Portal:Hawaii/Selected biography/8

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole

Israel "Bruddah Iz" Kamakawiwoʻole (May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997) (pronounced IPA [kamakaʋiwoˈʔole]) was a musician who lived in Hawaiʻi until his death at the age of 38.

He became famous outside Hawaiʻi when his album Facing Future was released in 1993 with his medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World", which was subsequently featured in several films, television programs, and television commercials.

Kamakawiwoʻole was nicknamed "The Gentle Giant" by his admirers. He was described as always cheerful and positive, and he was best known for his love of the land and of the people of Hawaiʻi. Through his consummate ʻukulele playing and incorporation of other idioms (such as jazz and reggae), Iz remains one of the major influences in Hawaiian music over the last 15 years. _{For the full article, click here.}