Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
American musician and singer (1959–1997) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Israel Kamakawiwo'ole?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole[lower-alpha 1] (May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997), also called Braddah IZ or just simply IZ, was a Native Hawaiian musician and singer. He achieved commercial success and popularity outside of Hawaii with his 1993 studio album, Facing Future. His medley of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" was released on his albums Ka ʻAnoʻi and Facing Future, and was subsequently featured in various media. The song has had 358 weeks on top of the World Digital Songs chart, making it the longest-leading number-one hit on any of the Billboard song charts. Kamakawiwoʻole is regarded as one of the greatest musicians from Hawaii and is the most successful musician from the state.[2][3]
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole | |
---|---|
Born | Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole (1959-05-20)May 20, 1959 |
Died | June 26, 1997(1997-06-26) (aged 38) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1976–1997 |
Children | 1 |
Musical career | |
Genres | |
Instrument(s) |
|
Labels | Mountain Apple Company |
Along with his ukulele playing and incorporation of other genres, such as jazz and reggae, Kamakawiwoʻole remains influential on Hawaiian music.[4] He was named "The Voice of Hawai‘i" by NPR in 2010.[5]