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Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole

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  • Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole

    Bruddah Iz Gets Belated Buzz
    Katie Dean, Wired News, July 20, 2004
    To get a sense of how diverse people's musical tastes are these days, take a look at iTunes. One of the more popular artists -- in addition to the Britneys and Beyoncés -- is a Hawaiian singer who weighed 1,000 pounds at the time of his death in 1997. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's medley of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" has consistently been on iTunes' list of the top 100 songs sold since it debuted in the store in December. Recently, the song held spot No. 73, ahead of Jessica Simpson's "Take My Breath Away" (81) and Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" (82).
    It's interesting to note, particularly as this story wasn't covered the last time Iz made the top five on iTunes, that Iz's music was briefly yanked from the iTunes store. Over at HawaiiStories, former newsroom web guru Blaine jumped on the case, and got the scoops direct from Mountain Apple president Leah Bernstein.
    Seems that the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole albums and singles on the iTunes Music Store were there without Mountain Apple's permission. Leah said that a third party supplied the music to iTunes Music Store. The music was pulled at Mountain Apple's request. But Leah was very quick to add, "Don't despair!" Very shortly the entire Iz catalog, and other Mountain Apple goodies, would reappear on the iTunes store. They worked out an agreement with iTunes and will be well-represented once the music is prepared and ready to go online.

  • #2
    Re: Bruddah Iz Gets Belated Buzz

    Reviving this old thread to point to this piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, an excerpt from Jack Boulware's book on Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo`ole's life. It focuses on his spontaneous, simple rendition of "Over the Rainbow," which continues to circle the globe. It's a story many of us have probably heard a few times before, but yet it's so heartwarming, amazing, and tragic, it's worth hearing again.

    Hawaii, he sang of thee -- and people listened
    Jack Boulware, San Francisco Chronicle, Wednesday, March 9, 2005:
    This is otherworldly. An incredibly fat man, elegantly caressing a Hollywood show tune, breaking it down to its roots, so sad and poignant, yet full of hope and possibility. Halfway through the tune, Israel spirals off into "What a Wonderful World," the George David Weiss/Bob Thiele hit made famous by Louis Armstrong, then melts back into "Over the Rainbow." He flubs a lyric, and tosses in a new chord change, but it doesn't matter. It feels seamless, chilling. Israel plays five songs in a row, then turns to de Mello and says, "I'm tired and I'm going home."

    "Gets up and walks out," says de Mello. "Ukulele and a vocal, one take. Over." Israel never played the song again.

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