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{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwoʻole
| image = Israel Kamakawiwoʻole.jpg
| caption = Israel in 1993
| image_size = 220px
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole
| signature = Israel_Kamakawiwoʻole_Signature.png
| instrument = {{flatlist|
* [[Ukulele]]
* vocals
}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1959|05|20|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Honolulu]], [[Territory of Hawaii]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1997|06|26|1959|05|20}}
| death_place = [[Honolulu, Hawaii]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| origin = Hawaii, United States
| death_cause = [[Respiratory failure]]<ref name="NPR"/>
| genre = {{flatlist|
* [[Music of Hawaii|Hawaii]]
* [[Folk music|folk]]
* [[World music|world]]
* [[reggae]]
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Singer
* songwriter
}}
| years_active = 1976–1997
| label = {{flatlist|

* [[Mountain Apple Company]]
}}
| associated_acts = [[Mākaha Sons|Makaha Sons of Niʻihau]]
| website =
| notable_instruments = Ukulele
}}
'''Israel "Iz" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole''' ({{IPA-haw|kəˌmɐkəˌvivoˈʔole}}) translation: "The
Fearless Eyed"; May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997), also called '''Bruddah Iz''' (Brother Iz), was a Hawaiian musician, entertainer and [[Hawaiian sovereignty movement|Hawaiian sovereignty]] activist.

His voice became famous outside Hawaii when his album ''[[Facing Future]]'' was released in 1993. His [[Medley (music)|medley]] of "[[Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World]]" was subsequently featured in several films, television programs, and television commercials.

Along with his [[ukulele]] playing and incorporation of other genres, such as [[jazz]] and [[reggae]], Kamakawiwoʻole remains influential on [[Music of Hawaii|Hawaiian music]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Legacy: A Voice Of Hawaiʻi and Hawaiians |last1=Gordon |first1=Mike |author2=Beverly Creamer |author3=Wayne Harada |url=http://iz.honoluluadvertiser.com/story_p3.html |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |accessdate=August 19, 2008}}</ref>

==Early life==
Kamakawiwoʻole was born at [[Kuakini Medical Center|Kuakini Hospital]] in [[Honolulu]] to Henry "Hank" Kaleialoha Naniwa Kamakawiwoʻole, Jr. and Evangeline "Angie" Leinani Kamakawiwoʻole. The notable Hawaiian musician [[Moe Keale]] was his uncle and a major musical influence. He was raised in the community of [[Kaimuki]], where his parents had met and married. He began playing music with his older brother Skippy and cousin Allen Thornton at the age of 11, being exposed to the music of Hawaiian entertainers of the time such as Peter Moon, Palani Vaughn and [[Don Ho]], who frequented the establishment where Kamakawiwoʻole's parents worked. Hawaiian musician Del Beazley spoke of the first time he heard Israel perform, when, while playing for a graduation party, the whole room fell silent on hearing him sing.<ref name=npr>{{cite news|last=Montagne|first=Renee|title=Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: The Voice of Hawaii |url=http://0-ic.galegroup.com.ignacio.usfca.edu/ic/bic1/AudioDetailsPage/AudioDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=BIC1&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Audio&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&source=&sortBy=&displayGroups=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA243696518 |accessdate=October 10, 2012|date=December 6, 2010}}</ref> Israel continued his path as his brother Skippy entered the Army in 1971 and cousin Allen parted ways in 1976 for the mainland.

{{listen |type=music|filename=Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere Over The Rainbow - What A Wonderful World.ogg |title=Somewhere Over The Rainbow / What A Wonderful World |description=Snippet lasting thirty seconds}}
In his early teens, he studied at [[Upward Bound]] (UB) of the [[University of Hawaii at Hilo]] and his family moved to [[Mākaha]]. There he met Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Sam Gray and Jerome Koko.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.hawaii.edu/~hartwell/music.htm |title=Article by Jay Hartwell of the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa |publisher=.hawaii.edu |date=May 26, 1991 |accessdate=January 24, 2011}}</ref> Together with his brother Skippy they formed the [[Makaha Sons of Niʻihau]]. A part of the Hawaiian Renaissance, the band's blend of contemporary and traditional styles gained in popularity as they toured Hawaii and the continental United States, releasing fifteen successful albums. Kamakawiwo'ole's aim was to make music that stayed true to the typical sound of traditional Hawaiian music. During that time period, the songs that many people associated with Hawaii, typically, were not traditional-sounding songs.

==Music career==
The Makaha Sons of Niʻihau recorded ''No Kristo'' in 1976 and released four more albums, including ''Kahea O Keale'', ''Keala'', ''Makaha Sons of Niʻihau'' and ''Mahalo Ke Akua''. In 1982, Kamakawiwoʻole's brother, Skippy, died at age 28 of a heart attack<ref name="Kekoa"/> related to obesity. In that same year, Kamakawiwoʻole married his childhood sweetheart Marlene. Soon after, they had a daughter whom they named Ceslieanne "Wehi" (born in {{Circa|1983}}).

The group became Hawaii's most popular contemporary traditional group with breakout albums 1984's ''Puana Hou Me Ke Aloha'' and its follow-up, 1986's ''Hoʻola''. Kamakawiwoʻole's last recorded album with the group was 1991's ''Hoʻoluana''. It remains the group's top-selling CD.

In 1990, Kamakawiwoʻole released his first solo album ''[[Ka ʻAnoʻi]]'', which won awards for Contemporary Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year from the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA). ''[[Facing Future]]'' was released in 1993 by [[The Mountain Apple Company]]. It featured his most popular song, the medley "[[Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World]]", along with "Hawaiʻi 78", "White Sandy Beach of Hawaiʻi", "Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man", and "Kaulana Kawaihae". The decision to include a cover of Somewhere Over the Rainbow was said to be a last-minute decision by his producer [[Jon de Mello]] and him.<ref name="Chasing Rainbows">{{closed access}} {{cite journal |last=Guerin |first=Ada |title=Chasing Rainbows |journal=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] – International Edition |volume=394 |issue=32 |date=June 6, 2006 |pages=M419 |publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] |location=Los Angeles, CA, USA |issn=0018-3660|url=http://0-ic.galegroup.com.ignacio.usfca.edu/ic/bic1/MagazinesDetailsPage/MagazinesDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=BIC1&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Magazines&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&source=&sortBy=&displayGroups=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA147302617|accessdate=October 10, 2012}} {{subscription required}}</ref> ''Facing Future'' debuted at #25 on [[Billboard Magazine|''Billboard'' magazine]]'s Top Pop Catalogue chart. On October 26, 2005, ''Facing Future'' became Hawaii's first certified platinum album, selling more than a million CDs in the United States, according to figures furnished by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://starbulletin.com/2005/10/06/news/briefs.html |title=Brudda Iz's ''Facing Future'' goes platinum, a first for Hawaii |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |date=October 6, 2005}}</ref> On July 21, 2006, [[BBC Radio 1]] announced that "[[Somewhere Over the Rainbow]]/[[What a Wonderful World]] (True Dreams)" would be released as a single in America.

In 1994, Kamakawiwoʻole was voted favorite entertainer of the year by the [[Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts]] (HARA).

''[[E Ala E]]'' (1995) featured the political title song "ʻE Ala ʻE" and "[[Kaleohano]]", and ''[[N Dis Life]]'' (1996) featured "In This Life" and "Starting All Over Again".

In 1997, Kamakawiwoʻole was again honored by HARA at the Annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards for Male Vocalist of the Year, Favorite Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Island Contemporary Album of the Year. He watched the awards ceremony from a hospital room.

''[[Alone in Iz World]]'' (2001) debuted at #1 on Billboard's World Chart and #135 on Billboard's Top 200, #13 on the Top Independent Albums Chart, and #15 on the Top Internet Album Sales charts.

Kamakawiwo'ole's ''Facing Future'' has become the best-selling Hawaiian album of all time.<ref name=npr/>

==Support of Hawaiian rights==
Kamakawiwoʻole was known for promoting Hawaiian rights and [[Hawaiian sovereignty movement|Hawaiian independence]], both through his lyrics, which often stated the case for independence directly, and his life.<ref>Carroll, Rick. Iz: Voice of the People. Honolulu, Hawai'i: Bess, 2006. Print.</ref> For example, the lyric in his song "Hawai'i '78": "The life of this land is the life of the people/and that to care for the land (malama 'āina) is to care for the Hawaiian culture", is a statement that many consider to summarise his Hawaiian ideals.<ref>Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. "Hawai'i '78." Facing Future. Mountain Apple Company, 1993. MP3.</ref> The [[state motto]] of Hawai'i is a recurring line in the song and encompasses the meaning of Iz's message: "Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono" (proclaimed by King Kamehameha III when Hawai'i regained sovereignty in 1843. It can be roughly translated as: "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netstate.com/states/mottoes/hi_motto.htm |title=Hawaii State Motto Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness |publisher=Netstate.com |accessdate=March 19, 2013}}</ref>

Kamakawiwo'ole used the soprano ukulele, and his music as a whole, to promote awareness of his belief of a second-class status pushed onto the natives by the tourist industry.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Tranquada
| first = Jim
| title = The Ukulele: a History
| publisher = University of Hawaii Press
| year = 2012
| page = 166
| isbn = 978-0-8248-3544-6}}</ref>

==Death==
Throughout his life, Kamakawiwoʻole was [[Classification of obesity#BMI|morbidly obese]] and at one point weighed {{convert|757|lb|kg stlb}} standing {{convert|6|ft|2|in|m|2}} tall (body mass index = 97.2).<ref name="Kekoa">{{cite news |last=Kekoa Enomoto |first=Catherine |author2=Gregg K. Kakesako |url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/1997/06/26/news/story1.html |title='IZ' Will Always Be |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |date=June 26, 1997}}</ref> He endured several hospitalizations because of health problems caused by his weight.<ref name="Kekoa"/> Beset with respiratory, heart, and other medical problems, he died at the age of 38 in [[Queen's Medical Center]] at 12:18 a.m. on June 26, 1997.<ref name="Kekoa"/> Kamakawiwoʻole is survived by his wife, Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole, and their daughter, Ceslie-Ann "Wehi".<ref name="aloha">{{cite news |last=Adamski |first=Mary |url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/1997/07/10/news/story3.html |title=Isles Bid Aloha, not Goodbye, to 'Brudda Iz' |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |date=July 10, 1997}}</ref>

The Hawaii state flag flew at [[half-staff]] on July 10, 1997, the day of Kamakawiwoʻole's funeral. His [[koa|koa wood]] coffin [[lay in state]] at the [[Hawaii State Capitol|state capitol building]] in Honolulu. He was the third person in Hawaiian history to be awarded this honor, and the only one who was not a government official. Approximately ten thousand people attended the funeral. Thousands of fans gathered as his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean at Mākua Beach on July 12, 1997.<ref name="aloha" /> According to witnesses, many people on land commemorated him by honking their car and truck horns on all Hawaiian highways that day. Scenes from the funeral and scattering of Kamakawiwoʻole's ashes were featured in official music videos of "Over the Rainbow" released posthumously by [[Mountain Apple Company]]. {{As of|January 2017}}, the two videos as featured on YouTube have collectively received over 300 million views.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I |title=OFFICIAL Somewhere over the Rainbow – Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole |publisher= Mountain Apple Company Inc |accessdate=December 28, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DKWlrA24k |title=OFFICIAL – Somewhere Over the Rainbow 2011 – Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole |publisher= Mountain Apple Company Inc |accessdate=December 28, 2011}}</ref>

On September 20, 2003, hundreds paid tribute to Kamakawiwoʻole as a [[bronze]] bust of the revered singer was unveiled at the Waianae Neighborhood Community Center on Oʻahu. The singer's widow, Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole, and sculptor Jan-Michelle Sawyer were present for the dedication ceremony.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sculpture's Debut Honors 'Braddah IZ' |url=http://starbulletin.com/2003/09/21/news/indexwild.html |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |date=September 21, 2003}}</ref>

==Legacy==
On December 6, 2010, [[NPR]] named Kamakawiwoʻole as "The Voice of Hawaii" in its [[50 great voices]] series.<ref name="NPR">{{cite web|last=Kamakawiwo |first=Israel |url=http://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131812500/israel-kamakawiwo-ole-the-voice-of-hawaii |title=Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: The Voice Of Hawaii |publisher=NPR |date=December 6, 2010 |accessdate=January 24, 2011}}</ref>

On March 24, 2011, Kamakawiwoʻole was honored with the German national music award [[Echo (music award)|Echo]]. The music managers [[Wolfgang Boss]] and Jon de Mello accepted the trophy in his stead.<ref>[http://www.badische-zeitung.de/fotos-starauflauf-bei-der-echo-verleihung-in-berlin?id=43269096 ''Starauflauf bei der Echo-Verleihung in Berlin''] Badische Zeitung, March 25, 2011</ref>

A 2014 [[Pixar]] short film, [[Lava (2014 film)|Lava]], features as main characters two volcanoes who are based on Israel Kamakawiwoʻole and his wife, and the style of music used in the short is reminiscent of his cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://khon2.com/2014/11/03/5-questions-with-disneypixars-lava-director-james-ford-murphy/|title=5 questions with Disney/Pixar’s ‘LAVA’ director James Ford Murphy|last=|first=|date=2014-11-04|website=KHON2|publisher=|access-date=2016-09-28}}</ref>

===What a Wonderful World===
Kamakawiwoʻole's recording of "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" gained notice in 1999 when an excerpt was used in the TV commercials for eToys.com. The full song was featured in the movies ''[[K-PAX (film)|K-Pax]]'', ''[[Meet Joe Black]]'', ''[[Finding Forrester]]'', ''[[Son of the Mask]]'', ''[[50 First Dates]]'', ''[[Fred Claus]]'' and ''[[IMAX]]: [[Hubble 3D]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.torontoscreenshots.com/2010/03/18/imax-hubble-3d/ |title=IMAX: Hubble 3D – Toronto Screen Shots |date=March 18, 2010|accessdate=May 2, 2011}}</ref> It was also featured in TV series ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]'', ''[[American Dad!]]'', ''[[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]]'', ''[[Cold Case (TV series)|Cold Case]]'', ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'', ''[[South Pacific (TV series)|South Pacific]]'', ''[[LOST (TV series)|LOST]]'', ''[[Storm Chasers]]'', and in the UK original version of ''[[Life on Mars (UK TV series)|Life on Mars]]'' among others.<ref>{{cite book |title=Lonely Planet Hawaii |author1=Kim Grant |author2=Glenda Bendure |author3=Michael Clark |author4=Ned Friary |author5=Conner Gorry |author6=Luci Yamamoto |page=97|isbn=978-1-74059-871-2|year=2005|publisher=[[Lonely Planet Publications]]|edition=7th}}</ref>

"Over the Rainbow//What a Wonderful World" reached #12 on ''Billboard'''s [[Hot Digital Tracks]] chart the week of January 31, 2004 (for the survey week ending January 18, 2004). It passed the 2 million paid downloads mark in the USA by September 27, 2009, and then sold 3 million in the USA as of October 2, 2011.<ref>[http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/74420/week-ending-oct-2-2011-songs-gone-but-not-forgotten/;_ylt=AiD_OJ9nEgtKcMuaQRr99VUPwiUv Week Ending Oct. 2, 2011. Songs: Gone But Not Forgotten]</ref> And as of October 2014, the song has sold over 4.2 million digital copies.<ref name=billboard>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6289257/ask-billboard-the-weird-connections-between-mary-lambert-madonna?page=0%2C1 |title=Ask Billboard: The Weird Connections Between Mary Lambert & Madonna |last=Trust |first=Gary |work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] |date=October 21, 2014 |accessdate=October 21, 2014}}</ref> In addition, the song holds the distinction of being the longest-leading number one hit on any of the ''Billboard'' song charts, having spent 185 weeks at number one on the publication's World Digital Songs chart.<ref name=billboard/>

On July 4, 2007, Kamakawiwoʻole debuted at No. 44 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart with "Wonderful World," selling 17,000 units.<ref>[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=israel kamakawiwo'ole|chart=all}} Artist Chart History – Israel Kamakawiwoʻole], Billboard</ref>

In April 2007, "Over the Rainbow" entered the UK charts at #68, and eventually climbed to #46, spending 10 weeks in the Top 100 over a 2-year period.

In October 2010, following its use in a trailer for the TV channel VOX<ref>[http://www.nzzfolio.ch/www/d80bd71b-b264-4db4-afd0-277884b93470/showarticle/3be0059d-b39a-45f9-93a1-1bec21f2f59e.aspx ''Herr der Goldtruhen''] NZZ Folio vom 7. Oktober 2010.</ref> and on a TV advertisement – for Axe deodorant (which is itself a revival of the advertisement originally aired in 2004)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BauTYOod9e4 |title=Lynx – Getting Dressed Commercial Song Israel Kamakawiwo'ole – Somewhere Over the Rainbow |publisher=YouTube |date=November 24, 2010 |accessdate=January 24, 2011}}</ref> – it hit #1 on the [[List of number-one hits of 2010 (Germany)|German singles chart]], was the number one seller single of 2010<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.gfk-entertainment.com/news/musik-jahrescharts-sanfter-riese-und-der-graf-setzen-sich-durch.html |title=Musik-Jahrescharts: 'Sanfter Riese' und der Graf setzen sich durch – media control |trans_title=Music charts of the year: 'Gentle giant' and der Graf |language=de |work=media-control.de| date=January 6, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107110045/http://www.gfk-entertainment.com/news/musik-jahrescharts-sanfter-riese-und-der-graf-setzen-sich-durch.html |archivedate=January 7, 2011 |accessdate=January 23, 2014}}</ref> and was eventually certified 2× Platinum in 2011.<ref>{{Cite certification|region=Germany|title=Over the Rainbow|artist=Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole|type=single}}</ref>

At the world premiere of The Healer (http://www.thehealer-film.com/) at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis (October 24, 2016) "Over the Rainbow" was again featured.

As of November 1, 2010, "Over the Rainbow" peaked at No. 6 on the OE3 Austria charts, which largely reflect airplay on Austria's government-operated Top 40 radio network.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://charts.orf.at/oe3/single/2010/woche42 |title=oe3.ORF.at / woche 42/2010 |publisher=Charts.orf.at |accessdate=January 24, 2011}}</ref> It also peaked at No.1 in France and Switzerland in late December 2010.

His rendition of "Over the Rainbow" is often used as [[bumper music]] on the overnight radio show ''[[Coast to Coast AM]]''.

==Discography==

===Albums===

====Studio albums====
* ''[[Ka ʻAnoʻi]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Facing Future]]'' (1993)
* ''[[E Ala E]]'' (1995)
* ''[[N Dis Life]]'' (1996)

==== Compilation albums ====
* ''[[Iz in Concert: The Man and His Music]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Alone in IZ World]]'' (2001)
* ''[[Wonderful World (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole album)|Wonderful World]]'' (2009)
* ''[[Over the Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwoʻole album)|Over the Rainbow]]'' (2011)

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
*{{cite book
| last =Carroll
| first =Rick
| title =IZ: Voice of the people
| publisher = [[Bess Press]]
| location = Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
| year = 2006
| isbn = 978-1-57306-257-2
| oclc =71325451
}}
*{{cite book
| last =Kois
| first =Dan
| title =Facing Future
| publisher = [[Continuum International Publishing Group]]
| series = [[33⅓]]
| location = New York
| year = 2010
| isbn = 9780826429056
| url = http://site.ebrary.com/lib/alltitles/docDetail.action?docID=10427088
| oclc = 676695887
}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0436377}}
*[http://www.izhawaii.com/ Mountain Apple Record Company's Official Israel Kamakawiwoʻole Site]
*video: {{YouTube|V1bFr2SWP1I|"Somewhere over the Rainbow"}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamakawiwoole, Israel}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:Native Hawaiian musicians]]
[[Category:American male singers]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Hawaii]]
[[Category:Native Hawaiian activists]]
[[Category:American ukulele players]]
[[Category:Singers from Hawaii]]
[[Category:Converts to Christianity]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:Mountain Apple Company artists]]
[[Category:Na Hoku Hanohano Award winners]]

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole - Revision history

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