Walter Kolomoku (February 14, 1889 – May 6, 1930) was a Hawaiian steel guitar musician, actor, and recording artist. He has a cameo in
D. W. Griffith
David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the na ...
's film ''
The Idol Dancer
''The Idol Dancer'' is a 1920 American silent South Seas drama film produced and directed by D. W. Griffith. It stars Richard Barthelmess and Clarine Seymour in her final film role. Seymour was a young actress Griffith was grooming for stardom ...
''. He recorded Southern Melodies Waltz No. 1 on
Victor Records
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer that operated independently from 1901 until 1929, when it was acquired by the Radio Corporation of America and subsequently operated as a subsid ...
. He played the
steel guitar
A steel guitar ( haw, kīkākila) is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conve ...
.
His work includes recorded performances as part of the
Hawaiian Quintette. He toured with
Ernest Kaʻai
Ernest Kaʻai (1881–1962) was considered by many to have been the The Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum foremost ukulele authority of his time and is noted by some as being "Hawaii's Greatest Ukulele Player". Kaʻai, who was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, ...
. He left Honolulu and lived in New York for 20 years. He conducted the Hawaiian Conservatory of Music.
He recorded several songs on Victor records. He taught guitar and ukelele via correspondence classes.
[ Musician Bob Dunn took the steel guitar courses as a young man.][ ]
Kolomoku recorded the album ''Southern Melodies'' in 1928 covering Southern classics on the steel guitar.
He married and had a son.[
]
Discography
*" Aloha Oe" (1911) by Queen Liliʻuokalani
Liliʻuokalani (; Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Kamakaʻeha; September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917) was the only queen regnant and the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, ruling from January 29, 1891, until the overthrow of the Haw ...
circa 1878, Edison Blue Amberola Cylinder
*"Kaua i ka huahuai
Prince William Pitt Leleiohoku II (1854–1877), was a poet and composer of many Hawaiian ''mele'' (songs), mostly love songs. He was the youngest of the ''Na Lani ʻEhā'' ("Royal Four"), which included his sisters Queen Liliʻuokalani (1838–19 ...
" - Hawaiian War Chant (April 18, 1913) Victor 65339 Camden, New Jersey" as part of the Hawaiian Quintette
*"Wailana" (1913) as partof the Hawaiian Quintette
*''Southern Melodies'' (1928)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kolomoku, Walter
1889 births
1930 deaths
20th-century American conductors (music)
Steel guitarists
20th-century American guitarists
Musicians from New York City
Musicians from Honolulu