Hawaii Don Ho Biography

Arguably one of the most famous Hawaiians of all time, Mr. Hawaii himself, Don Ho, became a household name around the country in the 1960's and 1970's. He was often seen in guest spots on television or singing on one of the variety shows of the day, but what he really loved to do was sing for the tourists in Hawaii.

Honey's in Kaneohe

Don Ho came home from the Air Force in 1959, and his Mom was not doing well health-wise. He went to work in the family's bar and restaurant business, which was named for Mom, Emily "Honey" Ho. His official job was doing whatever needed to be done. But, he also brought along a new electric keyboard that he'd picked up in California, and started playing songs and singing for the patrons. Soon, there were lines wrapping around the building with people wanting to hear Don Ho sing.

In those days, Honey's was party central and Don Ho spent time on stage and in the kitchen washing dishes. As his star continued to rise, the Kaneohe location on the windward
His music was simple, and his shows were raucous and fun for everyone. Soon, he caught the attention of recording-industry types and ended up signing on.

Nationwide success

Don's debut album in 1965 was Don Ho Show; it was very well-received and soon he was playing in places like Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas and New York City. The following year, he released another album, this one called Don Ho - Again!, that contained the song that he is still known by to this day - "Tiny Bubbles". That song cemented his legend and charted for nearly a year. He went on to lots of guest appearances on the most popular television shows of the time - Charlie's Angels, McCloud, Fantasy Island, The Brady Bunch and I Dream of Jeannie. He also hosted his own variety program in 1976 and 1977, the Don Ho Show.
Personal life and