Jump to content

Gabby Pahinui: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
SmackBot (talk | contribs)
3,734,324 edits
m Date/fix the maintenance tags or gen fixes using AWB
→Death and legacy: added citations
 
(160 intermediate revisions by 93 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{short description|American Hawaiian musician (1921–1980)}}
'''Charles Philip "Gabby" or "Pops" Pahinui''' ([[April 22]], [[1921]] - [[October 13]], [[1980]]) was a [[slack-key guitar]]ist.
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Gabby Pahinui
| image = Gabby Pahinui.jpg
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name = Charles Kapono Kahahawai Jr.
| alias = Gabby Pahinui, Pops Pahinui
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|4|22|mf=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1980|10|13|1921|4|22}}
| death_place = Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawai'i, United States
| origin = [[Lahaina, Hawaii|Lahaina]], Maui, [[Territory of Hawaii]] (now Hawai'i, United States)
| instrument = [[Slack-key guitar]], [[Steel guitar]]
| spouse = Emily Kauha Pulipuli (m. 1938–)
| occupation = Musician
}}


'''Philip Kunia Pahinui''' ({{IPA|haw|pɐhinui}}; April 22, 1921 – October 13, 1980), known as '''Gabby Pahinui''', was an American Hawaiian [[slack-key guitar]]ist and singer of [[Music of Hawaii|Hawaiian music]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Staton |first=Ron |date=1977-08-26 |title=His fame spreading to mainland, Pahinui takes success in stride |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wichita-beacon-his-fame-spreading-to/160014809/ |access-date= |work=[[The Wichita Beacon]] |pages=47 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1980-10-14 |title=Gabby Pahinui |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/honolulu-star-bulletin-gabby-pahinui/160015438/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]] |pages=22 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> He also went by '''Pops Pahinui'''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Engle |first=Murray |last2=Wood |first2=Ben |date=October 21, 1980 |title=Painui death: End of and era; King of Island Music Laid to Rest |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pacific-daily-news-painui-death-end-of/160015257/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=[[Pacific Daily News]] |pages=11 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
Gabby was raised in the Kaka'ako area of [[Honolulu, Hawaii|Honolulu]] in the 1920s. It was impoverished at the time, very much resembling a [[Shanty town|shanty-town]] with small cluttered buildings and tin roofs falling apart. {{Fact|date=November 2007}} He spent his childhood supporting his family by selling newspapers and shining shoes. He dropped out of school after 5th grade at [[Pokukaina School]].


== Early life and family ==
⚫
Gabby landed a gig as a back-up guitarist for [[Charley 'Tiny' Brown]]. He quickly mastered the [[steel guitar]] without ever learning to read music. Because most musicians of the time only played in bars, Gabby also formed a drinking habit that stuck with him throughout his life.
Gabby Pahinui was born with the name Charles Kapono Kahahawai Jr. in [[Lahaina, Hawaii|Lahaina]], Maui, [[Territory of Hawaii]], into a struggling family that sold leis.<ref name=":0" /> He was later ''[[hānai]]ed'' (informally adopted) with his brother and one of his sisters to Emily and Philip Pahinui, and they were raised in the impoverished district of [[Kakaʻako|Kaka'ako]] in [[Honolulu]] in the 1920s ("all tin roofs and kinda falling apart"). He took the name Philip Kunia Pahinui.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wong |first=Jonathan |title=Charles Philip "Gabby Pops" Pahinui, April 22, 1921 – October 13, 1980 |url=http://www.oocities.org/hawmele/Gabby/bio.htm |access-date=2016-11-17 |publisher=People's Productions}}</ref> He spent his childhood supporting his family by selling newspapers and shining shoes. He dropped out of school after 5th grade at the Pohukaina school.{{cn|date=September 2022}}


Pahinui married Emily Pulipuli Pahinui in 1938.{{cn|date=September 2022}} He was age seventeen and she was age nineteen. They remained married until his death. They had 13 children.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=October 14, 1980 |title=Obituary for Pahinui Pahinui |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sentinel-obituary-for-pahinui-pahinu/160014951/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=The Sentinel |pages=5 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
Gabby later became known for his mastery of the [[slack-key guitar]]. He claims to have learned it from a mystery man named "Herman." It is not known who Herman was, but Gabby claimed that he was also from the Kaka'ako area and was the greatest slack-key player of all time. After the success of slack-key guitarist [[Ray Kane]], some believed that his father, [[Herman Kāne]], was the Herman to whom Gabby was referring.


==Early career==
Gabby married Emily at age 17 in [[1938]]. They had ten children, four daughters and six sons.
{{Moresources|section|date=September 2022}}
⚫
Pahinui landed a gig as a back-up guitarist for Charley "Tiny" Brown. He quickly mastered the [[steel guitar]] (''kīkā kila'') even learning to read music. Because most musicians of the time only played in bars, Pahinui also formed a drinking habit that stuck with him throughout his life.


At the 1st Annual Seattle Slack Key Guitar Festival, his son, [[Cyril Pahinui]], related a story about how Pahinui got his name. In his early career, he played steel guitar with an orchestra. The standard costume for the gig was [[gabardine]] pants—hence his name.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zvents.com/seattle-wa/events/show/86632039-1st-annual-seattle-slack-key-festival |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210060111/http://www.zvents.com/seattle-wa/events/show/86632039-1st-annual-seattle-slack-key-festival |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 10, 2013 |title=1st Annual Seattle Slack Key Festival Tickets at Town Hall Theater in Seattle, WA |publisher=Zvents |date=November 22, 2009 |access-date=2012-11-09 }}</ref>
⚫
In [[1946]], Gabby made his first recording, "Hi`ilawe," for the Bell Records label. This may be the first record of a Hawaiian song with slack-key guitar. The following year came "Hula Medley," the first record of a slack-key guitar instrumental. During this period he made two other influential sides for Bell, the vocal "Wai O Ke Aniani" and the instrumental "Key Koalu" (a misspelling of "Kī Hō`alu," the Hawaiian term for "slack key"), plus another version of "Hi`ilawe" for Aloha Records.


Cyril told another story, from when Pahinui was diving for coins thrown from ships coming to the piers (a common youth activity in Kakaako) : "His hair was kinky, so after swimming and diving for coins, the water would just roll off. So everyone started calling him "Gabardine Hair".<ref name=":0" /> He also took to wearing [[gabardine]] pants, reinforcing "Gabby" as a nickname."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gibson |first1=Marsha |title=Kaka'ako as we knew it : memories of growing up in old Kaka'ako |date=2011 |publisher=Mutual Pub |location=Honolulu, Hawaii |isbn=9781566479431 |page=134}}</ref>
⚫
Gabby played with many of the great bands and musicians of his time, including [[Andy Cummings]], [[Lena Machado]], and [[Ray Kinney]]. He also appeared on ''[[Hawaii Calls]]'', a popular international radio show that began in the 1930s. Eventually, Gabby moved Emily and the children to [[Waimanalo]], which had become a popular second home location for many musicians. The all-weekend jam sessions at the Pahinui home were legendary.

Though a skilled player of the steel guitar (invented in Hawaii before Blues slide guitar), Pahinui is most known for his mastery of traditional Hawaiian slack-key guitar (Kī Hō'alu -"key slackened"- downtuned, usually to an open-string chord with low bass notes, then finger-picked) and his beautiful, expressive vocals. Pahinui learned slack-key from [[Herman Keawe]] whom Pahinui acknowledges as being "the greatest slack-key player of all time." Herman, like Pahinui, lived in the Kaka'ako area.

⚫
In 1946, Pahinui made his first recording, "Hi'ilawe," for the Bell Records label. This may be the first record of a Hawaiian song with slack-key guitar and it inspired many local musicians. The following year came "Hula Medley," the first record of a slack-key guitar instrumental. During this period he made two other influential sides for Bell, the vocal "Wai O Ke Aniani" and the instrumental "Key Koalu" (a misspelling of "Kī Hō'alu"), plus another version of "Hi'ilawe" for Aloha Records.

Pahinui's "Hula Medley," recorded in 1947, was inducted into the U.S. National Recording Registry (2011 group of 25) for cultural, historical or aesthetical significance.

⚫
Pahinui played with many of the great bands and musicians of his time, including [[Lena Machado]] and [[Ray Kinney]]. He appeared on ''[[Hawaii Calls]]'', a popular international radio show that began in the 1930s. Eventually, Pahinui moved his wife Emily and their children to [[Waimānalo|Waimānalo, Oahu]], which had become a popular second home location for many musicians. The all-weekend jam sessions at the Pahinui home were legendary.


Examples of his session work from the late 1950s through the 1960s can be found on the two volumes of ''Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar'' (Waikiki Records 319 and 320) and two more LPs titled ''Kani Ka Pila! Let's Play Music!'' Volumes 1 and 2 (Hula Records 517, 1966; Hula 531, 1969). These are combo recordings (steel guitar, slack key guitar, uke, bass, vocals, sometimes percussion) made with bandmates such as Atta, Barney, and Norman Isaacs, Charles Kaipo Miller, and a young Peter Moon, and they reflect the style of nightclub music popular around Waikīkī at the time.
Examples of his session work from the late 1950s through the 1960s can be found on the two volumes of ''Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar'' (Waikiki Records 319 and 320) and two more LPs titled ''Kani Ka Pila! Let's Play Music!'' Volumes 1 and 2 (Hula Records 517, 1966; Hula 531, 1969). These are combo recordings (steel guitar, slack key guitar, uke, bass, vocals, sometimes percussion) made with bandmates such as Atta, Barney, and Norman Isaacs, Charles Kaipo Miller, and a young Peter Moon, and they reflect the style of nightclub music popular around Waikīkī at the time.


A 1961 solo session organized by Dave Guard of the Kingston Trio features just Gabby, with bass and `ukulele backing, doing some of his classic material, including new versions of three of his four 1946-47 tracks. No record company was interested the material, however, and it was not released until 1978. The final package was ''Pure Gabby'' (Hula 567), a two-record set, one LP consisting of the music and the second of an interview conducted by Guard.
A 1961 solo recording session was organized by Hawaii-raised [[Dave Guard]] of [[The Kingston Trio]], who was a great admirer of Pahiuni's music.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rubeck |first1=Jack |last2=Blake |first2=Ben |last3=Shaw |first3=Allan |title=The Kingston Trio On Record |publisher=KK Inc. |year=1986 |page=11 |isbn=978-0-674-95133-4}}</ref> The recording features only Pahinui, with bass and 'ukulele backing, doing some of his classic material, including new versions of three of his four 1946–47 tracks. No record company was interested in the material at the time, however, and it was not released until 1978. The final package was ''Pure Gabby'' (Hula 567), a two-record set, one LP consisting of the music and the second of an interview conducted by Guard.


With his success, Gabby still had financial trouble. He made ends meet by working for City and County of Honolulu road crews, doing pick and shovel work.
Despite his success, Pahinui still had financial trouble. He made ends meet by working for City and County of Honolulu road crews,<ref name=":0" /> doing pick and shovel work alongside fellow Hawaiian musician [[Eddie Kamae]].


==Later career==
⚫
The [[Hawaiian Renaissance]] of the '70s launched a cultural reawakening of all things [[Hawaii]]an. Gabby played an important part in the rise of this Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance. First there were the albums recorded through the 1960s with the enormously popular and influential [[Sons of Hawaii]], which he started with `ukulele virtuoso [[Eddie Kamae]]: their self-titled debut album (Hula HS 503, 1961); ''Music of Old Hawai`i'' (Hula HS 506, 1964); and ''Folk Music of Hawai`i'' (Panini 1001, 1971).
{{Moresources|section|date=September 2022}}
⚫
The [[Hawaiian Renaissance]] of the 1970s launched a cultural reawakening of all things Hawaiian. Gabby played a very important part in the rise of this Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance. First there were the albums recorded through the 1960s with the enormously popular and influential [[Sons of Hawaii]], which he started with 'ukulele virtuoso [[Eddie Kamae]]: their self-titled debut album (Hula HS 503, 1961); ''Music of Old Hawai'i'' (Hula HS 506, 1964); and ''Folk Music of Hawai'i'' (Panini 1001, 1971).


Then, starting in 1972, he made four albums with what came to be called the "Gabby Band." The first album featured Gabby backed by four of his sons plus old friends [[Leland Isaacs Sr.|Leland "Atta" Isaacs]] and bassist Manuel "Joe Gang" Kuhapu, but the group eventually expanded to include [[Sonny Chillingworth]], younger-generation players [[Peter Moon (Musician)|Peter Moon]] and Randy Lorenzo, and mainland admirer [[Ry Cooder]]. The albums are:
Then, starting in 1972, he made four albums with what came to be called the "Gabby Band." The first album featured Gabby backed by four of his sons plus old friends [[Leland Isaacs Sr.|Leland "Atta" Isaacs]] and bassist Manuel "Joe Gang" Kupahu, but the group eventually expanded to include [[Sonny Chillingworth]], younger-generation players [[Peter Moon (musician)|Peter Moon]] and Randy Lorenzo, and mainland admirer [[Ry Cooder]]. The albums are:


* ''Gabby'' (1972; often called "Brown Gabby" or "The Brown Album" because of its sepia cover photo)
* ''Gabby'' (1972; often called "Brown Gabby" or "The Brown Album" because of its sepia cover photo)
Line 27: Line 56:
* ''Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band, Vol 1'' (1975)
* ''Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band, Vol 1'' (1975)
* ''Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band, Vol 2'' (1976)
* ''Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band, Vol 2'' (1976)
In 1979, he was named one of the [[Living Treasures of Hawaii]], by the [[Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 17, 1979 |title=9 Named 'Living Treasures' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/honolulu-star-bulletin-9-named-living-t/160014532/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]] |pages=4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>


==Death and legacy==
As he enjoyed his new success in the '70s, his life-long drinking and a bad road crew accident left his health failing. He retired from road work but took up teaching in the City and County's cultural programs. He died in [[1980]] at the age of 59.
{{Moresources|section|date=September 2022}}
[[File:Gabby Pahinui's Grave - 1.jpg|thumb|Pahinui's final resting place alongside his wife, at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery]]
[[File:Gabby Pahinui Grave.jpg|thumb|Location of Pahinui's grave is right at the entrance of Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery]]
Pahinui died of a stroke while playing golf on October 13, 1980, aged 59.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 15, 1980 |title=Obituary for Philip Pahlnui |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-obituary-for-philip/160014858/ |access-date= |work=[[The Orlando Sentinel]] |pages=31 |type=Obituary |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> The ''[[Honolulu Star Bulletin]]'' newspaper reported after Pahinui's death that, ''"The thing about Gabby Pahinui ... was not only that he was an outstanding musician and entertainer, and a central figure – maybe THE central figure – of the Hawaiian Renaissance in the '70s, but that he was an inspiration to others. Thousands of Hawaiian kids learned that they were worthy as a people because of Gabby's example."''<ref>{{cite web |date=September 25, 1999 |title=Hawaiian musician a slack-key master |url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/09/25/news/story6.html |access-date=2012-11-09 |work=[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]]}}</ref>


Gabby was memorialized in [[Israel Kamakawiwo'ole]]'s haunting performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" on his 1993 ''Facing Future'' album. In the opening moments of the song, Israel can be heard saying, "'Kay, this one's for Gabby."
Pahinui was mentioned in [[Israel Kamakawiwoʻole]]'s famous performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" on his 1993 ''Facing Future'' album. In the opening moments of the song, Kamakawiwo'ole can be heard saying, "'Kay, this one's for Gabby."


Pahinui received the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Artists Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He received a second Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 for his work as a member of the Sons of Hawaii. Pahinui was inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hawaiimusicmuseum.org/honorees/2002/gabby.html |title=HMHFM Honorees – Gabby Pahinui |publisher=Hawaii Music Museum |access-date=2012-11-09}}</ref>
Gabby's children are active in the Hawaiian music scene, notably [[Cyril Pahinui]], [[Bla Pahinui]] and [[Martin Pahinui]], all of whom played on the Gabby Band recordings and have since become professional musicians. (Philip, who played on the first two "Gabby Band" albums, chose not to pursue music professionally.)


Pahinui's children were active in the Hawaiian music scene, notably [[Cyril Pahinui]] (1950–2018),<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Legendary Hawaiian musician Cyril Pahinui dies at 68 |url=http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2018/11/18/legendary-hawaiian-musician-cyril-pahinui-dies/ |work=[[Hawaii News Now]] |location=Honolulu |date=November 18, 2018}}</ref> [[James "Bla" Pahinui]] (1942–2019),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=John |date=July 25, 2019 |title=Hawaii slack key guitar legend Bla Pahinui dies at 76 |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2019/07/24/hawaii-news/hawaii-slack-key-guitar-legend-bla-pahinui-dies-at-age-76/ |access-date= |website=[[Honolulu Star-Advertiser]] |language=en}}</ref> and [[Martin Pahinui]] (1951–2017).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shikina |first=Rob |date=2017-05-28 |title=Hawaiian musician Martin Pahinui dies |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/05/28/breaking-news/hawaiian-musician-martin-pahinui-dies/ |access-date= |website=[[Honolulu Star-Advertiser]] |language=en}}</ref>
⚫
==References==

=== Resting place ===
Pahinui is buried at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery in [[Kaneohe, Hawaii]] in the Lakeside Garden musician area (lot 8, section B, site 4).


==Further reading==
*"Gabby Pahinui" [interview] in ''Da Kine Sound: Conversations with People who Create Hawaiian Music,'' ed. Burl Burlingame and Robert Kamohalu Kasher (1978, Press Pacifica)
*"Gabby Pahinui" [interview] in ''Da Kine Sound: Conversations with People who Create Hawaiian Music,'' ed. Burl Burlingame and Robert Kamohalu Kasher (1978, Press Pacifica)
*''Hawaiian Son,'' James D. Houston with Eddie Kamae (2004, `Ai Pōhaku Press)
*''Hawaiian Son,'' James D. Houston with Eddie Kamae (2004, `Ai Pōhaku Press)
*''The History of the Slack Key Guitar,'' CD booklet notes by Jay Junker, Harry B. Soria, Jr., and George Winston (1997, Hana Ola Records)
*''The History of the Slack Key Guitar,'' CD booklet notes by Jay Junker, Harry B. Soria, Jr., and George Winston (1997, Hana Ola Records)
*{{cite book |url=http://mutualpublishing.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=325 |title=Hawaiian Music & Musicians |publisher=Mutual Publishing, LLC |year=2012 |isbn=9781566479677 |edition=2nd |location=Honolulu, HI, USA |chapter=Pahinui, 'Gabby' Charles Philip, and sons |oclc=808415079 |editor1-last=Kanahele |editor1-first=George S. |editor1-link=George Kanahele |editor2-last=Berger |editor2-first=John |orig-year=1979 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025075918/http://mutualpublishing.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=325 |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}
*"Pahinui, 'Gabby' Charles Philip," unsigned, in ''Hawaiian Music and Musicians,'' ed. George S. Kanahele (1979, University Press of Hawai`i)
*{{cite book |url=http://mutualpublishing.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=325 |title=Hawaiian Music & Musicians |last=Haugen |first=Keith |publisher=Mutual Publishing, LLC |year=2012 |isbn=9781566479677 |edition=2nd |location=Honolulu, HI, USA |chapter=Sons of Hawai'i |oclc=808415079 |editor1-last=Kanahele |editor1-first=George S. |editor1-link=George Kanahele |editor2-last=Berger |editor2-first=John |orig-year=1979 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025075918/http://mutualpublishing.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=325 |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}
* "Sons of Hawai`i," Keith Haugen, in ''Hawaiian Music and Musicians''

⚫
==References==
{{reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
*{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027112852/http://www.geocities.com/hawmele/Gabby/index.htm |archive-date=October 27, 2009 |url=http://www.geocities.com/hawmele/Gabby/index.htm|title='Pops' Gabby Pahinui Tribute page |access-date=2012-11-09}}
{{Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame}}


{{Authority control}}
*[http://www.geocities.com/hawmele/Gabby/index.htm Gabby Pahinui]
*[http://starbulletin.com/1999/09/25/news/story6.html Hawaiian musician a slack-key master]
*[http://www.dancingcat.com/skbook1-history.php A Brief History of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar]
*[http://www.dancingcat.com/skbook2-recordings.php#GabbyPahinui Gabby Pahinui discography on Dancing Cat site ]
*[http://www.territorialairwaves.com Territorial Airwaves] Your Source for the History of Hawaiian Music.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Pahinui, Gabby}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pahinui, Gabby}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:American guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:Hawaii musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Hawaii]]
[[Category:Hawaiian adoptees (hānai)]]
[[Category:Musicians from Honolulu]]
[[Category:Native Hawaiian musicians]]
[[Category:People from Lahaina, Hawaii]]
[[Category:Slack-key guitarists]]
[[Category:Slack-key guitarists]]
[[Category:Steel guitarists]]

[[de:Gabby Pahinui]]
[[fr:Gabby Pahinui]]

Latest revision as of 07:25, 30 November 2024

Gabby Pahinui
Background information
Birth nameCharles Kapono Kahahawai Jr.
Also known asGabby Pahinui, Pops Pahinui
Born(1921-04-22)April 22, 1921
OriginLahaina, Maui, Territory of Hawaii (now Hawai'i, United States)
DiedOctober 13, 1980(1980-10-13) (aged 59)
Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawai'i, United States
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Slack-key guitar, Steel guitar
SpouseEmily Kauha Pulipuli (m. 1938–)

Philip Kunia Pahinui (Hawaiian pronunciation: [pɐhinui]; April 22, 1921 – October 13, 1980), known as Gabby Pahinui, was an American Hawaiian slack-key guitarist and singer of Hawaiian music.[1][2] He also went by Pops Pahinui.[3]

Early life and family

[edit]

Gabby Pahinui was born with the name Charles Kapono Kahahawai Jr. in Lahaina, Maui, Territory of Hawaii, into a struggling family that sold leis.[3] He was later hānaied (informally adopted) with his brother and one of his sisters to Emily and Philip Pahinui, and they were raised in the impoverished district of Kaka'ako in Honolulu in the 1920s ("all tin roofs and kinda falling apart"). He took the name Philip Kunia Pahinui.[4] He spent his childhood supporting his family by selling newspapers and shining shoes. He dropped out of school after 5th grade at the Pohukaina school.[citation needed]

Pahinui married Emily Pulipuli Pahinui in 1938.[citation needed] He was age seventeen and she was age nineteen. They remained married until his death. They had 13 children.[5]

Early career

[edit]

Pahinui landed a gig as a back-up guitarist for Charley "Tiny" Brown. He quickly mastered the steel guitar (kīkā kila) even learning to read music. Because most musicians of the time only played in bars, Pahinui also formed a drinking habit that stuck with him throughout his life.

At the 1st Annual Seattle Slack Key Guitar Festival, his son, Cyril Pahinui, related a story about how Pahinui got his name. In his early career, he played steel guitar with an orchestra. The standard costume for the gig was gabardine pants—hence his name.[6]

Cyril told another story, from when Pahinui was diving for coins thrown from ships coming to the piers (a common youth activity in Kakaako) : "His hair was kinky, so after swimming and diving for coins, the water would just roll off. So everyone started calling him "Gabardine Hair".[3] He also took to wearing gabardine pants, reinforcing "Gabby" as a nickname."[7]

Though a skilled player of the steel guitar (invented in Hawaii before Blues slide guitar), Pahinui is most known for his mastery of traditional Hawaiian slack-key guitar (Kī Hō'alu -"key slackened"- downtuned, usually to an open-string chord with low bass notes, then finger-picked) and his beautiful, expressive vocals. Pahinui learned slack-key from Herman Keawe whom Pahinui acknowledges as being "the greatest slack-key player of all time." Herman, like Pahinui, lived in the Kaka'ako area.

In 1946, Pahinui made his first recording, "Hi'ilawe," for the Bell Records label. This may be the first record of a Hawaiian song with slack-key guitar and it inspired many local musicians. The following year came "Hula Medley," the first record of a slack-key guitar instrumental. During this period he made two other influential sides for Bell, the vocal "Wai O Ke Aniani" and the instrumental "Key Koalu" (a misspelling of "Kī Hō'alu"), plus another version of "Hi'ilawe" for Aloha Records.

Pahinui's "Hula Medley," recorded in 1947, was inducted into the U.S. National Recording Registry (2011 group of 25) for cultural, historical or aesthetical significance.

Pahinui played with many of the great bands and musicians of his time, including Lena Machado and Ray Kinney. He appeared on Hawaii Calls, a popular international radio show that began in the 1930s. Eventually, Pahinui moved his wife Emily and their children to Waimānalo, Oahu, which had become a popular second home location for many musicians. The all-weekend jam sessions at the Pahinui home were legendary.

Examples of his session work from the late 1950s through the 1960s can be found on the two volumes of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar (Waikiki Records 319 and 320) and two more LPs titled Kani Ka Pila! Let's Play Music! Volumes 1 and 2 (Hula Records 517, 1966; Hula 531, 1969). These are combo recordings (steel guitar, slack key guitar, uke, bass, vocals, sometimes percussion) made with bandmates such as Atta, Barney, and Norman Isaacs, Charles Kaipo Miller, and a young Peter Moon, and they reflect the style of nightclub music popular around Waikīkī at the time.

A 1961 solo recording session was organized by Hawaii-raised Dave Guard of The Kingston Trio, who was a great admirer of Pahiuni's music.[8] The recording features only Pahinui, with bass and 'ukulele backing, doing some of his classic material, including new versions of three of his four 1946–47 tracks. No record company was interested in the material at the time, however, and it was not released until 1978. The final package was Pure Gabby (Hula 567), a two-record set, one LP consisting of the music and the second of an interview conducted by Guard.

Despite his success, Pahinui still had financial trouble. He made ends meet by working for City and County of Honolulu road crews,[3] doing pick and shovel work alongside fellow Hawaiian musician Eddie Kamae.

Later career

[edit]

The Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s launched a cultural reawakening of all things Hawaiian. Gabby played a very important part in the rise of this Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance. First there were the albums recorded through the 1960s with the enormously popular and influential Sons of Hawaii, which he started with 'ukulele virtuoso Eddie Kamae: their self-titled debut album (Hula HS 503, 1961); Music of Old Hawai'i (Hula HS 506, 1964); and Folk Music of Hawai'i (Panini 1001, 1971).

Then, starting in 1972, he made four albums with what came to be called the "Gabby Band." The first album featured Gabby backed by four of his sons plus old friends Leland "Atta" Isaacs and bassist Manuel "Joe Gang" Kupahu, but the group eventually expanded to include Sonny Chillingworth, younger-generation players Peter Moon and Randy Lorenzo, and mainland admirer Ry Cooder. The albums are:

  • Gabby (1972; often called "Brown Gabby" or "The Brown Album" because of its sepia cover photo)
  • Rabbit Island Music Festival (1973)
  • Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band, Vol 1 (1975)
  • Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band, Vol 2 (1976)

In 1979, he was named one of the Living Treasures of Hawaii, by the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii.[9]

Death and legacy

[edit]
Pahinui's final resting place alongside his wife, at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery
Location of Pahinui's grave is right at the entrance of Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery

Pahinui died of a stroke while playing golf on October 13, 1980, aged 59.[5][10][3] The Honolulu Star Bulletin newspaper reported after Pahinui's death that, "The thing about Gabby Pahinui ... was not only that he was an outstanding musician and entertainer, and a central figure – maybe THE central figure – of the Hawaiian Renaissance in the '70s, but that he was an inspiration to others. Thousands of Hawaiian kids learned that they were worthy as a people because of Gabby's example."[11]

Pahinui was mentioned in Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's famous performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" on his 1993 Facing Future album. In the opening moments of the song, Kamakawiwo'ole can be heard saying, "'Kay, this one's for Gabby."

Pahinui received the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Artists Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He received a second Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 for his work as a member of the Sons of Hawaii. Pahinui was inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame in 2002.[12]

Pahinui's children were active in the Hawaiian music scene, notably Cyril Pahinui (1950–2018),[13] James "Bla" Pahinui (1942–2019),[14] and Martin Pahinui (1951–2017).[15]

Resting place

[edit]

Pahinui is buried at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery in Kaneohe, Hawaii in the Lakeside Garden musician area (lot 8, section B, site 4).

Further reading

[edit]
  • "Gabby Pahinui" [interview] in Da Kine Sound: Conversations with People who Create Hawaiian Music, ed. Burl Burlingame and Robert Kamohalu Kasher (1978, Press Pacifica)
  • Hawaiian Son, James D. Houston with Eddie Kamae (2004, `Ai Pōhaku Press)
  • The History of the Slack Key Guitar, CD booklet notes by Jay Junker, Harry B. Soria, Jr., and George Winston (1997, Hana Ola Records)
  • Kanahele, George S.; Berger, John, eds. (2012) [1979]. "Pahinui, 'Gabby' Charles Philip, and sons". Hawaiian Music & Musicians (2nd ed.). Honolulu, HI, USA: Mutual Publishing, LLC. ISBN 9781566479677. OCLC 808415079. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012.
  • Haugen, Keith (2012) [1979]. "Sons of Hawai'i". In Kanahele, George S.; Berger, John (eds.). Hawaiian Music & Musicians (2nd ed.). Honolulu, HI, USA: Mutual Publishing, LLC. ISBN 9781566479677. OCLC 808415079. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Staton, Ron (August 26, 1977). "His fame spreading to mainland, Pahinui takes success in stride". The Wichita Beacon. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Gabby Pahinui". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. October 14, 1980. p. 22. Retrieved November 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e Engle, Murray; Wood, Ben (October 21, 1980). "Painui death: End of and era; King of Island Music Laid to Rest". Pacific Daily News. p. 11. Retrieved November 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Wong, Jonathan. "Charles Philip "Gabby Pops" Pahinui, April 22, 1921 – October 13, 1980". People's Productions. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Obituary for Pahinui Pahinui". The Sentinel. October 14, 1980. p. 5. Retrieved November 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "1st Annual Seattle Slack Key Festival Tickets at Town Hall Theater in Seattle, WA". Zvents. November 22, 2009. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  7. ^ Gibson, Marsha (2011). Kaka'ako as we knew it : memories of growing up in old Kaka'ako. Honolulu, Hawaii: Mutual Pub. p. 134. ISBN 9781566479431.
  8. ^ Rubeck, Jack; Blake, Ben; Shaw, Allan (1986). The Kingston Trio On Record. KK Inc. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-674-95133-4.
  9. ^ "9 Named 'Living Treasures'". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. February 17, 1979. p. 4. Retrieved November 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Obituary for Philip Pahlnui". The Orlando Sentinel (Obituary). October 15, 1980. p. 31 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Hawaiian musician a slack-key master". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. September 25, 1999. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  12. ^ "HMHFM Honorees – Gabby Pahinui". Hawaii Music Museum. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  13. ^ "Legendary Hawaiian musician Cyril Pahinui dies at 68". Hawaii News Now. Honolulu. November 18, 2018.
  14. ^ Berger, John (July 25, 2019). "Hawaii slack key guitar legend Bla Pahinui dies at 76". Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
  15. ^ Shikina, Rob (May 28, 2017). "Hawaiian musician Martin Pahinui dies". Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gabby_Pahinui&oldid=1260349189"