February 2012 – The Official Site of Israel IZ Kamakawiwo`ole

February 29, 2012

IZ Facebook passed the 50k fan mark!

IZ’s Facebook just surpassed 50,000 fans/likes over the weekend!! 🙂 A HUGE mahalo to all the fans, new and old, from Hawaii and around the world, for all your support! IZ would be so proud. And keep IZ’s spirit going and continue to share his music! We’ll be at 100,000 fans in no time!

IZ featured in ARC Music catalog

Aloha UK fans! If you receive ARC Music’s mail order catalog, you’ll see none other than IZ’s Facing Future on the cover for Spring 2012! ARC Music boasts the largest and finest selection of World and Folk music, and we’re so happy they chose Facing Future and 50 Greatest Hawaii Albums of All Time as featured titles!

E Ala E

This song was composed by IZ’s dear friend, Leo Anderson Akana. IZ found it inspiring and wanted to record it. Jon de Mello decided that it was the perfect song and had the perfect addition… a recording of Hawaiians chanting from some of the observations of the 100th Anniversary of the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani. E Ala E continues as an anthem to the Hawaiian people as they acquire proper recognition as the indigenous people of Hawaii.

E Ala E is available on IZ’s album of the same name!

White Sandy Beach

From the first album we worked on with IZ, he insisted on doing a favorite of his, White Sandy Beach. IZ told us that a man named “Willie Dan” was the composer, but Mountain Apple Company could not find the publisher or composer, despite looking high and low. It was about a decade after IZ’s passing that “Willie Dan” finally contacted us. One of the reasons that we couldn’t find him was that “Willie Dan” was a pen name for his compositions!

Anyway, we were finally able to connect with the composer, and now Mountain Apple Company is the publisher of this great Hawaiian song. Even though IZ never got to know “Willie Dan” we’re sure he’s happy that their collaboration continues to bring joy all over the world.

White Sandy Beach is available on IZ’s album Facing Future!