Kui Lee
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Kui Lee (born Kuiokalani Lee; July 31, 1932 – December 3, 1966) was an American singer-songwriter. Lee began his career in the
mainland Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or dem ...
United States while performing as a dancer. Upon his return to Hawaii, he worked in clubs. At the Honey club, he met
Don Ho Donald Tai Loy Ho (August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007) was a Hawaiian traditional pop musician, singer and entertainer. He is best known for the song "Tiny Bubbles" from the album of the same name. Life and career Ho was a singer of Native ...
, who popularized Lee's compositions. Ho's fame made Lee a local success in Hawaii. Multiple artists then covered his song "
I'll Remember You "l'll Remember You" is a song written by Kui Lee in 1964. After he returned to Hawaii from the mainland United States in 1961, Lee worked at the night club Honey's as a doorman. Lee taught himself to sing, and he started to compose songs. He convi ...
". Lee was diagnosed with cancer in 1965. While he kept performing, he had two recording sessions. After his death in December 1966,
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
released his debut studio album, '' The Extraordinary Kui Lee'' the same month. A part of the
Hawaiian Renaissance The Hawaiian Renaissance (also called the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance) was the Hawaiian resurgence of a distinct cultural identity that draws upon traditional kānaka maoli culture, with a significant divergence from the tourism-based culture ...
, the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts posthumously awarded Lee a Lifetime Achievement award, and he was later inducted into the
Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame is an organization dedicated to recognizing the cultural importance of the music of Hawaii and hula. Established in 1994, the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame promotes the appreciation and preservation of Hawaiian cultur ...
.


Early life

Kuiokalani Lee was born in
Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
, on July 31, 1932, as his parents were touring China. His father Billy was a singer and his mother Ethel was a singer and dancer. Lee was a descendant of
native Hawaiians Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii ...
,
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
, and Scots. At the age of five, after his mother died, Lee returned to Hawaii with his father who feared the escalating tensions in the area around Shanghai, and the threat of war. In Hawaii, he attended
Kamehameha Schools Kamehameha Schools, formerly called Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE), is a private school system in Hawaii established by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, under the terms of the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who was a formal membe ...
and Roosevelt High School. Lee began to compose songs as a teenager. He was regarded as a quick learner, and an articulate student, but he often missed classes to pursue his hobby of surfing. Because of his continuous misbehavior, he was expelled. Lee then enlisted in the
United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
and served for two years.


Career

After his stint with the Coast Guard, Lee traveled to the
US mainland The contiguous United States (officially the conterminous United States) consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the Federal District of the United States of America. The term excludes the only two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii ...
and became a knife dancer in
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,
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, and
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
. Lee learned by watching experienced Samoan dancers. Eventually, he appeared a number of times on ''
The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
''. While working at The Lexington Hotel in New York City, Lee met his wife,
Hula dancer Hula Dancer (foaled 1960 in Kentucky) was an American-bred France, French-trained Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Background Hula Dancer was a grey mare sired by Native Dancer. Owner Gertrude T. Widener, Gertrude Widener raced Ambrose Lig ...
and singer Rose Frances Naone "Nani" Leinani. Lee returned to Hawaii in 1961. His wife found a job performing at Honey's club with
Don Ho Donald Tai Loy Ho (August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007) was a Hawaiian traditional pop musician, singer and entertainer. He is best known for the song "Tiny Bubbles" from the album of the same name. Life and career Ho was a singer of Native ...
. Though discouraged by her, Lee then taught himself to sing. He got a job performing at
Nawiliwili Beach Park Nawiliwili Beach Park is a beach park and port on the south-east coast of the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. It is located on Nāwiliwili Bay at , about south of Līhue. It is at the south end of Hawaii Route 51, known as Rice Street. ...
's Club Jetty in
Kauai Kauai, () anglicized as Kauai ( ), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the 21st largest island ...
, and worked as a doorman at the Honey club in
Kaneohe Kāneohe () is a census-designated place (CDP) included in the City and County of Honolulu and located in Hawaii state District of Koolaupoko on the island of Oahu. In the Hawaiian language, ''kāne ohe'' means "bamboo man". According to an a ...
. Ho, the featured singer whose mother owned the club, began to perform Lee's original songs. He was met with success performing "Ain't No Big Thing Bruddah", "The Days of My Youth" and "
I'll Remember You "l'll Remember You" is a song written by Kui Lee in 1964. After he returned to Hawaii from the mainland United States in 1961, Lee worked at the night club Honey's as a doorman. Lee taught himself to sing, and he started to compose songs. He convi ...
". Lee convinced Ho to let him perform as a singer at the Honey club. He also appeared at Kalia Gardens and Kanaka Pete's in
Lahaina Lahaina ( haw, Lāhainā) is the largest census-designated place (CDP) in West Maui, Maui County, Hawaii, United States and includes the Kaanapali and Kapalua beach resorts. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a resident population of 12,702. Laha ...
during 1965. By October, Lee was performing at Waikiki's Queen's Surf club. Around that time, he composed "Lahainaluna" and "One Paddle, Two Paddle". Lee earned US$2,000 weekly () for his club appearances. During an interview with ''
Paradise of the Pacific ''Honolulu'' is a city magazine covering Honolulu and the Hawaii region. It dates back to 1888 when it was called ''Paradise of the Pacific.'' It is the oldest magazine in the state of Hawaii and is the longest published magazine west of the Missi ...
'', Honolulu radio D.J Hal Lewis said of Lee, "Kui is a gold mine for his song-writing alone. His music could be worth $10 to $15 million to him. This kid's ready right now." The same year, Lee signed a five-year recording contract with Music of Polynesia's subsidiary Palm Records. "I'll Remember You" was included on Ho's debut studio album, ''Don Ho Show'', released on
Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels. Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Enya, Michael ...
. Ho's success increased Lee's local popularity in Hawaii. Other artists soon recorded the song in Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and Tagalog.
Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birth ...
,
Andy Williams Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...
,
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Herb Alpert (born March 31, 1935) is an American trumpeter who led the band Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in the 1960s. During the same decade, he co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss. Alpert has recorded 28 albums that have landed on the ...
, and
Vic Schoen Victor Schoen (March 26, 1916 – January 5, 2000) was an American bandleader, arranger, and composer whose career spanned from the 1930s until his death in 2000. He furnished music for some of the most successful persons in show business inclu ...
covered it in English. Lee was diagnosed with
lymph gland A lymph node, or lymph gland, is a kidney-shaped organ of the lymphatic system and the adaptive immune system. A large number of lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by the lymphatic vessels. They are major sites of lymphocytes that include ...
cancer while working at Kanaka Pete's in 1965. Though he was aware of his health issues, he delayed visiting a physician. He then underwent
radiation therapy Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, often abbreviated RT, RTx, or XRT, is a therapy using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells and normally delivered by a linear accelerator. Radia ...
at Queens Hospital. While being treated for the disease, in March, Lee appeared at the Bora Bora club in
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. He then went to New York City for a recording session with
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
, which released his debut
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
"Ain't No Big Thing", paired with "All I Want To Do", in May 1965. Around that time, Lee expressed to childhood friend
Douglas Mossman Douglas Kinilau Mossman, also credited as Doug Mossman (April 7, 1933 – May 18, 2021) was an American actor known for his recurring role as Detective Frank Kamana on the original ''Hawaii Five-O'' from 1974 to 1976. In addition to playing the r ...
his regret towards not graduating high school. Mossman contacted Richard Lyman, the board chairman of the Bishop Estate, owner of Kamehameha Schools. Lyman issued a graduation certificate to Lee as part of a 1950 promotion, which he received during a ceremony in July 1966. The same month, he began treatment at
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK or MSKCC) is a cancer treatment and research institution in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital. MSKCC is one of 52 National Cancer Institute– ...
in New York. While waiting for treatment by a doctor from
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, the cancer
metastasized Metastasis is a pathogenic agent's spread from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host's body; the term is typically used when referring to metastasis by a cancerous tumor. The newly pathological sites, then, ...
to his lungs, and he later entered
Cedars of Lebanon Hospital Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over 2 ...
in Los Angeles for lung surgery. His next recording session was for Jack de Mello's label. Because of Lee's condition, de Mello recorded his vocals in bed at the hospital. In August, local artists organized a benefit concert to pay for Lee's medical expenses. On October 18, 1966, Lee played at the
Waikiki Shell The Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell is a venue for outdoor concerts and other large gatherings in the Waikiki area of Honolulu, Hawaii. Built in 1956, the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell seats 2,400 persons and the lawn area has capacity for an additional 6,0 ...
, during
Aloha Week The Aloha Festivals are an annual series of free cultural celebrations observed in the state of Hawaii in the United States. It is the only statewide cultural festival in the nation. Highlights include the presentation of the Royal Court, a ho'o ...
. He used a wheelchair after the surgery and could not sing. Lee apologized to the crowd and told anecdotes, then Nani Lee sang his latest composition "The Intangible Dream Came True". In November 1966, Columbia released "Rain, Rain Go Away" backed with "I'll Remember You". Eventually, Lee traveled to
Tijuana, Mexico Tijuana ( ,"Tijuana"
(US) and
< ...
, where he sought treatment with
laetrile Amygdalin (from Ancient Greek: ' "almond") is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in many plants, most notably in the seeds (kernels) of apricots, bitter almonds, apples, peaches, cherries, and plums. Amygdalin is classified as a ...
, which was banned by the
Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...
in the US. Lee favored laetrile, as he opposed
cobalt Cobalt is a chemical element with the symbol Co and atomic number 27. As with nickel, cobalt is found in the Earth's crust only in a chemically combined form, save for small deposits found in alloys of natural meteoric iron. The free element, pr ...
and radiation therapies. Nani Lee stressed in a later interview that though she did not believe in the treatment's effectiveness, and her husband "knew very well what little chance there was", that "he wanted so much to live. He was willing to try anything and everything." Kui Lee died in Tijuana on December 3, 1966, at Guadalajara Hospital. His body was taken to the local Del Carmen funeral home and later flown to Ordensteins Mortuary in Hawaii. Lee expressed his wish to be buried at sea, while a band played his songs. On December 8, 1966, Pastor
Abraham Akaka Abraham Kahikina Akaka (February 21, 1917 – September 10, 1997) was an American clergyman. For 27 years, Rev. Akaka was Kahu (shepherd) of Kawaiahaʻo Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. His mother was of Hawaiian ancestry, and his father was of Hawaii ...
presided over a memorial service at
Kawaiahaʻo Church Kawaiahaʻo Church is a historic Congregational church located in Downtown Honolulu on the Hawaiian Island of Oʻahu. The church, along with the Mission Houses, comprise the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site, which was designated a U.S. Natio ...
. Honolulu's mayor
Neal Blaisdell Neal Shaw Blaisdell (November 6, 1902 – November 5, 1975) served as Mayor of Honolulu from 1955 to 1969 as a member of the Hawaii Republican Party. As chief executive of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, he oversaw one of the largest cons ...
attended the ceremony and gave a speech. By 1:00 pm, his body and 90 mourners sailed from
Kuhio Beach Park Kuhio Beach Park is a public ocean-side park on the island of Oahu, U.S. state of Hawaii, located within Waikiki Beach. It's a common gathering place for the Honolulu population and tourists due to its location and semi-protected waters. The p ...
on the
catamaran A Formula 16 beachable catamaran Powered catamaran passenger ferry at Salem, Massachusetts, United States A catamaran () (informally, a "cat") is a multi-hulled watercraft featuring two parallel hulls of equal size. It is a geometry-stab ...
''Ale-Ale Kai'' to the burial location . It was escorted by nine canoes, followed by other mourners on boats and a surfer. During the procession, loudspeakers played Lee's songs. 10,000 orchids were dropped from a plane to the signal of a flare, and Lee's Lei-covered casket was released to waters with a depth of between .


Legacy

Soon after his death, Columbia Records released Lee's debut studio album '' The Extraordinary Kui Lee'' in December 1966. In 1970, Music of Polynesia released Lee's recordings on the double album ''The World of Kui Lee'' (MOP 12000), with the first disk entitled ''Words And Music'' and the second ''Images Of Kui's World''. The label's publisher Mickey Goldsen credited Lee with bridging a generational gap in Hawaiian music. He also expressed his concern to ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' over the future of the "new wave of Hawaiian composers" following Lee's death. A part of the
Hawaiian Renaissance The Hawaiian Renaissance (also called the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance) was the Hawaiian resurgence of a distinct cultural identity that draws upon traditional kānaka maoli culture, with a significant divergence from the tourism-based culture ...
, his fan base regarded him as a "rebel" for departing from the themes in traditional music. During an interview, Lee said that while performing on the mainland early in his career, the mainstream stereotypes of Hawaiian culture, and the adoption of them by his peers on the Islands aggravated him. He declared: "All this commercial garbage has to go". Upon his return to Hawaii, Lee discarded his previous outfit of choice, the suit and tie, and favored informal shirts, while he let his hair grow. In June 1966, a poll published in ''
The Honolulu Advertiser ''The Honolulu Advertiser'' was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in the American state of Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Int ...
'' placed him among the most admired people by Hawaii's youth. Lee's followers compared him to
James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, ''Rebel Without a Cause' ...
, as the themes of several of his songs dealt with social deception and
oligarchy Oligarchy (; ) is a conceptual form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of people. These people may or may not be distinguished by one or several characteristics, such as nobility, fame, wealth, education, or corporate, r ...
. According to author Adrienne L. Kaeppler, Lee's sound "experimented with a laid-back English balladic style, harmonically and rhythmically complex". It consisted of a blend of
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
,
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
, and
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
with classic
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 ...
. Lee had been influenced by the popular music of the time during his stay in the mainland. Ho organized ''The Kui Lee Memorial Show'' at the Waikiki Shell on December 3, 1968. The benefit concert raised money to help Hawaiian musicians.
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
broadcast it on February 7, 1969.
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
, who recorded a cover of Lee's "I'll Remember You" in the summer of 1966, included the song during his live sets between 1972 and the summer of 1976. In 1973, the proceeds of his concert ''
Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite ''Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite'' is a concert starring Elvis Presley that took place at the Honolulu International Center and was broadcast live via satellite to audiences in Asia and Oceania on January 14, 1973. The show was presented ...
'' benefited the Kui Lee Cancer Fund. It raised US$75,000 (). Hawaii newspaper columnist Eddie Sherman had created the fund shortly before the event to assist cancer research at the
University of Hawaiʻi The University of Hawaiʻi System, formally the University of Hawaiʻi and popularly known as UH, is a public college and university system that confers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through three universities, seven com ...
. In December 1986, Sherman's musical ''Kui'' opened at the Honolulu Community Theater. Originally, Sherman adapted a screenplay for a motion picture, but eventually he settled for a play. The play starred Kimo Kahoano as Kui, and Shaunne Gallipeau as Nani Lee. In May 2000, the
Na Hoku Hanohano The Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, occasionally called the Nā Hōkū Awards or Hoku Awards, are the premier music awards in Hawaii.Berger, John"A night of Na Hoku Hanohano" ''Honolulu Star-Advertiser''. May 22, 2011.Haug, Kawehi"Hoku awardees shine ...
Lifetime Achievement Award was given posthumously to Lee. Presented by Ho, Lee's wife and daughters accepted it. In 2009, Lee was inducted into the
Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame is an organization dedicated to recognizing the cultural importance of the music of Hawaii and hula. Established in 1994, the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame promotes the appreciation and preservation of Hawaiian cultur ...
by the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts.


Discography


Albums


Singles


References


Citations


Sources

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External links

* * * – Lee's sister recounted their experience moving from Shanghai to Hawaii * – Lee's daughter on an interview with Big Island Television {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Kui 1932 births 1966 deaths Deaths from cancer in Mexico American musicians of Chinese descent Musicians from Hawaii Musicians from Shanghai Hawaiian songwriters 20th-century American musicians Hawaii people of Chinese descent American people of Scottish descent American people of Native Hawaiian descent Burials at sea United States Coast Guard enlisted President Theodore Roosevelt High School alumni Kamehameha Schools alumni