Aunty Genoa Keawe
Hawaii's first lady of song Aunty Genoa Keawe passed away at her Papakolea home Monday morning. Her family was by her side when she pased. Genoa Keawe was 89 years old.
The long time local entertainer had struggled with breast cancer for years. She said she had lived a good life and continued to share her gift of music with fans by performing weekly at the Waikiki Marriott right up untill her death.
Genoa leaves behind three children, 40 grandchildren, 98 great, great grandchildren, and 81 great-great-great grandchildren.
She was born Genoa Leilani Adolpho on Halloween, Oct. 31, 1918. Genoa began signing and playing the ukalele as a child performing for her church with her sister Annie. In 1935 she married Edward P. Keawe-Aiko. She began her professional career in 1939 for bandstand shows in Kailua, Oahu and the Officers Club before the World War II.
Aunty Genoa takes great pride in preserving "na mea Hawaiʻi" (all things Hawai'i). She learned the Hawaiian language through her mother-in-law, who spoke Hawaiian as her first language. Genoa had a large repertoire of traditional Hawaiian songs. Like many old-time Hawaiian singers and musicians she plays her music by ear.
Hawai'i Magazine's Derek Paiva writes:
In 2004, Keawe’s 1963 album Party Hulas was ranked No. 11 on Honolulu Magazine’s
list of the 50 greatest Hawaii albums of all time. She won a Na Hoku
Hanohano Award—the Hawaii music industry’s most prestigious peer-voted
award—for female vocalist of the year for her Hula Hou album in 2005. In 2001, Aunty Genoa became only the second musician ever inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame while still alive.
`A`ole noe me like `oe, he wahine u`i, e Aunty Genoa.
What's for Dinner?
Grilled Spearfish with a Mango Pepper Salsa over Steamed Jasmine Rice
Grilled Spearfish with a Mango Pepper Salsa over Steamed Jasmine Rice
