Harry Owens & His Royal Hawaiians - Hawaii 1950

Harry Owens (18 April 1902 -- 12 December 1986) was an American composer, bandleader and songwriter. Harry Robert Owens was born April 18, 1902, in O'Neill, Nebraska. He learned how to play a cornet in a small band on an Indian reservation in Montana. The big turning point in his career came in 1934 with his arrival in Hawaii and his appointment as music director of The Royal Hawaiian Hotel. He set to learning all he could about the local culture by mixing and working with native Hawaiians. He learned many traditional and more modern Hawaiian songs and tunes which he wrote down and orchestrated using Western notation for the first time. Many had never been written down before, much less orchestrated. He reorganized the Royal Hawaiians by splitting the band into Hawaiian and haole instrumental sections. His band featured the steel guitar, which had a trademark sound, producing tuneful and rhythmic dance music with a strong Hawaiian flavour. Hilo Hattie was a featured performer with The Royal Hawaiian Hotel Orchestra. During the 1940s, Owens and his orchestra were featured on the popular Saturday night radio show, Hawaii Calls. Owens was a great advocate of Hawaii and things Hawaiian. He founded a tourism company and music publishing business. He died in Eugene, Oregon. The Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts awarded Owens the 1987 Na Hoku Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Award for his substantial contributions to the entertainment industry in Hawaii.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Harry
• Owens
• His
• Royal
• Hawaiians
• Hawaii
• 1950
• 1920s
• 1930s
• 1940s
• oldies
• pop
• big
• band
• jazz
• blues
• music
• americana
• swing
• crooner
• orchestra
• hawaii
• hawaiian
• classic

[myrnaukelele]

mahalo for posting this.