The Life and Legacy of “The Golden Voice of Hawai‘i”

By Jeffrey Apaka

Alfred Apaka, Jr., came from Hawaiian royalty. His great-aunt, Lydia Aholo, was an educator and the hanai daughter of Queen Lydia Lili‘uokalani. Apaka’s father, Alfred, Sr., was himself anaccomplished musician and later recorded with his son for Capitol Records; his son, Jeffrey, is also a musician.

Alfred Junior’s great talent eventually landed him a spot as a featured singer on the famed “Hawai‘i Calls” radio broadcasts - and then came regular shows with the Moana Serenaders at Waikīkī’s Moana Hotel. From there, he moved to Don the Beachcomber’s where, in 1952, Bob Hope “discovered” him. Appearances on Ed Sullivan’s prestigious “Talk of The Town” and “The Dinah Shore Show” followed, giving national television exposure for both Apaka’s golden voice and for Hawai‘i.

George Kanahele, a critical observer of Hawaiian music later wrote, “Alfred Apaka possessed one of the most remarkable voices to ever come out of Hawai‘i.”