechler, Richard Natto, Dave Toma, Darren Benitez and John Cruz.
"I think Dad would be proud with what’s happening today. It’s great that local performers are playing again," Apaka said. "Now we just need to see the industry add more days so that our visitors will have more chances to see and hear what Hawaii has to offer."
