FEBRUARY 25, 2008

NATIVE HAWAIIAN MUSICAL ENTERTAINER “AUNTIE” GENOA KEAWE DIED

Born October 31, 1918, in Oahu, Genoa she began singing at age 10 in the Mormon Church choir. Leaving school after 8^th grade, she married at 16 and began a large family. Learning the Hawaiian language from her mother-in-law, Keawe began singing Hawaiian music in military clubs prior to World War II and appeared on radio with John Kamealoha Almeida while also working as a lei seller & taxi driver. In 1946, she began recording singles on the 49th State record label, and her groups backed up other artists. In 1966, Genoa started her own record company, Genoa Keawe Records. Keawe presented a unique repertoire—hula performed to westernized melodies, played on western instruments (e.g., guitar & ukulele). Genoa won numerous Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawaiian music’s Grammies). Dedicated to her were both the 1987 King Kamehameha Hula Competition & 1998 Prince Lot Hula Festival. In 2000, Auntie Genoa earned a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.

Sources:

“Genoa Keawe,” National Endowment for the Arts.  Retrieved 10/20/2022, Genoa Keawe | National Endowment for the Arts

Wikipedia

Photo: Twobikeminimum, 3/2005. Pe Permissive Use pursuant to Creative Commons license.