Name	Honolulu, Hawaii
Native name
Nickname	Crossroads of the Pacific, Sheltered Bay
Settlement type	CDP
Map caption	Location in Honolulu County and the state of Hawaii
Pushpin map	Hawaii
Pushpin label position
Pushpin map caption	Location in Hawaii
Coordinates region	US-HI
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2	Honolulu
Leader title
Leader title1
Established title
Established title2
Established title3
Area magnitude	1 E8
Unit pref	Imperial
Area total km2	272.1
Area land km2	222.0
Area water km2	50.1
Area total sq mi	105
Area land sq mi	85.7
Area water sq mi	19.3
Population as of	2010
Population total	374,701 (50th)
Population est	377,357
Pop est as of	July 2006
Population metro	909,863
Timezone	Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time
Utc offset	-10
Utc offset dst	-10
Coordinates display	display=inline,title
Latns	N
Coordinates	21°18′32″N157°49′34″N
Longew	W
Elevation footnotes
Elevation m	Sea Level 0
Elevation ft	0
Postal code type	Zip Code
Postal code	96801-96825
Area code	808
Blank name	FIPS code
Blank info	15-17000
Blank1 name	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 info	0366212

Honolulu () is the capital of and the most populous census-designated place (CDP) in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and the county are consolidated, known as the City and County of Honolulu, and the city and county are designated as the entire island. The City and County of Honolulu is the only incorporated city in Hawaii, as all other local government entities are administered at the county level. Honolulu is also referred to as the business and trade capital of the pacific, and is the largest city in the South Pacific along with being the United States most southwesterly large city. The population of the CDP was 371,657 at the 2000 census, while the population of the City and County was 909,863, making it the 57th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Honolulu is also the most populous state capital relative to state population. In the Hawaiian language, Honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter". Honolulu has been the capital of the Hawaiian islands since 1845 and gained historical recognition following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor near the city on December 7, 1941.

History

Evidence of the first settlement of Honolulu by the original Polynesian migrants to the archipelago comes from oral histories and artifacts. These indicate that there was a settlement where Honolulu now stands in the 12th century. However, after Kamehameha I conquered Oahu in the Battle of Nuuanu at Nuuanu Pali, he moved his royal court from the Island of Hawaii to Waikīkī in 1804. His court later relocated, in 1809, to what is now downtown Honolulu.

In 1794, Captain William Brown of Great Britain was the first foreigner to sail into what is now Honolulu Harbor. More foreign ships would follow, making the port of Honolulu a focal point for merchant ships traveling between North America and Asia.

In 1845, Kamehameha III moved the permanent capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom from Lahaina on Maui to Honolulu. He and the kings that followed him transformed Honolulu into a modern capital, erecting buildings such as St. Andrew's Cathedral, Iolani Palace, and Aliiōlani Hale. At the same time, Honolulu became the center of commerce in the Islands, with descendants of American missionaries establishing major businesses in downtown Honolulu.

Despite the turbulent history of the late 19th century and early 20th century, which saw the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, Hawaii's subsequent annexation by the United States in 1898, followed by a large fire in 1900, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Honolulu would remain the capital, largest city, and main airport and seaport of the Hawaiian Islands.

An economic and tourism boom following statehood brought rapid economic growth to Honolulu and Hawaii. Modern air travel would bring thousands and, as of 2007, 7.6 million visitors annually to the Islands. Of these, about 62.3% in 2007 entered the state at Honolulu International Airport. Today, Honolulu is a modern city with numerous high-rise buildings, and Waikīkī is the center of the tourism industry in Hawaii, with thousands of hotel rooms. The UK consulting firm Mercer, in a 2009 assessment "conducted to help governments and major companies place employees on international assignments", ranked Honolulu 29th worldwide in quality of living; the survey factored in political stability, personal freedom, sanitation, crime, housing, the natural environment, recreation, banking facilities, availability of consumer goods, education, and public services including transportation.

Geography

Honolulu is located at (21.308950, -157.826182).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of . of it is land and of it (18.42%) is water.

The closest location on the mainland to Honolulu is the Point Arena, California Lighthouse, at . (Nautical vessels require some additional distance to circumnavigate Makapu'u Point.) However, part of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska are slightly closer than California.

Climate

Honolulu is in a Tropical wet and dry climate zone (Köppen classification As) with a dry summer season. Nonetheless, its annual precipitation is low, and, depending on the reporting station, it borders on a semi-arid climate (Köppen classification BSh), and the city receives plenty of sunshine throughout the year, averaging 3040 hours.

Annual average precipitation is , which mainly occurs during the winter months of October through March, with very little rainfall during the summer. Honolulu has an average of 270 sunny days and 98 wet days a year.

Government

is the city and county seat]]

The municipal offices of the City and County of Honolulu, including Honolulu Hale, the seat of the city and county, are located in the census-designated place. The Hawaii state government buildings are also located in the CDP.

The Honolulu District is located on the southeast coast of Oahu between Makapuu and Halawa. The district boundary follows the Koolau crestline, so Makapuu Beach is in the Koolaupoko District. On the west, the district boundary follows Halawa Stream, then crosses Red Hill and runs just west of Aliamanu Crater, so that Aloha Stadium, Pearl Harbor (with the USS Arizona Memorial), and Hickam Air Force Base are actually all located in the island's Ewa District.

The Hawaii Department of Public Safety operates the Oahu Community Correctional Center, the jail for the island of Oahu, in Honolulu CDP.

The United States Postal Service operates post offices in Honolulu CDP. The main Honolulu Post Office is located by the international airport at 3600 Aolele Street. Federal Detention Center, Honolulu, operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, is in the CDP.

Diplomatic missions

Several countries have diplomatic facilities in Honolulu CDP in the City and County of Honolulu. They include consulates of Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Federated States of Micronesia, Australia, and the Marshall Islands.

Cityscape

Most of the city's commercial and industrial developments are located on a narrow but relatively flat coastal plain, while numerous ridges and valleys located inland of the coastal plain divide Honolulu's residential areas into distinct neighborhoods: some spread along valley floors (like Manoa in Manoa Valley) while others climb the interfluvial ridges. Within Honolulu proper can be found several volcanic cones: Punchbowl, Diamond Head, Koko Head (includes Hanauma Bay), Koko Crater, Salt Lake, and Aliamanu being the most conspicuous.

Neighborhoods and Districts

(right)]]

Downtown Honolulu is the financial, commercial, and governmental center of Hawaii. On the waterfront is Aloha Tower, which for many years was the tallest building in Hawaii. Currently the tallest building is the -tall First Hawaiian Center, located on King and Bishop Streets. The downtown campus of Hawaii Pacific University is also located there. The Arts District Honolulu in downtown/Chinatown is on the eastern edge of Chinatown. It is a 12-block area bounded by Bethel & Smith Streets and Nimitz Highway and Beretania Street - home to numerous arts and cultural institutions. It is located within the Chinatown Historic District.

The Capitol District is the eastern part of Downtown Honolulu. It is the current and historic center of Hawaii's state government, incorporating the Hawaii State Capitol, Iolani Palace, Honolulu Hale (City Hall), State Library, and the statue of King Kamehameha I, along with numerous government buildings.

Kakaako is a light-industrial district between Downtown and Waikīkī that has seen a large-scale redevelopment effort in the past decade. It is home to two major shopping areas, Ward Warehouse and Ward Centre. The John A. Burns School of Medicine, part of the University of Hawaii at Manoa is also located there. A Memorial to the Ehime Maru Incident victims is built at Kakaako Waterfront Park. Ala Moana is a district between Kakaako and Waikīkī and the home of Ala Moana Center, the "World's largest open air shopping center" and the largest shopping mall in Hawaii.. Ala Moana Center boasts over 300 tenants and is a very popular location among tourists. Also in Ala Moana is the Honolulu Design Center and Ala Moana Beach Park, the second largest park in Honolulu.

Waikīkī is the tourist district of Honolulu, located between the Ala Wai Canal and the Pacific Ocean next to Diamond Head. Numerous hotels, shops, and nightlife opportunities are located along Kalakaua and Kuhio Avenues. It is a popular location for visitors and locals alike and attracts millions of visitors every year. A majority of the hotel rooms on Oahu are located in Waikīkī.

Manoa and Makiki are residential neighborhoods located in adjacent valleys just inland of downtown and Waikīkī. Manoa Valley is home to the main campus of the University of Hawaii. President Barack Obama lived in Makiki with his maternal grandparents until graduating from Punahou School, apart from four years in Indonesia with his mother and stepfather. Nuuanu and Pauoa are upper-middle-class residential districts located inland of downtown Honolulu. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located in Punchbowl Crater fronting Pauoa Valley.

Palolo and Kaimuki are neighborhoods east of Manoa and Makiki, inland from Diamond Head. Palolo Valley parallels Manoa and is a residential neighborhood. Kaimuki is primarily a residential neighborhood with a commercial strip centered on Waialae Avenue running behind Diamond Head. Chaminade University is located in Kaimuki.

Waialae and Kahala are upper-class districts of Honolulu located directly east of Diamond Head, where there are many high-priced homes. Also found in these neighborhoods are the Waialae Country Club and The Kahala Hotel & Resort.

East Honolulu includes the residential communities of Āina Haina, Niu Valley, and Hawaii Kai. These are considered upper-middle-class neighborhoods. The upscale gated communities of Waialae iki and Hawaii Loa Ridge are also located here.

Kalihi and Palama are working-class neighborhoods with a number of government housing developments. Lower Kalihi, toward the ocean, is a light-industrial district.

Salt Lake and Aliamanu are (mostly) residential areas built in extinct tuff cones along the western end of the Honolulu District, not far from the Honolulu International Airport.

Moanalua is two neighborhoods and a valley at the western end of Honolulu, and home to Tripler Army Medical Center.

Demographics

in Waikīkī]] As of the census of 2000, there were 371,657 people, 140,337 households, and 87,429 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,336.6 people per square mile (1,674.4/km²). There were 158,663 housing units at an average density of 1,851.3/sq mi (714.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 19.7% White, 1.6% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 55.9% Asian, 6.9% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races; and 14.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.4% of the population.

There were 140,337 households out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size is 3.23.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $45,112, and the median income for a family was $56,311. Males had a median income of $36,631 versus $29,930 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,191. About 7.9% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under the age of 18 and 8.5% of those 65 and older.

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, the racial composition of Honolulu was as follows:

White: 21.4% (Non-Hispanic Whites: 20.2%)

Black or African American: 1.9%

Native American: 0.2%

Asian: 54.6%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 6.2%

Some other race: 0.8%

Two or more races: 14.9%

Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 3.8%

Source:

Economy

Among the companies based in Honolulu are:

Alexander & Baldwin

Bank of Hawaii

Central Pacific Bank

First Hawaiian Bank

Hawaii Medical Service Association

Hawaii Pacific Health

Hawaiian Electric Industries

The Queen's Health Systems

Go! Mokulele, Hawaiian Airlines, Island Air, and Aloha Air Cargo are headquartered in the CDP. Prior to its dissolution, Aloha Airlines was headquartered in the CDP.

Since the housing collapse, Honolulu has faced a decrease in its rent of about 3.4%, but has recently evened out. This stands in relation with the national average of a 4% decrease in rent.

Since no national bank chains have any branches in Hawaii, many visitors and new residents have to use different banks. Many Bank of America customers will switch to/use the Bank of Hawaii, as it is a local affiliate to the national bank chain. Many however, have decided to switch to the First Hawaiian Bank, the largest and oldest bank in Hawaii. Their headquarters is the First Hawaiian Center, the tallest building in Hawaii.

Transportation

Air

Located on the western end of the CDP, Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is the principal aviation gateway to the state of Hawaii. Kalaeloa Airport is primarily a commuter facility used by unscheduled air taxis, general aviation and transient and locally-based military aircraft.

Highways

Honolulu has the nation’s second highest metropolitan travel time during peak commute hours, second only to Los Angeles. The following freeways, part of the Interstate Highway System serve Honolulu: Interstate H-1, which, coming into the city from the west, passes Hickam Air Force Base and Honolulu International Airport, runs just north of Downtown and continues eastward through Makiki and Kaimuki, ending at Waialae/Kahala. H-1 connects to Interstate H-2 from Wahiawa and Interstate H-3 from Kaneohe, west of the CDP. Interstate H-201—also known as the Moanalua Freeway and sometimes numbered as its former number, Hawaii State Rte. 78—connects two points along H-1: at Aloha Stadium and Fort Shafter. Close to H-1 and Aloha Stadium, H-201 has an exchange with the western terminus of Interstate H-3 to the windward side of Oahu (Kaneohe). This complex of connecting ramps, some directly between H-1 and H-3, is in Halawa.

Other major highways that link Honolulu proper with other parts of the Island of Oahu are:

Pali Highway, State Rte. 61, crosses north over the Koolau range via the Pali Tunnels to connect to Kailua and Kaneohe on the windward side of the Island.

Likelike Highway, State Rte. 63, also crosses the Koolau to Kaneohe via the Wilson Tunnels.

Kalanianaole Highway, State Rte. 72, runs eastward from Waialae/Kahala to Hawaii Kai and around the east end of the island to Waimanalo Beach.

Kamehameha Highway, State Rte. 99, runs westward from near Hickam Air Force Base to Aiea and beyond, eventually running through the center of the island and ending in Kaneohe.

Like most major American cities, the Honolulu metropolitan area experiences heavy traffic congestion during rush hours, especially to and from the western suburbs of Kapolei, Ewa, Aiea, Pearl City, Waipahu, and Mililani.

There is a Hawaii Electric Vehicle Demonstration Project (HEVDP).

Public transport

Bus

Established by former Mayor Frank F. Fasi as the Honolulu Rapid Transit (HRT), Honolulu's TheBus system has been twice honored by the American Public Transportation Association bestowing the title of "America's Best Transit System" for 1994–1995 and 2000–2001. TheBus operates 107 routes serving Honolulu and outlying areas on Oahu with a fleet of 531 buses, and is run by the non-profit corporation Oahu Transit Services in conjunction with the city Department of Transportation Services. Honolulu is ranked 4th for highest per-capita use of mass transit in the United States.

Rail

Currently, there is no urban rail transit system in Honolulu, although electric street railways were used in Honolulu prior to World War II. The government of the City and County of Honolulu is currently planning a transit line that will connect Honolulu with outlying suburban areas to the west of the city on the southwestern part of Oʻahu. The Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project is aimed at alleviating traffic congestion for Leeward Oʻahu commuters, but has been criticized for its cost and environmental impacts (including the likelihood of disturbing Native Hawaiian burials and the visual impact of the fully-elevated line.)

Cultural institutions

is the tallest building in Hawaii and home to a Contemporary Museum gallery]]

Performing arts

Established in 1900, the Honolulu Symphony is the oldest US symphony orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains. Other classical music ensembles include the Hawaii Opera Theatre. Honolulu is also a center for Hawaiian music. The main music venues include the Neal Blaisdell Center Concert Hall and Arena, the Waikiki Shell, and the Hawaii Theatre.

Honolulu also includes several venues for live theater, including the Diamond Head Theatre.

Visual arts

There are various institutions for the visual arts. The Honolulu Academy of Arts is endowed with the largest collection of Asian and Western art in Hawaii. It also has the largest collection of Islamic art, housed at the Shangri La estate. The academy hosts a film and video program dedicated to arthouse and world cinema in the museum's Doris Duke Theatre, named for the academy's historic patroness Doris Duke.

The Contemporary Museum is the only contemporary art museum in the state. It has two locations: main campus in Makiki and a multi-level gallery in downtown Honolulu at the First Hawaiian Center.

The Hawaii State Art Museum (also downtown) boasts pieces by local artists as well as traditional Hawaiian art. The museum is administered by the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Honolulu also annually holds the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF). It showcases some of the best films from producers all across the Pacific Rim and is the largest "East meets West" style film festival of its sort in the United States.

Natural museums

The Bishop Museum is the largest of Honolulu's museums. It is endowed with the state's largest collection of natural history specimens and the world's largest collection of Hawaiiana and Pacific culture artifacts. The Honolulu Zoo is the main zoological institution in Hawaii while the Waikiki Aquarium is a working marine biology laboratory. The Waikiki Aquarium is partnered with the University of Hawaii and other universities worldwide. Established for appreciation and botany, Honolulu is home to several gardens: Foster Botanical Garden, Liliʻuokalani Botanical Garden, Walker Estate, among others.

Sports

Honolulu's climate lends itself to year-round activities. In 2004, Men's Fitness magazine named Honolulu the fittest city in the United States. Honolulu has three large road races:

The Great Aloha Run is held annually on Presidents' Day.

The Honolulu Marathon, held annually on the second Sunday in December, draws more than 20,000 participants each year, about half to two thirds of them from Japan.

The Honolulu Triathlon is an Olympic distance triathlon event governed by USA Triathlon. Held annually in May since 2004, there is an absence of a sprint course.

Ironman Hawaii was first held in Honolulu, it was the first ever Ironman and is also the World Champs.

Fans of spectator sports in Honolulu generally support the football, volleyball, basketball, rugby union, rugby league and baseball programs of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. High school sporting events, especially football, are especially popular.

Honolulu has no professional sports teams. It was the home of the Hawaii Islanders (Pacific Coast League, 1961–1987), The Hawaiians (World Football League, 1974–1975), Team Hawaii (North American Soccer League, 1977), and the Hawaiian Islanders (af2, 2002–2004).

The NCAA football Hawaii Bowl is played in Honolulu. Honolulu has also hosted the NFL's annual Pro Bowl each February since 1980, though the 2010 Pro Bowl was played in Miami. From 1993 to 2008, Honolulu hosted Hawaii Winter Baseball, featuring minor league players from Major League Baseball, Nippon Professional Baseball, Korea Baseball Organization, and independent leagues.

Venues

Venues for spectator sports in Honolulu include:

Les Murakami Stadium at UH-Manoa (baseball)

Stan Sheriff Center at UH-Manoa (basketball and volleyball)

Neal Blaisdell Center Arena (basketball)

Aloha Stadium, a venue for American football and soccer (football), is located in the Halawa CDP.

Media

Honolulu is served by one daily newspaper (the Honolulu Star-Advertiser), Honolulu Magazine, several radio stations and television stations, among other media.

Tourist attractions

:''See also Oahu tourist attractions :''See also Sites related to President Obama in Honolulu

Ala Moana Center

Aloha Tower

Bishop Museum

Diamond Head

Hanauma Bay

Honolulu Academy of Arts

Honolulu Zoo

ʻIolani Palace

Lyon Arboretum

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

USS Arizona Memorial

Waikiki Aquarium

Waikiki Beach

Education

Colleges and universities

:See also List of colleges and universities in Hawaii

Colleges and universities in the Honolulu CDP include Honolulu Community College, Kapiolani Community College, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Chaminade University, and Hawaii Pacific University. while the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, also in the CDP, serves handicapped and blind people.

Branches in the CDP include Aina Haina, Hawaii Kai, Kaimuki, Kalihi-Palama, Manoa, McCully, Salt Lake-Moanalua, and Waikiki.

See also

List of cities with the most high-rise buildings

References

External links

City & County of Honolulu official site

Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau

Listings of jazz performing arts in Honolulu

Honolulu informational travel guide

Category:Capitals of former nations Category:Census-designated places in Honolulu County, Hawaii Category:County seats in Hawaii Category:Populated places established in 1809 Category:United States communities with Asian American majority populations

Name	Sarah Geronimo
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Sarah Asher Tua Geronimo
Origin	Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines
Born	July 25, 1988
Instrument	Vocals, Piano
Genre	P-pop, R&B;, OPM, American pop, synthpop, electro-pop, jazz
Occupation	Singer, actress, model, dancer
Years active	2002–present
Label	VIVA Records, ASAP Music, Star Records
Url	www.sarahgeronimo.com

Sarah Asher Tua Geronimo (born July 25, 1988) is a singer, host, model, dancer, and actress from the Philippines. Geronimo started her career at a young age and appeared in children's variety shows such as Pen-pen de Sarapen, Ang TV and NEXT. Following her debut, she recorded five more albums: Sweet Sixteen in 2004, Becoming in 2006, Taking Flight in 2007, Just Me in 2008, and Music and Me in 2009. She also recorded a Christmas album, Your Christmas Girl, in 2009. She joined the fourth-season cast of the teen-oriented television program SCQ Reload: Kilig Ako, and appeared in the fantasy movie Lastikman, produced by VIVA Films. She hosted three talent competitions, Search For Star in a Million, Little Big Star and Little Big Superstar. In the latter half of 2007, Geronimo appeared in her third television series for ABS-CBN, Pangarap Na Bituin.

}}

External links

Official website

Sarah Geronimo on The Internet Movie Database

Category:1988 births Category:Filipino actors Category:Filipino child actors Category:Filipino child singers Category:Filipino female models Category:Filipino female singers Category:Filipino film actors Category:Living people Category:People from Manila Category:Reality show winners

| img	Israel Kamakawiwoʻole.jpg
Background	solo_singer
Name	Israel Benaldinho Kamakawiwoʻole
Instrument	Ukulele, vocals
Born	May 20, 1959Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Died	June 26, 1997Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Origin	Hawaii, USA
Genre	Hawaiian
Occupation	Musician, singer-songwriter
Label	Big BoyMountain Apple
Associated acts	Makaha Sons of Ni‘ihau

Israel "IZ" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole (; May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997) was a Hawaiian musician.

He became famous outside Hawaii when his album Facing Future was released in 1993. His medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World" was subsequently featured in several films, television programs, and commercials.

Through his ukulele playing and incorporation of other genres (such as jazz and reggae), Kamakawiwoʻole remains one of the major influences in Hawaiian music over the course of 15 years.

Early life

Kamakawiwoʻole was born at Kuakini Hospital in Honolulu to Henry Kaleialoha Naniwa Kamakawiwoʻole, Jr., and Evangeline Leinani Kamakawiwoʻole. He was raised in the community of Kaimuki, where his parents had met and married. He began playing music with his older brother Skippy and cousin Allen Thornton at the age of 11, being exposed to the music of Hawaiian entertainers of the time such as Peter Moon, Palani Vaughn, and Don Ho, who frequented the establishment where Kamakawiwoʻole's parents worked. Israel continued his path as his brother Skippy entered the Army in 1971 and cousin Allen parted ways in 1976 for the mainland.

In his early teens, he studied at Upward Bound (UB) of the University of Hawaii at Hilo and his family moved to Mākaha. There he met Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Sam Gray, and Jerome Koko. Together with his brother Skippy they formed the Makaha Sons of Niʻihau. From 1976 throughout the 1980s, the Hawaiian contemporary band gained in popularity as they toured Hawaii and the continental United States and released fifteen successful albums.

In 1982, Kamakawiwoʻole's brother Skippy Kamakawiwoʻole died of a heart attack. In that same year, Kamakawiwoʻole married his childhood sweetheart Marlene. Soon after, they had a daughter whom they named Ceslie-Ann "Wehi".

Music career

Kamakawiwoʻole formed the musical group Makaha Sons of Niʻihau with brother Skippy plus Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Sam Gray and Jerome Koko. They recorded No Kristo in 1976 and released four more albums, including Kahea O Keale, Keala, Makaha Sons Of Niʻihau and Mahalo Ke Akua, before Skippy died of a heart attack in 1982. The group became Hawaii's most popular traditional group with breakout albums 1984's Puana Hou Me Ke Aloha and its follow-up, 1986's Hoʻola. Kamakawiwoʻole's last recorded album with the group was 1991's Hoʻoluana. It remains the group's top-selling CD.

In 1990, Kamakawiwoʻole released his first solo album Ka ʻAnoʻi, which won awards for Contemporary Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year from the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA). Facing Future was released in 1993 by The Mountain Apple Company. It featured his most popular song, the medley "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World", along with "Hawaiʻi 78", "White Sandy Beach of Hawaiʻi", "Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man", and "Kaulana Kawaihae". Facing Future debuted at #25 on Billboard Magazine's Top Pop Catalogue chart. On October 26, 2005, "Facing Future" became Hawaii's first certified platinum album, selling more than a million CDs in the United States, according to figures furnished by the Recording Industry Association of America. On July 21, 2006, BBC Radio 1 announced that "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World(True Dreams)" would be released as a single in America.

In 1994, Kamakawiwoʻole was voted favorite entertainer of the year by the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA).

E Ala E (1995) featured the political title song "ʻE Ala ʻE" and "Kaleohano", and N Dis Life (1996) featured "In This Life" and "Starting All Over Again".

Kamakawiwoʻole was known for promoting Hawaiian rights and Hawaiian independence, both through his lyrics, which often stated the case for independence directly, and his life.

In 1997, Kamakawiwoʻole was again honored by HARA at the Annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards for Male Vocalist of the Year, Favorite Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Island Contemporary Album of the Year. He watched the awards ceremony from a hospital room.

Alone in Iz World (2001) debuted at #1 on Billboard's World Chart and #135 on Billboard's Top 200, #13 on the Top Independent Albums Chart, and #15 on the Top Internet Album Sales charts.

Death

Throughout the later part of his life, Kamakawiwoʻole was obese and at one point carried on his frame. He endured several hospitalizations because of problems caused by his weight. At age 38, he died of weight-related respiratory illness at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu on June 26, 1997, at 12:18 a.m.

The Hawaiʻi State Flag flew at half-staff on July 10, 1997, the day of Kamakawiwoʻole's funeral. His koa wood coffin lay in state at the Capitol building in Honolulu. He was the third person in Hawaiian history to be awarded this honor, and the only one who was not a government official. Approximately ten thousand people attended the funeral. Thousands of fans gathered as his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean at Mākua Beach on July 12, 1997.

Legacy

In the year 1998, Kamakawiwo'ole's recording of "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" featured as a sound track in the movies Meet Joe Black , You've Got Mail, in 2000 in the movie Finding Forrester, and in 2004's 50 First Dates.

"Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" reached #12 on Billboard's Hot Digital Tracks chart the week of January 31, 2004 (for the survey week ending January 18, 2004), and passed the 2 million paid downloads mark in the USA as of September 27, 2009.

On July 4, 2007, Kamakawiwoʻole debuted at No. 44 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart with "Wonderful World," selling 17,000 units.

In April 2007, "Over the Rainbow" entered the UK charts at #68, and eventually climbed to #46, spending 10 weeks in the Top 100 over a 2 year period.

In October 2010, following its use on a TV advertisement - for Lynx deodrant aka Axe (which is itself a revival of the advert originally aired in 2004) - it hit #1 on the German singles chart, selling 300,000 copies.

The 2010 IMAX: Hubble 3D feature uses both "What a Wonderful World" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" with the latter playing over the ending credits.

As of November 1, 2010, "Over the Rainbow" peaked at No. 6 on the OE3 Austria charts, which largely reflect airplay on Austria's government-operated Top 40 radio network. It also peaked at No.1 in France and Switzerland in late December 2010.

On December 6, 2010, "Iz" was named one of the 50 great voices on NPR.

Discography

Albums

Ka ʻAnoʻi (1990)

Facing Future (1993)

E Ala E (1995)

N Dis Life (1996)

(1998)

Alone in Iz World (2001)

Wonderful World (2007)

Over the Rainbow (2010)

Notes

References

External links

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole at IMDB

Mountain Apple Record Company's Official Israel Kamakawiwoʻole Site

"Pau Hana: Song of a Rainbow Warrior," Hana Hou, June/July 2010

Category:1959 births Category:1997 deaths Category:1980s singers Category:1990s singers Category:American male singers Category:Musicians from Hawaii Category:Native Hawaiian activists Category:Ukulele players Category:Native Hawaiian people

Name	Arnel Pineda
Landscape	no
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Arnel Pineda
Born	September 05, 1967 Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
Instrument	Vocals, guitar, bandurria
Genre	Rock, Hard rock, Soft rock, OPM
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Voice type(s)	Tenor
Years active	1982–Present
Label	Universal Music Group
Associated acts	Ijos Band, Amo, New Age, Most W@nted, The Zoo, Journey

Arnel Pineda (born September 5, 1967) is a Filipino singer-songwriter and is currently the lead singer of the American rock band Journey. Pineda has had a successful musical career in Asia for the last 25 years.

Biography

Arnel Pineda was born in Sampaloc, Manila, in the Philippines. His mother instilled his love for singing at an early age, encouraging him to sing along to songs from his favourite singers like Karen Carpenter and Barbra Streisand. Growing up, his parents entered him in many singing contests.

His mother, who had been suffering from rheumatic heart disease, died when he was thirteen. Her illness had left their family deep in debt. Being 6 months or one year behind on their rented apartment and unable to sufficiently provide for the family, his father decided to move out and ask relatives to take in Pineda's siblings. To ease his father's burden, Pineda quit school and volunteered to strike out on his own.

For about two years his life was spent out on the streets, sleeping wherever he could: in public parks, or on a narrow bench outside a friend's crowded house. He earned meager money by collecting glass bottles, newspapers, and scrap metal and selling them to recyclers. He would also go to the pier with his friends and take on odd jobs like cleaning scrap metal and docked ships. He didn't have much to eat, sometimes rationing a small package of Marie biscuit as his meal for two days. Despite all these hardships he tried to remain optimistic about his future.

Singing career

In 1982, when Pineda was 15 years old, he became the lead singer of the Filipino musical group called Ijos Band. He used to sing in Shakey's Taft. In 1986, some members of Yjoz formed a group called Amo. Amo entered and won the Rock Wars contest in the Philippines.

In 1988, Amo entered and won the Philippines leg of the Yamaha World Band Explosion. They went on to the finals in Hong Kong, but were not qualified to win due to a technicality. The rules stated the winning song had to be an original composition. However, they also stated that the song entry in the finals had to be the same song with which the band won their country's leg of the competition. Amo's winning song in the Philippines was Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", obviously not an original. After the contest, the band continued as Amo, performing live. They opened for Robert Palmer in Manila in 1989. He returned to Hong Kong and resumed singing with his band. In 1998, the owner of Igor's, the premiere theme restaurant/nightclub in Hong Kong, asked New Age to perform there. Dressed in skeleton outfits, they called themselves "The Rolling Bones". On their only day off, Sundays, the band often performed at Filipino community events.

In 2005, Arnel recorded the theme song of the short-lived Filipino radio show "Dayo". A band named The Visitors was briefly formed for promotion purposes of the "Dayo" soundtrack consisting of three members from Ijos/Yjoz, Amo, New Age and Most W@nted. Neal Schon of Journey contacted Noel Gomez, a longtime fan and friend of Pineda who uploaded many of these videos, to ask for Pineda's contact information. Schon sent an e-mail to Pineda inviting him to audition for Journey. Pineda initially dismissed the e-mail as a hoax, but after being persuaded by Gomez, he finally replied to Schon's e-mail. Ten minutes later, Pineda received a phone call from Schon. On August 12, Pineda, along with his manager Bert de Leon, flew to Marin County, just north of San Francisco, for a two-day audition. The star-struck Pineda was welcomed warmly but he described the audition as "nerve-wracking, tense". On December 5, 2007, Pineda was announced as the lead singer of Journey. CNN Headline News ran the story as part of their "News to Me" segment.

Pineda debuted as the lead singer of Journey on February 21, 2008 at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival held at the Quinta Vergara Amphitheater in Viña del Mar, Chile.

Chilean media acclaimed Pineda's performance (translated to English): "The new vocalist fit very well with the band, his vocal aptitudes shining through, which are very similar to the legendary musician of the band, Steve Perry." Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain described Pineda's performance in a radio interview: "We went to Chile just recently, where we had never played and they went crazy, they absolutely went nuts...Arnel's first show — talk about a stressful thing — we had a televised concert for 25 million people...Is the guy a winner? Yeah, he's a winner. He's a clutch player."

Journey returned to the US for a private Remax Convention event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on March 6, 2008, then performed at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood on March 8, 2008 (this concert was recorded and used, in part, for the Revelation DVD).

On February 1, 2009 he performed with Journey at the Super Bowl XLIII Pregame Show.

Revelation album and tour

Journey's first album with Pineda, Revelation, debuted at No. 5 in the Billboard Top 200 album charts in the week following its release (released June 3, 2008), and remained in the Top 20 for six weeks. It was certified gold by the RIAA with more than 336,000 units sold within the first few days. It achieved platinum status by October 1, 2008.

The US version of the album (distributed exclusively through Wal-Mart) consists of 11 new songs and 11 re-recorded classics, plus a live in-concert DVD filmed during the March 8, 2008 concert in Las Vegas. The European version distributed through Frontiers Records contains 11 new songs, 11 re-recorded classics, plus one new bonus track, but does not include the DVD. All of the music on Revelation was produced by Kevin Shirley (who previously worked with Journey on their Platinum-certified Trial by Fire album).

Jonathan Cain described the album in an interview: "We recorded our greatest hits with our brand new singer from the Philippines, Arnel Pineda, and it's unbelievable when you listen to it. We paid a lot of attention to the details because everybody loves those hits and we weren't about to step all over it. We've got that and a brand new CD as well, and then there's a bonus DVD of what the band looks like now, about an hour of songs... It's a 3-disc package... We're excited because we think Arnel is the future for our franchise... We knew that if we were ever gonna move on, we had to get somebody that was really gonna be our future and sound like Journey is supposed to sound...I think Journey fans are in for a real treat."

Journey's 2008 tour accompanying the release of Revelation began on June 8, 2008, in Spain, followed by four dates in Germany, and one date in the Netherlands. Journey toured the United Kingdom and Ireland from June 17 through June 28, 2008. The US tour (with Heart and Cheap Trick) began on July 9, 2008, in Denver, Colorado, and continued through October 4, 2008, in Albuquerque, NM. Many dates were already sold out, well in advance. Pineda celebrated his 41st birthday on September 5, 2008 during a concert at the Molson Amphitheater in Toronto, Canada. In September 2008, Journey performed back-to-back sold-out concerts at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Pineda sang in 57 concerts during the 2008 Journey World Tour. Journey's recent visit to the United States Gulf Coast performing at the Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, Alabama and at the Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, Florida was a tremendous hit due to the large Filipino communities living in that area.

In the second leg of the tour, Journey went on an Asian–Hawaiian tour, going to Tokyo, Japan, Nagoya Japan, Osaka Japan, Manila Philippines, Macau China, Kahului Hawaii, Honolulu (2) Hawaii, and Waikoloa, Hawaii. The Manila concert was released as a live concert DVD. Total concert revenue for Journey in 2008 was $35,695,481.

Filmography

Television

ASAP

''ABS-CBN

Eat Bulaga! (Guest)

Boy and Kris (Guest)

Ellen Degeneres Show

CBS Early Show (Guest with Journey)

The Oprah Winfrey Show (Guest with Journey)

Discography

Solo albums

Arnel Pineda (1999)

With Zoo

Zoology (2007)

With Journey

Revelation (2008)

Journey: Live in Manila (2009, DVD)

Other lead vocals

South Border — The Way We Do (track "Looking Glass") (2001)

References

External links

Arnel Pineda Official Site

Arnel Pineda Foundation-US Headquarters-Non-Profit Charity

Arnel Pineda Foundation Inc. - Philippines

Category:Living people Category:1967 births Category:Filipino guitarists Category:Filipino male singers Category:Filipino singer-songwriters Category:Filipino rock singers Category:Filipino television personalities Category:Journey (band) members Category:People from Manila