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Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

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  • Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

    Originally posted by craigwatanabe
    Ohta San, Don Ho, Makaha Sons of Hawaii, SOS Band, Martin Denny, The Alii's, The Krush, Carol Kai, Marlene Sai, Genoa Keawe, Danny Kaleikini, Elvis Presley (Yep Blue Hawaii) just to name a few and there's a lot out there.....

    In the 70's groups like Kalapana, C&K, Olomana, Country Comfort, Summer dominated the local top 40 hits along with Gabby Pahinui, Palani Vaghn, Liz Damon, Nohelani Cypriano (saw her name in one of the later Homegrown albums) among others. In the 60's there were record albums for The Battle of The Bands at the Civic Auditorium, then KKUA's Homegrown series of albums in the 70's then KIKI's Brown Bags to Stardom in the 80's.

    Definately the 70's took Hawaiian music to another level with artists like Macky Feary. Groups like Kalapana (Kojak's) allowed teenagers at that time like myself appreciate local music when top 40 included names like Diana Ross, Olivia Newton John, Elton John, Chicago, Donny and Marie dominated the top 40's. KKUA published a local top 40 every week with the top 5 or 10 in bold print. Early 70's featured mainland groups like The Ventures who's smash hit is still popular today: the theme to Hawaii 5-0. Then there's My Hawaii another song that popularized Hawaii. Local artists gone national such as Yvonne Ellman, Bett Midler and Liz Damon

    Then KKUA brought out Homegrown and the rest is history.
    I'm starting this thread to accomodate continued discussion of Hawaiian, pop, rock and R & B music that were played on top 40 radio. This was mainly back in the days when AM radio ruled and stalwart top 40 stations such as KPOI 1380 AM and later KKUA 690 AM ruled the airwaves.

    For me the time between the mid 1960s to the early 80s brought about a lot of top 40 hits that were not necessarily hits on the mainland but big in Hawaii. The so-called Hawaiian music reneissance occured at this time where new, younger artists picked up on traditional Hawaiian music and made it their own. The funny thing is that radio stations which were not specifically programming Hawaiian music, would include this type of music into their pre-dominantly top 40 mix. This was especially true in the 1970s when you would hear songs by Cecilio & Kapono, Liz Damon & the Orient Express, John Rowles, Kalapana, the Brothers Cazimero, Olomana, the Peter Moon Band, Gabby and others right along with top 40 hits by Elton John, Three Dog Night, the Jackson Five, The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac and many others.

    And yes, I think KKUA's "Homegrown" albums were quite a big factor at the that time moving Hawaiian music more into the conciousness of younger listeners. I remember Noelani Cypriano's track "Lihue" being included on either the 1st or 2nd of those albums. It was a great track and was probably instrumental in getting her musical career off the ground.

    As I mentioned a lot of other pop and rock records became hits in Hawaii but nowhere else. See if you remember any of these:

    - "Endless Summer" by The Sandals (1966)
    - "Sunlight" album track by Three Dog Night (1971)
    - "Pipeline Sequence" by Honk (1972)
    - "Summer Sun" by Jamestown Massacre (1972)
    - "If That's The Way That You Want It" by Diamond Head (1973)
    - "Give Up Your Guns" - The Buoys (1971)
    - "Grovin' Out On Life" - The New Beats (1970)
    - "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" - Middle of the Road (1971)
    - "Mandrill" - Mandrill (1971)
    - "Morning of Our Lives" - The Arkade (1971)
    - "I Found Someone of My Own" - Free Movement (1971)
    - "I Dig Everything About You" - The Mob (1971)
    - "Circle Game" - Rick Ely (1971)
    - "Cubano Chant" - El Chicano (1971)
    - "Precious & Few" - Climax (1971)
    - "Life And Breath" - Climax (1972)
    - "Child of December" - Climax (1972)
    - "Caroline This Time" - Climax (1972)
    - "Ebony Eyes" (1972 - b side single)
    - "You'll Never Get To Heaven" (1973)
    - "Star on a TV Show" (1975)
    - "Sunshine Keri" - Lee Oskar (1976)
    - "Smiling Islands" - Robbie Patton & Stevie Nicks (1983)
    - "Lahaina" - Loggins & Messina (1973)
    - "Tahiti Tahiti" - Voyage (1979)
    - "What Cha Doin'" - Seawind (1980)
    - "Keep it in the Family" - The Road Home (1971)

    If any of the old timers remember these songs, wouldn't it be neat to get some if not all of them on a CD? I recently took a small poll at the main Hawaii Radio & Television Guide website and got a small sample of what people wanted to here on CD.

    Here are the results from that poll:



    As you can see the polling sample was quite small and so was the list of songs to choose from (the poll only allows a maximum of 10 selection options). That said I think the people who recognized some of the song titles wanted to get them all if not only some of them.

    Anyway tell us of the kind of music you used to listen to on Hawaii's top 40 radio stations of the 1950s to early 80s.
    I'm still here. Are you?

  • #2
    Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

    wasn't Betch By Golly Wow the "A" side on the 45-single to the "B" side's Ebony Eyes by the Stylistics?

    I used to go down to Kahala Music formerly Dorsyd Sight and Sound now I believe some clothing store in that spot and thumb thru their huge 45-RPM section. I remember seeing those 45's with the "49th state" label on them.

    I would buy one 45-RPM record per week and the Stylistics was one of them. Yeah Climax, Three Dog Night, Chicago, (who did When Will I see you Again), and local groups like Sunday Manoa (Bros Caz and Peter Moon),Kalapana, Country Comfort and don't forget Gabby's Rabbit Island Music Festival, all big time favorites ruled the AM airwaves.

    Then there was the Hungry Ear in Kapahulu and Records Hawaii at 404 Piikoi now where KHON sits. Oh man those were the good old days! Wasn't that the same time we had a gas shortage, Watergate and a recession? Oh well I was a teenager at the time and it was my good old days with 25-cent hamburgers at Jolly Rogers before the Waialae overpass was built and scared away all the pidgeons. Oh yeah a gallon of gas was 25-cents at the full serve too!
    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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    • #3
      Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

      Originally posted by craigwatanabe
      wasn't Betch By Golly Wow the "A" side on the 45-single to the "B" side's Ebony Eyes by the Stylistics?
      Yes exactly. "Betcha By Golly Wow" was the A-side and really the featured hit. Went to #1 on KKUA, 1972. Some radio stations started playing the other side of the record (they must have gotten the regular commercial release or played the LP) which turned out to be "Ebony Eyes". People in Hawaii connected well with this song as well as just about everything The Stylistics released in the early 1970s. Later in the same year, The Stylistics single "I'm Stone In Love With You" was a huge #1 hit and became song of the year on KKUA.


      I used to go down to Kahala Music formerly Dorsyd Sight and Sound now I believe some clothing store in that spot and thumb thru their huge 45-RPM section. I remember seeing those 45's with the "49th state" label on them.

      I would buy one 45-RPM record per week and the Stylistics was one of them. Yeah Climax, Three Dog Night, Chicago, (who did When Will I see you Again), and local groups like Sunday Manoa (Bros Caz and Peter Moon),Kalapana, Country Comfort and don't forget Gabby's Rabbit Island Music Festival, all big time favorites ruled the AM airwaves.
      For the first half of the 1970s I was still a teenager living on the Big Island. My store of choice in Hilo was "Project 3 LTD". It was this huge record shop that sold used LPs, new LPs, 8 tracks and cassettes. I don't think they had too many 45s. I would either go to Woolworths' for those or MJS Music in the Hilo Shopping Center. Anyway, I used to buy a lot of 45s too, and won a bunch from Hilo's KPUA radio in those days. 45s only cost 88 cents each. LPs were about $6. Kress Store had a cut-out bin of LPs that I would like to rummage through and "find" something cool for a dollar.

      One thing about MJS Music, that store was the place I could pick up all of the top 40 (or top 20) lists published by various Hawaii radio stations. I would regularly pickup copies of the KPOI Action 20, KHLO Top 35 and of all things, the KHJ 93 AM list from LAX. Woolworths' at the time were the exclusive sponsors of KPUA's weekly Top 21 countdown show and that survey was available only over there. KKUA used to publish their weekly Top 20s for a time in the newspaper.

      The charts were and still are interesting from those days because so many different types of songs were all listed in one place. That was cool and the mix on radio was cool too.

      When I moved to Honolulu I used to go to Records Hawaii a lot at 404 Piikoi Street and also DJ's Sound City in Ala Moana Shopping Center to buy records.

      Then there was the Hungry Ear in Kapahulu and Records Hawaii at 404 Piikoi now where KHON sits. Oh man those were the good old days!
      I think there was also a Hungry Ear near the Cinerama Theater... also in that area the old Froggies, and Interlude Music and Books. And besides Records Hawai at 404, the old Jellys' was also there for a while. I really liked the funky mix of stores at 404... remember Job Lot? The mattress place? (OK we're straying off topic here)....

      Oh well I was a teenager at the time and it was my good old days with 25-cent hamburgers at Jolly Rogers before the Waialae overpass was built and scared away all the pidgeons. Oh yeah a gallon of gas was 25-cents at the full serve too!
      ON the Big Island a hamburger, coke and french fries at Dairy Queen cost under 50 cents... in 1966... a little more as the 70s rolled around... And gasoline on the Big Island in 1971 was of course more expensive than in Honolulu... a whopping 38 cents a gallon! Ouch!!!!

      But you know what, through all of that, I think the music of the time whether we heard it on the radio or at the high school dance, (or for the old time DJs here actually played them in regular rotation) was really special. I don't think we'll ever return to that time.
      I'm still here. Are you?

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      • #4
        Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

        BTW, The Three Degrees did the #1 hit "When Will I See You Again".
        I'm still here. Are you?

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        • #5
          Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

          Fun thread to read--more stories!

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          • #6
            Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

            I think MTV kinda killed off radio the way it used to be. I don't know exactly when it was but sometime in the mid 70's the FM scene started getting popular. I remember tuning into KGMB-FM for the first time with a table radio and hearing "Dream Weaver" with it's spaced out synthesis sound. That's when I discovered the underground sounds of KTUH and public radio which is still a slight mystery to me.

            Oh yeah it was the Rascals that sung My Hawaii! Then there's Audy Kimura who either started with a garage band from either Kalani or Farrington HS back in the late 60's when the Krush with Carol Kai was popular. I believe KPOI on the AM dial at Ala Wai was the station to listen to then. KORL AM650 then became popular with Tom Dynamite Dancer. Robert Zix left that station to go to KKUA and had a lawsuit from KORL for taking the namesake "Kamasami Kong" to KKUA.

            On Ron Jacob's website he mentions Robert W. Morgan. That name sounds so familiar like he worked at KKUA when Jacobs was there along with Uncle Mickey (Michael W. Perry), Lee "Baby" Sims, Scott Edwards, Steven B. Williams and I can't remember who else but were big then. Oh yes and Keala Kai who did the news and weather for Who Da Guy RJ.
            Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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            • #7
              Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

              Originally posted by craigwatanabe
              I think MTV kinda killed off radio ....

              'sfunny; the first MTV video, in 1981, was by the Buggles. It was the prophetically titled; "Video killed the radio star"

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              • #8
                Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

                Aloha,

                I enjoyed your perspective of radio in the 70's. Robert W. Morgan was an LA jock that worked with RJ during his LA days. Mark Morgan (Mark in the Morgan) was the jock on KKUA in the 70's (late 70's). He lifted some of the bits that Robert had been doing in LA like "morganizing" his listeners. Also my one memory cell left over from the 70's seems to recall that Nohelani was on the first Homegrown album. In fact she was one of the last contestants before that Friday 4pm deadline.

                In was a real challenge to squeeze in the limited local product that was coming out back in the mid to late 70's into the "Top 40" format. It was a deliberate programming effort to be a Hawaii Top 40 station. As a programmer of that era the challenge was finding product that would stand against the sound coming out of the mainland studios and record companies. Back then the goal was to feature a local cut as least every 90 minutes.

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                • #9
                  Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

                  Ncie to hear from Ed Kanoi...I was Ed's news guy on KKBG-fm in Hilo a while back. I worked at KPOI-FM in 1967-68 and remember Tom Moffat, Steve Nicolet, the "wierd beard"
                  Bob Lowry, and Tom Rounds of "Watermark" fame. In those days, KPOI-FM was a soft top-40 mix of Herb Albert,
                  Rascals, Neil Diamond, etc. Although the gig was short, I enjoyed the experience. I'm working in the Hilo radio market...having fun...but still miss the ole days.
                  Aloha, Russ

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                  • #10
                    Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

                    I recently set up a list of records that were played on Hawaii Top 40 radio stations in the 50s to 80s. I got mostly some 60s and 70s songs listed. If anyone knows of a song or artist that was rather unique to Hawaii Top 40 radio, please email me the info or discuss it here. I can add to the list.

                    You can check this list out at the Hawaii Radio & Television Guide Archive Site. It is still a work in progress as I have to add more info to the user selected pop-up information to each song or artist.
                    I'm still here. Are you?

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                    • #11
                      Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

                      Those old tunes bring back some great memories! I also enjoyed the following little known songs among others:

                      Walkin' In The Georgia Rain - Climax (1972)
                      Picnic In The Rain - Climax (1972)
                      Caroline This Time - Climax (1972)
                      Sho' Would Be Nice - The Osmonds (1971)
                      Pamela - Train (1971)
                      We're Free - Beverly Bremers (1972)
                      Home Lovin' Man - Tony Burrows (1970)
                      Fly Little White Dove Fly - The Bells (1971)

                      Last edited by MannyH; September 7, 2004, 10:30 PM.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

                        Originally posted by MannyH
                        Those old tunes bring back some great memories! I also enjoyed the following little known songs among others:

                        Walkin' In The Georgia Rain - Climax (1972)
                        Picnic In The Rain - Climax (1972)
                        Caroline This Time - Climax (1972)
                        Sho' Would Be Nice - The Osmonds (1971)
                        Pamela - Train (1971)
                        We're Free - Beverly Bremers (1972)
                        Home Lovin' Man - Tony Burrows (1970)
                        Fly Little White Dove Fly - The Bells (1971)

                        Most of these songs have been elusive finds if you are trying to get them on CD. The only one from your list that is currently availabe is Beverly Bremers' "We're Free" which may still be available on a Collectables label compilation.

                        Radio stations that played these and many other relatively obscure records (at least today they are) made listening interesting. Today everything is very tightly controlled by the corporate owners.
                        I'm still here. Are you?

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                        • #13
                          Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

                          I have "We're Free" on a Collectables Beverly Bremers CD and have also found "Caroline This Time", "Walking In The Georgia Rain", and "Picnic In The Rain" on a Climax CD from Jelly's in Pearl City (as well as "Fly Little White Dove Fly" from the Bells, and "Since I Fell For You" by John Rowles and "Circle Game" and "Morning Girl" by Rick Ely on CD's also found in Canada and at Jelly's again respectively).

                          I'm currently on the hunt for a 1969 hard-to-find tune named "Pamela" from 1969 by a group called Train that got some airplay here in the islands. I can't find the record label and no one seems to remember it.

                          Another one to add to your list would by "One Day Of Your Life" by Alex Keenan. His version got considerably more airplay than the national charted release by Andy Williams in 1970.
                          Last edited by MannyH; September 13, 2004, 02:43 PM.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

                            Originally posted by MannyH
                            I have "We're Free" on a Collectables Beverly Bremers CD and have also found "Caroline This Time", "Walking In The Georgia Rain", and "Picnic In The Rain" on a Climax CD from Jelly's in Pearl City (as well as "Fly Little White Dove Fly" from the Bells, and "Since I Fell For You" by John Rowles and "Circle Game" and "Morning Girl" by Rick Ely on CD's also found in Canada and at Jelly's again respectively).
                            How's the sound quality on the Climax CD? I seen a few of these high priced CDs at Jellys and they appeared to be bootlegs. The album packaging looked like it was color laser printed and there were was no label or catalog number for the CD compilation.

                            I bought a John Rowles CD from Jelly's and frankly the CD ended up being copied off a record album. You can hear the pops and ticks as you play the music back. It too was a no-name label release and had a color xeroxed looking label and j-card.

                            Are the Rick Ely and Bells CD issued on a Canadian label or are they also of home-made type quality recorded off an LP?

                            What most astonished me was a Country Comfort CD that I recently bought from Tower Records sounded like it too was recorded from an LP. This was issued on the Hanaola label and was a reissue of "Country Comfort II". I was quite appalled to hear the pops and clicks on this CD which is a sure sign they just copied it off an LP.


                            Originally posted by MannyH
                            I'm currently on the hunt for a 1969 hard-to-find tune named "Pamela" from 1969 by a group called Train that got some airplay here in the islands. I can't find the record label and no one seems to remember it.
                            I just saw that song listed on a compilation CD that I looked at on the web. I think it was one of "The Lost 45s" CD compilation, but I am not very sure. I certainly don't remember this song being played on local radio... or at least the title. I think I would need to hear this to be reminded of this.

                            Originally posted by MannyH
                            Another one to add to your list would by "One Day Of Your Life" by Alex Keenan. His version got considerably more airplay than the national charted release by Andy Williams in 1970.
                            I've forgotten about this song. I only know the Alex Keenan version. Never heard the one by Andy Williams. Keenan's version was quite a hit around here in the summer of 1970. Gotta look for that one too.

                            Have you bought a copy of Island Summer 60s & 70s? It's the only CD compilation I know of that contain the hard to find local hits "Forevermore" by the Tokyo Happy Coats and "Remember Mary" by Sweet Marie.
                            I'm still here. Are you?

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                            • #15
                              Re: Hawaii Top 40 radio: 1950s to early 1980s

                              Bought a copy of Island Summer Hits 60s & 70s just for the cd version of "Forevermore" (I have the original album by the Tokyo Happy Coats), wrote Pati to say what a wonderful compilation this was and received a complimentary cd in the mail to share with a friend! Am looking forward to any future issues! The collection of music is simply from a bygone time and a sound that will never be replaced on radio.

                              The Bells cd is from Canada and the Climax and Rick Ely cds appear to be bootlegs but I was pleased with the quality of the music. I agree that the John Rowles issues seem to be of poor quality.

                              I am searching earnestly for a copy of "Pamela" but so far, unsuccessfully. The hunt continues...

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