John Kameaaloha Almeida
Encyclopedia
John Kameaaloha Almeida (28 November 1897 – 9 October 1985), was born John Celestino Almeida Jr. in the Pauoa Valley on the island of Oʻahu
in Hawai‘i
, to Portuguese contract laborer John Celestino Almeida Sr. and his wife Honolulu lei seller Julia Kamaka Almeida. His 1930's radio program on Hawaii's KGU earned the visually impaired artist the sobriquet "The Dean of Hawaiian Music", who by the time of his death had composed hundreds of songs that have today become Hawaiian music standards.
, where they eventually moved in with Paulo Kameaaloha who became hānai father to both children. Hānai is the Hawaiian tradition of fostering, or unofficial adoption, where one family gives a child to another family to raise. John carried his hānai Kameaaloha name the rest of his life, becoming John Kameaaloha Almeida. Paulo and Julia would add sister Martha to the family in 1904. Conversations in the Kameaaloha home were held exclusively in Hawaiian, giving young Johnny the advantage of being bi-lingual at an early age.
As Johnny’s vision worsened, his musical ability grew with his accomplishments on his beloved ‘ukulele, which he discovered at the age of four. By then, he was already active in church choir. Paulo taught Johnny ancient chants and traditional songs. Totally blind by the age of 10, his mother's doctor diagnosed the "probable" cause as maile sap on her hands at the time of John's birth. Advances over the past century in knowledge of childhood vision loss indicate a more likely cause to be congential blindness.
On September 3, 1919, John Almeida married his first wife Elizabeth. (Hawaiian musician Wenonah became Almeida's second and fourth wife. Doris Booker from California was the third wife, and Janet became the fifth).
John now spread his performances to neighboring islands. By the age of 25, Johnny had mastered more musical instruments, including the steel guitar, violin, banjo, bass, saxophone, and piano. He was chief musician on Matson Lines ships 1922-1927 sailing between Hawai`i and the West Coast, and was a regular performer on Hawaii Calls radio show.
John and his wife Elizabeth took sister Annie's son Charleston Puaonaona into their home as their hānai son, and Pua Almeida became John's first musical protege. Under John's tutelage, Pua became a legendary Hawaiian performer in his own right. Aunty Genoa Keawe
dates her first professional association with Johnny Almeida to 1946 when he issued an on-air invitation at radio station KULA for anyone who could sing, to come to the studio and go on air. From that meeting, John began to mentor her and encourage her to sing Hawaiian songs. Her first recorded song for 49th State Records was John's composition of Maile Swing, which became an immediate hit for her. Almeida was also instrumental in launching the careers of falsetto virtuosos Joe Keawe, Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln
, known as "Hawaii's Falsetto Poet", and Hawaii's steel guitar legends Billy Hew Len and David Keli`i. On December 13, 1971, these proteges and other performers honored John with a testimonial at the Coral Ballroom of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel.
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
in Hawai‘i
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, to Portuguese contract laborer John Celestino Almeida Sr. and his wife Honolulu lei seller Julia Kamaka Almeida. His 1930's radio program on Hawaii's KGU earned the visually impaired artist the sobriquet "The Dean of Hawaiian Music", who by the time of his death had composed hundreds of songs that have today become Hawaiian music standards.
Family life
On December 25, 1900, Johnny's sister Annie was born. John Sr. soon deserted the family and returned to Portugal. Annie and the children moved to Wai’anaeWai'anae, Hawai'i
Waianae is a census-designated place in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the CDP population was 10,506.-Geography:Waianae is located at ....
, where they eventually moved in with Paulo Kameaaloha who became hānai father to both children. Hānai is the Hawaiian tradition of fostering, or unofficial adoption, where one family gives a child to another family to raise. John carried his hānai Kameaaloha name the rest of his life, becoming John Kameaaloha Almeida. Paulo and Julia would add sister Martha to the family in 1904. Conversations in the Kameaaloha home were held exclusively in Hawaiian, giving young Johnny the advantage of being bi-lingual at an early age.
As Johnny’s vision worsened, his musical ability grew with his accomplishments on his beloved ‘ukulele, which he discovered at the age of four. By then, he was already active in church choir. Paulo taught Johnny ancient chants and traditional songs. Totally blind by the age of 10, his mother's doctor diagnosed the "probable" cause as maile sap on her hands at the time of John's birth. Advances over the past century in knowledge of childhood vision loss indicate a more likely cause to be congential blindness.
Music and legacy
The Òwai’anae Star Glee was started by John at age 15, and evolved into "Johnny Almeida's Hawaiians," performed at community functions as word spread of Almeida's talents. Johnny performed at Queen Lili’uokalani’s funeral in 1917, in the Royal Throne Room of IIolani Palace as Hawaii’s last monarch lay in state, and then again during the services at Kawaiahaʻo Church. He performed for Prince Jonah Kalaniana’ole, Princess Abigail Kawananakoa and Princess Elizabeth as his audience began to grow.On September 3, 1919, John Almeida married his first wife Elizabeth. (Hawaiian musician Wenonah became Almeida's second and fourth wife. Doris Booker from California was the third wife, and Janet became the fifth).
John now spread his performances to neighboring islands. By the age of 25, Johnny had mastered more musical instruments, including the steel guitar, violin, banjo, bass, saxophone, and piano. He was chief musician on Matson Lines ships 1922-1927 sailing between Hawai`i and the West Coast, and was a regular performer on Hawaii Calls radio show.
John and his wife Elizabeth took sister Annie's son Charleston Puaonaona into their home as their hānai son, and Pua Almeida became John's first musical protege. Under John's tutelage, Pua became a legendary Hawaiian performer in his own right. Aunty Genoa Keawe
Genoa Keawe
‘Aunty’ Genoa Leilani Adolpho Keawe-Aiko was a Hawaiian musician. Aunty Genoa was born on the island of Oʻahu in the Kakaʻako district of Honolulu and grew up in Lā'ie. She is an icon in Hawaiian music and has been a mainstay on the Hawaiian music scene for more than 60 years...
dates her first professional association with Johnny Almeida to 1946 when he issued an on-air invitation at radio station KULA for anyone who could sing, to come to the studio and go on air. From that meeting, John began to mentor her and encourage her to sing Hawaiian songs. Her first recorded song for 49th State Records was John's composition of Maile Swing, which became an immediate hit for her. Almeida was also instrumental in launching the careers of falsetto virtuosos Joe Keawe, Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln
Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln
Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln is a Hawaiian hula singer and musician, noted for his soaring falsetto. He was married to Napua Stevens, another noted hula performer and entertainer...
, known as "Hawaii's Falsetto Poet", and Hawaii's steel guitar legends Billy Hew Len and David Keli`i. On December 13, 1971, these proteges and other performers honored John with a testimonial at the Coral Ballroom of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel.