I wrote this to be sung a cappella.  The arrangement for 4-part harmony was by Rob Hartley of the Sounds of Aloha Barbershop Chorus, and I sing it with backup vocals were by Rob's award-winning Sugar Cane Express quartet.

Merry Christmas One & All

Tribute to those who gave their lives on Dec. 7, 1941, in the attack on Pearl Harbor.  It was premiered at the 50th anniversary of that attack and was the theme song for the Aloha Bowl half-time show at Aloha Stadium on Christmas Day 1991.

We Still Care, the Pearl Harbor Commemorative Song

He Pa`ipunahele no Tenno Heika is the first song ever written to honor the Emperor of Japan, Tenno Heika (known outside Japan as Emperor Akihito, the 125th "ruler" of the 2500-year old Empire.

He Pa`ipunahele no Tenno Heika

a tribute to the U. S. Marines, the Leathernecks, the Devil Dogs.

Whisper 'Semper Fi,' the Ballad of The Leatherneck

Cease Fire, A Christmas Song

The first (1979) and only recording ever of "Ku`u Home Lunalilo," written for that residence by Joseph "Wiki Bird" Halemanu, when he lived at the home for Hawaiians.  On Sunday, Jan. 27, Keith & Carmen with pakini master Frank Uehara will accompany Anna "Mama" Cazimero, a Lunalilo Home Resident, as the song is danced by Kanoe Cazimero in the Ali`i Sunday celebration at Kawaiaha`o Church in Honolulu.

Ku`u Home Lunalilo

Here's the First Place winner in the Friends of the Royal Hawaiian Band's 1993 Ho`okuku Mele, songwriting contest for new Hawaiian lyric songs about the overthrow of 1893.  It is called "I Ka La `Apopo" and says "sovereignty will return tomorrow."

01 I Ka la 'Apopo

Today, as we all remember Iwo Jima, please take time to listen to the late U.S. Senator Dan Inouye, a Medal of Honor recipient, as he narrates Keith Haugen's tribute called "Whisper 'Semper Fi,' The Ballad of The Leatherneck."

Whisper 'Semper Fi,' The Ballad of The Leatherneck

This was only the second recording (1978) of a beautiful love song written by the Rev. William Maka`ehu of Nawiliwili,Kaua`i. It is on our "Chasing Rainbows" Pumehana Records LP.  The first was by Dottie Kalima.  Although we know her name, we never tell anyone for whom the song was written and once, her daughter was in our audience and thanked us for not mentioning her name.  Some things are best left unsaid.

Ali`ipoe

This song, written to the same (almost) melody as my "Mokupuni Nui," was  part of my final exam in a fourth-year Hawaiian language class at the UH-M.  It tells of Kawelo, who, with a single stroke of his paddle sailed over the waves from Kaua`i to O`ahu. His second stroke took him to Kahuku, a pela aku.  We recorded this on our  "Na Mele Hawai`i Punahele" CD in 2002.  Everyone knows the melody thanks to Led Ka`apana (who recorded it 3 times on 3 different CDs, 3 different labels) and others who have recorded that original use of the melody as a Big Island song. 

11 Ho'okahi Mapuna Hoe

"Chasing Rainbows" was the title cut of our 1979 Pumehana Records release.  It was chosen by a curriculum committee at the UH-M and was included in a 2nd grade music book, and taught to thousands of children in public schools throughout Hawai`i nei.  Backup vocals are by The Waimanalo Keikis, a popular childrens recording group from Blanch Pope Elementary School. This song has been used in many Lei Day programs.

Chasing Rainbows

"Yes, We Remember" is a companion song to "We Still Care, The Pearl Harbor Commemorative Song."  I wrote this to be narrated and :U.S. Senator Daniel K.Inouye agreed to do the narration. Then I asked Bob Nelson to compose and perform the background music.  I gave Bob the Inouye vocal track and only asked that somewhere in the music bed he include "TAPS."  Both the narration and the piano accompaniment (albeit, added after the fact) are just perfect.

Yes, We Remember


"We Still Care, the Pearl Harbor Commemorative Song," was written to mark the 50th anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl.  Backup vocals are by the Sounds of Aloha Barbershop Chorus.  We premiered the song as part of the anniversary ceremonies at Pearl, and performed it on Dec 7 events in the years that followed -- at the Arizona Memorial and other venues.   

While everyone is still talking about the 50th annual Merrie Monarch Festival and the upcoming (July) King Kamehameha Hula Competition, here's a hula tune I think you will enjoy.  It is called "E Hula Mai `Oe" and was written by Agnes Kimura (melody) and Keith Haugen (lyrics). Who hasn't watched lovely dancer and had these ideas?  It is sung here by Agnes, Japan's top slack-key guitarist, Hawaiian music recording artist, and `ukulele virtuoso/teacher.

hakumele

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