Sol Hoʻopiʻi

Sol Hoopii (* 1902 in Honolulu, Hawaii Territory, as Solomon Ho'opi'i Ka'ai'ai, † November 16, 1953 ) was an American singer and musician, considered one of the most successful performers of Hawaiian music of the 20th century is considered. He mixed traditional Hawaiian music often with blues and jazz elements. Due to his virtuoso way, he influenced many other musicians, not only in the field of Hawaiian music. His solos were copied from American country musicians even into the 1950s into it.

Life

Sol Hoopii was born in Honolulu, where he also grew up. He was the youngest of 21 children of the parents. In 1919 Hoopii pulled over a freighter on the North American mainland. He first lived in San Francisco, but moved to Los Angeles later. There he joined with his Novelty Trio in bars and clubs like the Hula Hutt and the Seven Seas. Due to the increasing popularity of Hawaiian music he got the opportunity to record vinyl LPs. In the following years he took over 200 plates, most of them in Los Angeles, and advanced to the famous Hawaiian musicians of the 1920s and 1930s. He first played an acoustic Martin Hawaiian guitar and later an electric Rickenbacker guitar. It was called the king of the steel guitar. Meanwhile, he also appeared in many movies, such as in Waikiki Wedding from 1937, in which he played with Bing Crosby. From 1938 he devoted himself to gospel music. Until his death in 1953 Hoopii took on more plates.

Sol Hoopii died on 16 November 1953 at the age of 51 years. Hoopii was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame posthumously in 1979.

Publications

• Master of the Hawaiian Guitar, Vol 1 and Vol.2
• Classic Hawaiian Steel Guitar Performances 1933-1934
• Sol Hoopii in Hollywood
• King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar by Sol Hoopii