Dennis Pavao (July 11, 1951 - January 19, 2002), was one of several Hawaiian musicians who, during the 1970s, led a Hawaiian music renaissance, reviving

Hawaiian music The music of Hawaii includes an array of traditional and popular styles, ranging from native Hawaiian folk music to modern rock and hip hop. Styles like slack-key guitar are well known worldwide, while Hawaiian-tinged music is a frequent part ...

, especially "ka leo ki'eki'e," or Hawaiian falsetto singing. Along with his cousins, Ledward and Nedward Kaapana, Pavao started the group Hui Ohana. Hui Ohana became the premier falsetto group in Hawaii. After the breakup of Hui Ohana, Dennis Pavao moved on to pursue a solo career. Pavao was born in Kalapana on the Big Island in Hawaii. Jerry Kunimoto, one of Dennis' close longtime friends once said, "Dennis’ recordings over three decades will be sung for generations; he’s one of those performers. If our lives can be measured by the number of people we can touch in a positive way, then Dennis is in a place we all aspire to." He died from a

brain aneurysm An intracranial aneurysm, also known as a brain aneurysm, is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein causes a localized dilation or ballooning of the blood vessel. Aneurysms in the posterior circ ...

on January 19, 2002, at the age of fifty.

Nā Hōkū Hanohano

Dennis won several different Nā Hōkū Hanohano, meaning ''the distinguished/glorious stars'', awards. *His 1989 album, ''Hawaiian Soul'', won the Nā Hōkū Hanohano award for traditional Hawaiian album of the year. *In 1987, his album ''Ka Leo Kiekie'', meaning ''falsetto voice,'' won him the top male vocalist of the year award. *In 1993, he received a Nā Hōkū Hanohano award for his album ''Nā Mele Henoheno''.

Albums

*Ka Leo Kiekie - 1986 *Hawaiian Soul - 1989 *Na Mele Henoheno - 1992 *All Hawaii Stand Together - 1994 *Wale Nō - 1995 *Sweet Leilani - 1996 *Keiki Kupuna - 2004 (The songs on this album were recorded just weeks prior to his death.) *Golden Voice of Hawaii, Vol 1 - 2004 (Includes never released Dennis Pavao recordings as well as some re-mixed and re-mastered recordings that his producer, Trav Duro, Jr. put together after his death.)">Dennis Pavao: "Golden Voice of Hawai`i, Vol. 1" CD (2004)
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pavao, Dennis 1951 births 2002 deaths Native Hawaiian musicians Mountain Apple Company artists Na Hoku Hanohano Award winners 20th-century American musicians Deaths from intracranial aneurysm