Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Anyone remember Leilani McCoy? Not sure when she was on air, but she worked with Uncle Tom M. for many years. She lives here in Seattle now, and we've worked together on several occasions.

[Erika Engle]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Aloha, Erika. So, you're a "Dagger." Were you there when Pahoa became a basketball power in the BIIF? Back in my days, their basketball teams were handicapped by a decided lack of height as their centers were almost always under 6'0". Things changed with an in-migration of people. I remember their center for four years being a 6'3" "giant" named Mike Vaughn. Such height was unheard of there.

Another friend of mine also played for Pahoa sometime during the '70s. A jet-quick guard named Craig Tsutsui. I played basketball with him for years in park leagues here in Honolulu throughout the '80s.

Yup! I'm a Dagger (to e'r-body else, WOT, boddah you?!)
I remember Mike and Craig, (and Mike's non-athlete brother Steve, along with many other schoolmates, of course). I also remember scoring powerhouse Neal Kawazoe. I remember he was featured, along with some others, in the Hilo paper as a member of the "All-BIIF" team or something like that. If I remember right, Neal's AVERAGE was 31 points per game (before the 3-point-shot thing became reality -- I don't know if that applies at high school games now).
If it had been in existence back in the day, we would have KILLED (you know, on the court), just about everybody else. Not only did we have great players, even those under 6-feet, like Craig, but one year we got a new guy from San Diego -- Reuben Ragundon (or did he spell his name Ruben?). It was as if he could not miss a shot from way outside. He was amazing ... but quit the team, supposedly because of inside politics or something. It was a great loss to the basketball Daggers ... but we still managed to kick some major BIIF butt.
I was statistician for the team for a year or two. Good fun -- and a way to get out of the house.

I remember when newspaper photog Larry Kadooka would show up at the games -- he was, to us, a celebrity!

To get back OT, sorta, I think Waltah Pacheco was there a time or two calling the games. I seem to remember a table being set up for the "broadcast team" on the old, non-retractable bleachers. (We had the retractable kind on only one side of the gym, those days.)

[oceanpacific]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Pahoa was a sleepy outpost in my days. Their graduating class in my year (1966) was 25, compared with our 643 at Hilo! We'd pass through on our way to Kapoho, stopping at Toma Bakery to buy cream puffs. But, I never went to the theater there, although I did take in a few movies at Olaa (Keaau), Papaaloa, and Honokaa, as well as Pahala, where I originally came from. Those "country" movie houses were something else!

I knew Larry Kadooka - he seemed to have been at the Tribune Herald FOREVER!

We'd take in Hilo basketball road games, too. Went to Pahoa, Laupahoehoe, and Honokaa numerous times as we had friends playing for the opposition. It was a simpler time back then.

[oceanpacific]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Additional tunes for the "Hawaii-only" hits :

CUANDO CALIENTE EL SOL - Steve Allen; first "Tonight Show" host; married to actress Jayne Meadows; same tune covered as LOVE ME WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART by the Ray Charles Singers and hit #3 nationally;

ANGELITO - Rene and Rene;
CHRISTMAS IN JAPAN - Paul Anka;
WISH THAT I COULD TALK TO YOU BABY - Sylvers;
FATHER SEBASTIAN - Ramblers'
PRETTY FLAMINGO - Dino, Desi, and Billy;
WHERE DO I GO (from musical "Hair") - Julius LaRosa;
CREATORS OF RAIN - Smokey and His Sister;
DON'T ASK MY NEIGHBORS - Emotions;
WEEKEND LOVER - Odyssey;
YOU'RE MOVING OUT TODAY - Carole Bayer Sager;
Montage From "HOW SWEET IT IS" - Love Generation;
LA LA LA LA LA - Blendells;
AFTER THE SENIOR PROM - Tommy Sands;
SHE'S A TROUBLEMAKER - Majors;
BABY ELEPHANT WALK (from "Hatari") - Henry Mancini;
I SAY LOVE - Royal Guardsmen;
IF I DIDN'T HAVE A DIME - Gene Pitney;
LOOKING FOR ME - Vic Dana
GOOD BUDDIES - Crawford Brothers (Johnny & Bobby);
I WANT YOU TO KNOW - New Colony Six;
LONG TIME TO BE ALONE - New Colony Six

[Moto]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Few more songs that were only big hits in Hawaii:

Can't find the time - Orpheus
One day of your life - Alex Keenan
You haven't seen my love - The Ones
Groovin' out on life - The Newbeats
Things I'd like to say - The New Colony Six
You Keep Tightening up on me - The Box Tops

[oceanpacific]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Mel covered the Orpheus and Alex Keenan songs in an earlier post.

THINGS I'D LIKE TO SAY hit #16 on the Billboard Top 40 in 1969, six places higher than their more well-known I WILL ALWAYS THINK ABOUT YOU (#22 in 1968), although the latter was the bigger hit in Hawaii, taking the #1 spot on the Top 300 Marathon of Hits at least once.

[RKSBGUITAR]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Howzit, all--
Thanks for the fun memories, songs, and stories...I had to respond after someone mentioned my good buddy Craig T. from Pahoa as well as catching radio stations in Honoka`a, where I'm also from.
I play music with "RKSB"--a band that plays 60's and 70's songs including: Summer Sun, Sunlight, If That's The Way That You Want It, Crystal Blue Persuasion, Ebony Eyes, Suavecito, Baby I'm A-Want You, My Hawaii, All Right Now, No Matter What, etc. Come hear RKSB at Ige's in Pearl City on Sept. 15, Oct. 20, or Nov. 17, 2006. Craig T. ("Mister Pahoa Basketball") is usually there when we play and the place fills w/"our generation" of locals who know what the very best music and local grindz is. If you can't make it on those dates, all Fridays at Ige's are 60's and 70's nights w/other live bands.
If you do make it, please come say hello, I'm the wannabe RKSB guitar player.
Alooooha!

[oceanpacific]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

You guys play good stuff ....... I've seen you folks several times at IGE'S (oooh, dat shoyu pork and teriyaki flap meat!). I know both Brad (drummer) and Duane (keyboard).

I played hoops with Craig for years in park leagues that I ran. I remember the last game 15 years ago when we beat my Kauai friends by 20! "Mr. T" ran wild with 25 and I even scored seven (low man) as we had no subs. Went outside after the game to grind and celebrate with a few cans of "liquid refreshments."

[RKSBGUITAR]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Eh, "O.P."--
So you know Craig (Mr. Pahoa basketball)...and you also know keyboard player Duane (Mr. Kohala fingers) & drummer Brad ("Crazeee") from the Royal Kunia Street Band (RKSB).

Craig is interested in getting back on the court so we should find some others and play some slo-motion basketball (anyone interested?). Craig and I played for years also, starting in college in the Klum Gym Intramural leagues and later at various gyms and leagues.

You are a mystery man...please come say "howzit" if you come to Ige's next Friday, Sept. 15th and put an end to this mystery. Brad & Duane & I will be playing classic rock and soul from the late 60's and 70's with Royal Kunia Street Band. Craig may show up again at Ige's also!--RKSBGUITAR

[mel]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Please keep this thread on topic..... top 40 radio in Hawaii, 50s - 80s.

[oceanpacific]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

Please keep this thread on topic..... top 40 radio in Hawaii, 50s - 80s.

We're trying to. RKSB plays top 40 radio hits from the '60s (GROOVIN'; CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION) and '70s (TOGETHER; BOOGIE-OOGIE-OOGIE, JUST MY IMAGINATION), often in well-conceived medleys. Those "marathons" keep people dancing on the floor for 10-15 minutes at a crack.

One night, another friend of mine, Mike Chock of Greenwood, went on stage to sing SUAVECITO.

I should be at IGE'S on the 15th.

Mel, the CDs are just about ready. Four discs, 120 songs. Still have to print the list of tunes.

[RKSBGUITAR]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

OP--
Hope to see you on 9/15 at Ige's.
Did you already have your Hilo Reunion?
I liked your idea of putting together a CD of Rain Songs.
I remember geting a collection called "Rhythm of the Rain"--it has 20 Rain songs on CD. I looked through my CD's and found an amazing amount of other Rain songs from the obvious (Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head) to the obscure. Couldn't find "Hilo's Such a Rainy Old Town" by Olomana, "Stormy" by Classics IV or the Beatles song "When the Rain Comes" (title?)--rksbguitar

[oceanpacific]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

OP--
Hope to see you on 9/15 at Ige's.
Did you already have your Hilo Reunion?
I liked your idea of putting together a CD of Rain Songs.
I remember geting a collection called "Rhythm of the Rain"--it has 20 Rain songs on CD. I looked through my CD's and found an amazing amount of other Rain songs from the obvious (Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head) to the obscure. Couldn't find "Hilo's Such a Rainy Old Town" by Olomana, "Stormy" by Classics IV or the Beatles song "When the Rain Comes" (title?)--rksbguitar

My reunion will be from 9/29-10/01 in Hilo. I'm the MC and program chairman in charge of the video slide show presentation, CD called "Hilo Kine Weather" (27 rain songs), and I'll also be doing some duets with a classmate. "Oldies," of course.

I remember seeing that "rain" anthology at Tower Records. Just thought I'd burn my own and fill up the disc.

[Moto]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

So did you folks make it out to Iges? I went and Royal Kunia Street Band Rocks. In fact, I found out that one of the guys in the band is my classmate.

[oceanpacific]

Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

So did you folks make it out to Iges? I went and Royal Kunia Street Band Rocks. In fact, I found out that one of the guys in the band is my classmate.

Yep, I was also there. Good music, but the dancers were slow to hit the floor. Just like back in high school 30-40 years ago: everyone "shame" to be the first up there. It picked up by the middle of the first set and was going full blast by the end of the set.

I go to IGE'S almost every Friday as I know the other bands that perform. But, not the next two as I'll be out of town on the 22nd and 29th.