 Hi, I'm Rusty Komori, and this is Beyond the Lines on Think Tech, Hawaii. I was the head coach of the Punahou Boys varsity tennis team for 22 years, and we were fortunate to win 22 consecutive state championships. This show is based on my books Beyond the Lines and Beyond the Game, and it's about leadership, character, and creating a superior culture of excellence. My special guest today is our legendary Hawaii entertainer who signed an unprecedented $1 million contract with the Kahala Hilton in 1967, which led to him performing there for the next 30 years. He is Danny Kaleikini, and today we are going Beyond Aloha. Hey, Danny, welcome to the show. Oh, come here, come here, come here, come here, come here. Danny, so good to have you on the show today, and I want to first by asking you, what does the ukulele represent? Ukulele represents the people of the world, four strings, you know, and each string black, brown, yellow, white, and you know, if you play it by itself, you get a sound, when you play it together, you know, you get harmony, you get ohala, you get family, and I think that's most important. And I think, you know, I got my ukulele here, but you know, let me just give you a little. That's so good. It does bring the people together, and ukulele is so unique and Danny, I want to ask you about Linda Wong. She's been your partner for over 30 years, and you guys make such a great team together. I absolutely love Linda. What do you admire about her? Well, you know, Linda is Akamaya, she knows business, she knows, you know, and I think it's important, you know, for guys like me, I'm a popular boy, you know, and I know, she's smart, you know, nobody can fool around with me, because I broke your ukulele. No, you're right, Linda is so smart, and she's so professional, and Danny, I want to ask you about you grew up in Papakalea, and then you ended up at the Kahala Hilton signing that $1 million contract with the general manager, Bob Burns. And how did that make you feel when you signed that contract? Well, I got to tell you, I thank God, I was very blessed, and you know, but it's working with people like Mr. Burns, who gave me that opportunity to do it. Otherwise, you know, I would never have done it, but and the people that I work with, you know, we all work together as Ohana, as family. And I think that is the key to, you know, coming together with whoever you work with, and whoever the family is, and we all, after every show, we would get together after the show and talk starring, and kooka, and what is good, what wasn't good, what did we do wrong tonight, what could be done, and I think that is so important, and that everybody got to come together as Ohana, as family. You get one individual that thinks she's better than the other one, and it's going to be very difficult, but you know, we all came together, we all worked together, you know, we put our ideas together, I like this, I didn't like this, oh, we should try this, maybe not, you know, but unless that was part of it, and I think you got to sit down and kooka, you got to talk story, otherwise, you're never going to solve the problem. Yeah, and Danny, you know, what I find so fascinating is, you know, it's very difficult to achieve success, but it's even more difficult to sustain success, and that's what you've done, and I want to ask you about this, because most people play the flute with their mouth. You played a nose flute. I mean, that's so incredible that you played a nose flute. How did that happen? My grandfather, you know, he was, he taught me Hawaii yesterday, and you know, the food was there, but he never taught anybody. He waited to one of us, you know, picked it up and he looked, because nobody wanted to play, it was too hard. It was very difficult to play, you know, so one day I just, I went by, you know, I came by, oh, I wouldn't try, let me see what happened, and this will happen. Oh, Danny, that's incredible. So you have a nose for talent, is that it? That's it. Some people have a voice, I have a nose for talent. Now, Danny, you performed alongside many celebrities, including Dolly Parton, and what is it about you entertaining audiences that you enjoyed so much? I think most important, you know, you got to share that aloha, and if you have the aloha and you share it with other people, it comes out, you know, it comes out for real, you know, but you try to, you know, put it on and you think you're going to get it with it, doesn't work, because aloha is the breath of life and love that we share with one another, and aloha comes from the pooha, the heart, and you can tell if it comes from the heart, you're just doing it just for the hell of it, but you know, I shared aloha because I believe in it, aloha is the breath of life and love that we share with one another. I love that, you are, I mean, it's fascinating to see how many celebrities would want to come to your show, including the great Sylvester Stallone. I mean, at that time, he came out with all of his Rocky movies. I mean, how was it meeting somebody like Sylvester Stallone who became one of your friends? These were real, you know, I get to meet a lot of celebrities. I get to meet a lot of big stars, and you know, some people you can tell right away, just the way, hi Mako Mako. You know, they have no time for you, no talent, but the people that I met, they were all for real, and everything they did came from the pooha, from the heart, and you know, I'm Loco Moco, so I'm not going to change. That's how it is, Loco Moco. And Danny, Tom Selleck, I mean, the original Magnum PI, I mean, would come to your shows. I mean, how was Tom Selleck? Oh, he was like a brother, you know. He was like us, he was a new brother, you know, and we could talk story, and you know, I could talk to him like a local guy, but you know, he was for real, you know, he was for real. Well, it's amazing how, you know, we have the new Magnum PI nowadays, but you also would mingle and be friends with Jack Lord and the original Hawaii Five-O gang. I mean, how was it seeing them, you know, consistently at your shows? Well, you know, being an entertainer and being, you know, who I was, you know, we could all talk story, and we, you know, we could relate to one another, and you know, and you know, Jack Lord was, he was good for Hawaii, you know, Hawaii Five-O, and then Zulu, you know, Zulu were, you know, but we could all come together, sit down, cook our talk story, what we like, what we don't like, but most important is that, you know, we did it because we wanted to see, you know, whatever we did, Hawaii would, you know, come first, and then, you know, we come later, but we wanted to show people that the reason we're here, because we want, we're proud of Hawaii, and we want Hawaii to be, you know, the front room, you know. And Denny, I know that you performed Luau shows with the great Hilo Hattie in Waikiki, and what are, what's something that you learned from Hilo Hattie? She taught me how to speak English. I would MC the show, and I go, and now the girls go come together, they go, whack the bamboo, and you know, and they're going to do the dance for you. And she goes, young man, come here. So, you know, she was a school teacher, you know that. Because she taught school. She says, young man, you cannot speak, nobody understands what you're saying. You know, the girls come up, coming up, and they go to play with the Uli Uli, the bamboo. That's what it is. And she says, you cannot say they're going to whack the bamboo together. She said, you gotta say the Uli Uli, the Hawaiian bamboo. But she really taught me how to MC, and taught me how to speak English. I was like, you know, I was, I was, you know. Okay, they go, don't come down. They go dance, and they go, they go play the, they go together and whack them. You know, you're blabbering. No, and so Danny, I know that you attended royal elementary school and then you went to Kawana Nakoa, and then to Roosevelt, and then to University of Hawaii. I mean, it's amazing to see your journey, but you also, when you first, when you're really young, you started working, selling newspapers and shining shoes, right? Yeah, the hotel street, right by Hawaii Theater. Yeah, but that was one way of, you know, income and whatever. I mean, that they have to go to, to my mom. You know, that was part of, you know, Ohana Kokoa. But, you know, we needed all the help we could get, you know, because my mom was a cocktail waitress, and my dad worked for the city and county rubbish man. But, you know, we all came together. Ohana and everybody, whatever we made, we put it in a pot and then, you know, and everybody could share it. So Danny, how, how did you know, or when did you know that, that you had a really great voice, you know, for singing, to pursue singing? I thank God, you know, just, you know, singing in church choir, you know, with Reverend Akaapa and Danny Akaapa was a musical director. And, you know, not knowing that, you know, singing and learning that, that they could use this outside of the church, you know, and I was, I was very fortunate, you know, to sing on the sidewalk, you know. And, you know, just, I used to sell newspapers by Hawaii Theater. And that's like, that's true. Me and the other brother, we go by the corner and he said, oh, clearly I started singing it. And people would throw, you know, throw quarters and equals and, you know, man, we were rich. And Danny, Danny, in 1988, Governor John White Hey, appointed you as the ambassador of Aloha. I mean, how, how special is that? How does that make you feel knowing that everyone really just, I mean, looks at you as Mr. Ambassador of Aloha? Well, you know, I was so proud coming from where I came from. My mother and father, my dad was a rubbish man sitting in comedy. My mother was a cocktail waitress and we attended a family. But there was a great honor for me and, you know, and being who I was and coming from where I came from. But, you know, I had all the job training. I learned how to entertain, how to sing on the sidewalk. And then, you know, learning from other people, watching other people, because I wasn't the only guy singing on the sidewalk. And other people performing, you know, with the ukulele. I would watch them and learn. And that was so important, you know, we can learn from everyone. I think that, you know, if we can just listen, some of our young people, if you're so talented but hard-headed, you know, real po-op-a-key-key. Unless you tell them, bro, you cannot do that. It's, you know, oh, what are you like, what are you doing? You know, so, and some of them didn't like what I said. So I just said, no, but just telling you, bro, you, you good. You're very talented, but unless you keep doing the right way, I said, you know, you're going down the toilet. I said, well, some of the young people they need, they just need co-coa, you know. No, and you know, Danny, it's amazing how many young entertainers you've inspired, you know, through these decades. I mean, just, I mean, that has to make you feel special too. And Danny, I want to, I want to bring this up. I mean, I want to thank you and Linda Wong for doing such a generous book donation of my Beyond the Lines book to Coach Kaleane and his entire McKinley varsity football team. I mean, that was so special a few weeks ago, how we went there together to donate the books. And then I spoke to the whole team and your grandson, Nick is an assistant coach with them as well. Yes, you know, I'm so proud of him. And you know, he's, I really wanted him to, to go to come everywhere, but he couldn't get in. So he had, he attended Punahou. He got a great education. And then from there, he went to Hamilton College and Syracuse. You know, he's a great, great musician, you know. Oh yeah, by far, I mean, and, and you know what I, what I like is how Coach Kale, Nick and all the assistant coaches, they're all really trying to build this culture of excellence with the McKinley football team. And you, you know that in my books, I talk about that superior culture of excellence. And that's something that you have built through those 30 years with your shows, because, because of you, you know, you're, you're basically employing your, all the musicians in your band, the hula dancers, I mean, the weight, the waiters, the waitresses, the bus boys, and they're all benefiting from your shows, right? Well, the key was we all work together after the show. We would all come together after the show, you know, everybody the waiters, the bus boys, and we sit down and we talk and see what we did wrong, what we did right. And I would tell him, brother, no, no way too long, because the people wanted the coffee and so I have to go give them, could, you know, take coffee for them. I says, just, you know, give them service and give them the law. I says, the more law and the more service we give them, the more better it would be. And you know, we all work and everybody says, oh yeah, uncle, okay. So I says, I said, we do this and we do it right. We won't be here for a long time, you know. So they sold some of the waitresses would tell you maybe some songs that they didn't like. Yeah. Oh, yeah. They would, they would tell me about, oh, Danny, that number, junk. I said, yeah, nobody like that number. I said, okay, I want to come on. No, that's interesting because you're right. I mean, it was a total team effort. I mean, you're a reflection of all of them and they're a reflection of you. And is it true that a lot of the, that the tips that you were getting, you would share that with all of them as well? Oh, yeah, of course. You know, we did it on a family because that's the only way when, you know, you're going to stick together, you know, and we were very fortunate people would, you know, leave tip for us. And I said, okay, guys, everybody here, here's your dollar, here's your two dollar here, you know. But everybody was happy. And we're just, you know, but I think it was so important that to show them that we do care and that we come out and we, you know, with family. And, you know, the more we, the more family we are, the more better it going to be. And look how long we stayed over there. And Danny, what, you know, because of the location, I mean, Kahala is outside of Waikiki and a lot of the tourists obviously love to stay in Waikiki. How was it where they started to really have to stay at the Kahala and because they wanted to see you perform? I used to take me, like my two musicians, my holy girls, and we would go down Waikiki where the wall is and, you know, play music and they would dance and I would sing and I would say, oh, you know, come to the Kahala because nobody knew where the Kahala was. I said, you know, come to the Kahala, it's down at the very end of Diamond Hill and I said we have a beautiful Hawaiian show and we'd like to share this with you. And I was going down every morning on Waikiki right by the wall, standing outside on a sidewalk named my ukulele and my, you know, my hula dances and my geese up there. And that was the beginning and the start of it. And I never regretted what I did, you know, because I enjoyed what I did. Oh, that's brilliant marketing right there. Great advertising. And Danny, you know, you performed at Caesar's Palace. I mean, you were the opening act for the famous Paul Anka. I mean, there's not so many people that can say that they performed at Caesar's Palace. Now, when you performed there, were you nervous the first time? Were you kidding? I was really nervous. I mean, you know, and with the people, the people were so nice, you know, and I got to be Paul Anka was, I mean, he was terrific. He told me, says, Danny, get out there and kick their ass. Oh, and that, I mean, that kind of encouragement, I mean, because he believed in you. And I guess he's wanting you to believe in yourself too. And, and Danny, you, you were also in movies. I mean, you, you're in a movie with the great Charleston Heston. Oh, yeah. I mean, how, how crazy is that? I mean, he was, he's like a legendary movie actor. How was it for you being in that movie with him? Oh, I got to be honest, you know, I was so, I was so frightened, you know, because, you know, I had to speak, I had a speaking part, you know, but they made it very comfortable. And Charleston told me, Danny, relax. He says, you know, your lines, you know, just do it. We'll get nervous, you know, and keep that beat, you know, don't get it any higher than what it is, what they made it comfortable. And I think that's so important, you know, that, you know, you have guys like that, that care about you. And that made a big difference, big difference. Oh, I like that. And in that movie, didn't you arrest him in the movie? Was that the role that you played? Yeah, yeah. I was supposed to handcuff him and the handcuff fell down. Oh man, that was so funny. So you have to take two, take three, take four. That was a big joke. And Danny, I want to ask you about you and Linda, the, your Kahalu fish pond. I mean, I was with you guys out there. And it is absolutely beautiful. It is special. It's a 42 acre property. 35 acres are the fish pond. And you guys have. Had a beautiful little chapel there. I mean, you guys have what you're connected with. What Tabe weddings. I mean, it's absolutely beautiful. It's old Hawaii. And how long did it take you and Linda to clean up that property? Forever. But we, we both, both of us, almost two years, you know, just every day, I would get into the fish pond, take out all, all, all, all, you know, and then. Some of the people that saw us working, they lived on there. It's just, oh, can we. I said, oh, yeah, but calm. We need all the hope. And they came down there. One guy. Those are because I don't know. I don't know how to drive those. I mean, it was done family style. And look what it is today. You know, but just to Malama on the island. I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, it's so peaceful. I mean, out there, I mean, you could just feel positive energy. I mean, being with you and Linda, I'm thinking, gosh, this is so, I love it. We spent the whole day out there and, and not too many people can, can see that unless they're connected with the weddings or, you know, because it's a private, it's a private property. I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, it's. Just because they're in weddings or you know, because it's a private, it's a private property. From you guys, but. You know, it's, it's ancient Hawaii, right? This, yeah. Last of the year. And you know when I, I would go down go clean the place. Pick up the rubbish. Cut down the weeds and you know. I would go by this street. And the tree would talk to me. And tell me that, you know, But they're really happy with what we're doing, and that, you know, Allah ma'a onaynda was a lady's voice. She would, I thought I was going to, what is this? I cannot look it all around, but what she says was, you know, keep the place ma'a la ma'a onaynda, keep the place clear, you know, make sure nobody on the eve of the place and, you know, thank you for that. No, it's absolutely special. I mean, no, it's so spiritual. I mean, I completely believe you in everything that we, right there and what we've talked about that many times. And I love that you guys are keeping that property ancient Hawaii. And Danny, tell me more about the power of aloha because I know that you're, I mean, that's your legacy. You're the ambassador of aloha, but it can't just be you. You want more people to really share the aloha spirit, right? Yes. And I think we all have to do that. Aloha is the breath of life and love that we share with Allah and Allah comes from the life of the heart. And I think that's so important, especially for our young people. You know, you got to educate them, you know, and share this with them at all. You know, aloha is so important. And when you grow up, you know, you grow up older, I said, you know, with the aloha, you will be very successful. And you know, you can help everybody. And you know, the thing is, we're all going to come together as one family. And that's so important. And I learned this from my grandfather, my grandmother. And coming from Papakulia, Hawaiian hopes that we are ten in the family. You know, we, we never had much, but we had aloha and we had love for one another. I think that's so important. Well, Danny, you, you've definitely inspired me through many of these years and you have, you have positively impacted countless, countless people throughout these decades. And I just really want to thank you for taking time to join me on the show today. It was an absolute honor having you on. I just wanted to be with you. You have a good show. Everybody watches your show. Are you kidding? You know, we have this saying, aloha ke kahi i ke kahi, the love that we share with one another. And you know, that's so important. What are you doing? You know, getting people, the local people, the Malihini, the newcomer, you know, just to share that aloha with everyone, especially for the local people. Some of them forget, you know, as you know, I keep telling, aloha is the breath of life and love we share with one another. What do you think you're doing? You think you're better than me? You know, I mean, I've gone through this so many times and I love the love that we share with one another. Well, Danny, I'm going to thank you so much. I'm going to try to share the aloha and I'm going to keep trying to inspire the world. So thank you for joining me on the show today and thank you for watching Beyond the Lines on Think Tech Hawaii. For more information, please visit RustyKamori.com and my books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I hope that Danny and I will inspire you to create your own superior culture of excellence and to find your greatness and help others find theirs. Aloha. Mahalo.