In Rotation

Forgotten songs and forgotten artists on a forgotten medium… …

One of the cornerstones of Ho`olohe Hou Radio’s educational mission is its library of important dates in Hawaiian music history – the births and passings of entertainment legends, major show openings, historic concerts and festivals, recording sessions and record releases. That database is only bolstered by creator/host Bill Wynne’s exhaustive memory as he has been living Hawaiian music for over 40 years and can immediately put his fingers on a sound recording or video of…

Ho`olohe Hou Radio was founded primarily not for entertainment’s sake but, rather, as a serious preservation effort. Over more than 40 years creator/host Bill Wynne has amassed a jaw-dropping Hawaiian music collection spanning 1904 to present day and comprising more than 25,000 recordings – many one-of-a-kind as they were shared with him from the private collections of Hawai`i’s legendary musicians themselves because they appreciate Wynne’s love of all things Hawaiian and his sincere desire to…

“Hu`e Mana`o” might be translated as “let thoughts fly.” Noted Maui-born musician/composer Cody “Pueo” Pata named this segment in which Ho`olohe Hou Radio creator/host Bill Wynne discusses the finer points of Hawaiian music and its origins in and relationship with music from around the world. As a performer, despite specializing in Hawaiian music for over 40 years and demonstrating proficiency in steel guitar, slack key guitar, `ukulele, and falsetto singing, Wynne has also studied and…

Those unfamiliar with Hawaiian music and who may be hearing it for the first time often fall in love with one or more aspects of what makes Hawaiian unique – the steel guitar, slack key guitar, `ukulele, or falsetto singing and the unique harmonies that style promotes. And those just beginning to amass a collection of Hawaiian music CDs or MP3s may wonder what the quintessential recordings might be. What are the must-hear falsetto or…

Any mention of Hawaii Calls by Ho`olohe Hou Radio creator/host Bill Wynne should be considered ironic as he would be the first to admit that he did not appreciate the sounds of this radio program as a child when it was a favorite of his father. It took many years for Wynne to gain an appreciation for these old school sounds of a bygone era in Hawai`i’s entertainment history, and at some point, it became…

Some Hawai`i locals may recall that one of the most popular radio programs of the 1960s was “Waikiki After Dark” for which a local radio station went out to one of the popular Waikiki hotspots and caught legendary Hawaiian entertainers at their most raw – live on stage. Now Ho`olohe Hou Radio helps you unwind from a hard week’s worth every Friday evening by recreating that era in Hawai`i’s entertainment history with a live recording…

Perhaps already known as the hallmark of Ho`olohe Hou Radio’s educational mission since its launch not all that long ago is a segment which airs almost daily – whenever a notable event in Hawaiian music crosses creator/host Bill Wynne’s mind. In “This Day In Hawaiian Music History,” Wynne celebrates the anniversary of the births and passings of Hawai`i entertainment legends, major show openings, historic concerts and festivals, and landmark recording sessions and record releases. Wynne…

“Mele” is the Hawaiian language word for “song” – or even more specifically the song lyric. In “The Mele Minute,” Ho`olohe Hou Radio creator/host Bill Wynne celebrates the unique art of Hawaiian songwriting by discussing composers – the famous and the forgotten – and the aspects of their poetry that makes each songwriter special and each song unique. Wynne also translates quintessential verses of those songs written in the Hawaiian language – dissecting the unique…

Translated as “The Hawaiian Music Detective” (and so named by famed Hawaiian musician and composer Cody “Pueo” Pata), in “Ka Makākiu Mele Hawai`i” Ho`olohe Hou Radio host/creator Bill Wynne tackles long held myths and misconceptions about Hawaiian music – artists, composers, songs, recordings – as well as many a mystery that has gone forever unexplored. Who is the mystery steel guitarist on that album? Who were the backing singers on that track? Who really wrote…