Kamakawiwo'ole
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL-uL2M3xvM

I know the onus is on the thread starter to create a discussion, but I really can't think of anything meaningful to say. I think this speaks for itself.

Bruddah IZ was something special.

I heard this song about six times while I was in Hawai'i last month. I didn't get tired of it.

The first I heard this song was when it played on ER when Dr. Mark Green died. Recently, I heard this at a funeral as we all filed out following the service.

woah

bruddah iz is awesome :) even pearl jam did a tribute to him once...

One of my favorite songs.. and like most people how I got introduced to the music of IZ.

I remember reading somewhere that the need to record that particular song came to him in the middle of the night and he rushed to the studio and recorded it in one take... or something to that effect.

I first heard "Over the Rainbow; Wonderful World" at the Honolulu Airport in June of '94 (just a coupla days before the OJ thing)

I heard the song "Hawaii" a few days later at a bar in Honalei, Kauai, I asked the bartender who did that song, and she replied "That's Bruddah IZ Israel - the Facing Future album." Later that day, I drove 30 miles down to Kapa'a to buy it.

I've had the cassette ever since. Thanks to Kazaa, I've had the CD since 2003.

What a talented artist - taken from us way too soon.

Bruddah Iz found his way into my little Canadian home via an old music nerd friend of mine. We were always handing each other the more obscure stuff in our collections. I'd give her some Neutral Milk Hotel, she'd give me some Of Montreal (this was before the days when indie was in, finding the stuff was half the challenge). One day she handed me this album labelled Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Facing Future. I asked her who it was, wondering if I could do a six degrees thing with him. She said simply, 'Bruddah Iz' and told me to put it on.

That was 5 years ago and I'm still blown away.