Uncle Willie K at Kimos (Opera 7/25/10)

what a gifted guitar and ukalele player from maui, Willie can play any kind of music Da kine! aloha

Raised on Maui, Willie Kahaiali'i (a.k.a.Willie K.) has been playing music and entertaining audiences since the age of 10. His father Manu Kahaiali'i, one of Hawaii's most respected musicians, recruited Willie and his brothers to perform in his band. From the very beginning, Willie was influenced by and exposed to a myriad of musical genres; from the Hawaiian, Jazz, and early R&B he heard at his father's side, to the sounds emanating from the radio and TV from musical giants such as B.B. King, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and Willie Nelson. It is no wonder why Willie has evolved into such an eclectic and charismatic singer/songwriter/entertainer. By his high school graduation, Willie was playing in as many as 8 bands from country and western, salsa, rhythm and blues, rock, and of course Hawaiian!

The renown Hawaiian musical artist known as Uncle Willie K. was brought up in Lahaina, Maui, as William Awihilima Kahaiali'i. He became a force on the musical scene in the islands in the year of 1990. He had what is called a top notch musical "pedigree" as his father Manu Kahaiali'i was a famous and respected Hawaiian musician. Willie K. started out as a young boy playing with his brothers in a local band headed by his father. By the time he was in his teenage years, he played with a number of small bands in and around his home in Lahaina. After his school years he tried his hand at making it as a musician on the mainland, mostly in the San Francisco area. Willie's time in San Francisco was a time of learning how to present his talent and developing his unique style. He returned to his roots after a few years on the mainland and brought back with him a new determination to be true to his talent.