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©2000 by Ely Music/Pub |
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"Aloha Nui, Kalani..."(reprinted from the HSGA Quarterly) 
At Scotty's St. Louis convention in 1996, Kalani stands by during the opening ceremony. Here in Honolulu, our friend, talented musician and vocalist Ernest Kalani Fernandes died on May 26, 1997 of cancer. George Lake expresses it, here: "Hawai'i has lost a great talent, a fine person who in every way fitted the description 'gentleman'. Kalani was a superb bass player and vocalist. I guess the one thing I'll always cherish and missed this year, and will always miss, was his greeting each time we came to the Halekulani for our first evening in Waikiki: 'Welcome HOME, Keoki!' Kalani Fernandes was a beautiful person who will be greatly missed in the Hawaiian music community, not only in Hawai'i, but throughout the world wherever Hawaiian music is heard and loved." Along with George and Mary Lake, we convey our aloha and deep sense of loss to his wife, Mary, his mother, and all of his children and grandchildren, from his many, many friends in the United States, Canada, Japan, and everywhere else in the world where Hawaiian musicians and music lovers gather. Wherever his angelic self resides now, we know Kalani would have been pleased with the farewell that was given him. Star of the Sea Catholic Church was crowded at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 7, and The Hiram Olsen Trio with Gary Aiko already playing behind a group of strumming vocalists who had come to sing their affection and aloha to Kalani. For a full hour before the Mass, Kalani's mother stood near the picture and urn (wrapped in fresh greens and flowers) receiving the hugs and kisses of family and friends. Behind her stood Kalani's standing bass draped in two 4-foot triple red carnation leis from HSGA. Kalani's brother told the gathering "you could always tell how people knew my brother by the name they called him." To family and close personal friends he was "Ernie", to high school classmates and associates at the Honolulu Advertiser where he was a pressman for 40 years, he was "Ulu", and to we who knew him through his music he was always "Kalani". Kanoe Miller danced for him, and spoke to us of her memories of the always fun-loving and yet always polite musician she knew we would all remember. Even Hiram and Casey smiled. "Puamana" sang, as did Nina Keali'iwahamana and Iwelani Kahalewai, and it was as difficult for all of them as it was for Jerry Byrd to play Kalani's favorite tune "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight". "We were closer than brothers", Jerry said. After Kalani's ashes were scattered at sea in a private ceremony, friends gathered at "House Without A Key" tossed flower leis into the surf for Kalani. There are musicians, and then there are musicians who have, over their lifetime, earned the affection and respect of all other musicians. Kalani Fernandes was one of the latter. 
HSGA * HAWAIIAN
STEEL GUITAR ASSOCIATION Homepage URL: www.hsga.org (hsga@lava.net) Last updated: 07/23/02 by Gerald Ross (gbross@umich.edu) |