Who's the player - Harry Kaapuni & His Royal Polynesians

[Brad Bechtel]

I received a mail from someone asking if I knew who the steel player was for Harry Kaapuni and His Royal Polynesians (sometimes called the Royal Hawaiians). I have no idea personally, but I thought someone on this forum might know.

Thanks in advance!

[Mitch Drumm]

Brad:

He is probably referring to one of those LPs on budget labels like Crown. I think they have been discussed before and I think Bernie Kaai (Bernie Kaai Lewis) is on at least some of them. Great stuff.

[Bill Wynne]

Brad:

He is probably referring to one of those LPs on budget labels like Crown. I think they have been discussed before and I think Bernie Kaai (Bernie Kaai Lewis) is on at least some of them. Great stuff.

Maybe... Maybe not. The artist on the Crown label LPs is Sam Kaapuni. On those LPs (most under the group name "The Polynesians"), the steeler can be any of a number of great players: Bernie Kaai, Freddie Tavares, Ernie Tavares, Sam Koki, or Bernie Nichols.

I have one or two albums by Harry Kaapuni. These are on the Diplomat label. I will have to take a listen when I get home. Of course, I am doubting my ability to identify the player by ear after potentially misidentifying the steeler on Sterling Mossman's "Happy In Hawaii." (see related thread)

[Eddie Cunningham]

If that Harry K. record is on a "Coronet" or "Diplomat" label L.P. with Harbor Lights, Drowsy Waters, Red Sails in the Sunset ,To You Sweetheart Aloha and several original songs we made up, it was me on steel !!! I recorded that back in 1958 at Ace Recording Studio in Boston with a bunch of Country musicians , we had done a cover of top ten Country songs and then we did the Hawaiian L.P. . They came out on Coronet and Diplomat labels and were sold in the 5 & Dime stores !! They just put any name on the jacket, we never got any name credits on any of those records !! Hope this info helps !! Eddie "C" ( the old non-pedal geezer )

[Bill Wynne]

If that Harry K. record is on a "Coronet" or "Diplomat" label L.P. with Harbor Lights, Drowsy Waters, Red Sails in the Sunset ,To You Sweetheart Aloha and several original songs we made up, it was me on steel !!! I recorded that back in 1958 at Ace Recording Studio in Boston with a bunch of Country musicians , we had done a cover of top ten Country songs and then we did the Hawaiian L.P. . They came out on Coronet and Diplomat labels and were sold in the 5 & Dime stores !! They just put any name on the jacket, we never got any name credits on any of those records !! Hope this info helps !! Eddie "C" ( the old non-pedal geezer )

Holy crap! I love this forum. It makes it a much smaller world - at least for steelers!

Thanks for coming clean about this! I am looking forward to featuring you on my radio show - now that I can acknowledge the steeler!

(And let me know where you're playing next time I find myself in Northampton!)

[Brad Bechtel]

Thanks, Eddie! I've forwarded this discussion to the person who wrote me asking about it. I am not sure which record he was talking about, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was you!

[Eddie Cunningham]

Thanks guys !! It's hard to believe 50 years later that record turns up !! I used to wonder if any one ever bought those records we did back then , I played on maybe 10 or 12 L.P.s , mostly "TopTen Country Hits" covers. I did one other steel L.P. , "Sleepwalk Guitars" - "Dear Heart" under the names Dan & Dale on the Diplomat label , that was all semi-classical songs done in a "Sleepwalk" style , lots of slides and swoops , I don't know if anyone ever picked that one up . But thanks for the interest !! Eddie "C" ( the old non-pedal geezer )