HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

257

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

commemorating the 35th anniversary of kalapana and honoring their contributions to contemporary hawaiian music.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, music has always played a central role in Hawaiian culture, from traditional chants to the resurgence of Hawaiian-influenced mainstream music in the late 20th century; and

 

     WHEREAS, the musical tradition celebrated in Hawaii experienced a period of decline in the 1960s, but was quickly reversed during the 1970s in a resurgence known as the Hawaiian Renaissance; and

 

     WHEREAS, it was during the Hawaiian Renaissance that a local band, composed of childhood friends David John "DJ" Pratt and Carl James Malani Bilyeu, and Oar House performers Kirk Thompson and Bryant Mackey Feary, emerged as KALAPANA, playing its first gig at Chuck's in Hawaii Kai; and

 

     WHEREAS, KALAPANA quickly became the headline act at a popular club near the Ala Moana Center called The Toppe Ada Shoppe; and

 

     WHEREAS, soon, KALAPANA was making a name for itself, opening concerts for such acts as Earth, Wind and Fire, The Moody Blues, Sly and the Family Stone, and Cecilio and Kapono; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1975, KALAPANA released its first album, titled "Kalapana," with nearly all original songs primarily written by Feary and Bilyeu, to wide spread acclaim; and

 

     WHEREAS, KALAPANA went on to win several Nani Awards, the predecessor to the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, including "Best Performance by a duo or group"; and
     WHEREAS, for the next three decades, KALAPANA, expanding to include at one time or another the musical talents of Michael Paulo, Alvin Fejerang, Randy Aloya, Kimo Cornwell, Kenji Sano, and Gaylord Holomalia, continued to woo fans all over the world, receiving radio air play on stations all over the Mainland, and in Japan, the Philippines, the South Pacific, and Europe; and

 

     WHEREAS, KALAPANA's popularity and enduring charm prompted world-famous disc jockey Kamasami Kong to dub the band "Hawaii's Beatles," claiming that "the local fans…reacted with the same fanatical fervor as those Liverpoolians did back in the early '60s"; and

 

     WHEREAS, classic KALAPANA songs such as "Naturally," "When the Morning Comes," "The Hurt," "(For You) I'd Chase a Rainbow," "Moon & Stars," and "Nightbird" remain beloved island favorites; and

 

     WHEREAS, KALAPANA and its work continues to be a source of inspiration for contemporary Hawaiian music and musicians and reminds us of all that is best about our island home; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, that this body hereby commemorates the 35th anniversary of KALAPANA, honors its contributions to contemporary Hawaiian music, expresses heartfelt thanks for the gift of music they have given to fans worldwide and to the people of Hawaii, and extends to its members its warmest aloha and best wishes for continued success.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Kalapana; 35th Anniversary