DEC4 Podcast (Clip): Aloha From Hawaii - Wayne Harada's Reviews, Eddie Sherman and the Kui Lee Benefit
With Gary Wells
In this clip from our podcast series taking a deep dive into Elvis' January 1973 satellite concert broadcast, Aloha From Hawaii, our leading contributor Gary Wells (www.soulrideblog.com) joins us to discuss Wayne Harada's review of Elvis' Hawaiian shows in late 1972, as well as local entertainment writer Eddie Sherman's charitable initiative, the Kui Lee Cancer Fund.
Find the complete playlist here (SoundCloud) or wherever you get your podcasts. There are also associated articles in our Substack archive and at dec4podcast.com
Wayne Harada is an entertainment writer, who in the 1970s was a leading reporter for the Honolulu Advertiser. He wrote with great enthusiasm about Elvis' performances in Hawaii, and penned possibly the definitive review of the Aloha From Hawaii concert. The line, 'A thrilling compact hour, long on music, loud on screams' has been widely quoted, including by leading Elvis biographer Peter Guralnick.
Elvis had also played three shows in Honolulu in November, 1972, which Wayne Harada also reviewed;
"...Elvis Presley remains one of the most electrifying showbiz marvels - an incandescent musical force who's a legend in his own time. And the 26,000 fans who took in his three sellouts at the H.I.C. Arena over the weekend will long remember Presley's mystique, the charisma and that indelible animal magnetism that combined to make him a Big Leaguer nearly two decades ago... when he hits that stage, there's no denying. Elvis is a champ, the king of rock, a living American myth..."
Harada was one of a minority of concert reviewers who appreciated the talents of warm-up comedian, Jackie Kahane;
"...Comic Jackie Kahane turned out to be a pleasant opening surprise. His gags are witty, timely, and above all, clean. And unlike so many others, Kahane quits when he's ahead, never overstaying his welcome..."
Reviewing the January 14th, 1973, satellite broadcast show, he described the Honolulu International Centre (with reduced capacity to accommodate the broadcast equipment) as a 'supersized TV studio' with camera crews everywhere, "on stage, in the aisles, in the audience, zooming in on Presley and his breakthrough performance."
"...Perhaps only a phenomenon like Presley could pull off such a coup, at such a wicked showgoing time - 12.30 am curtain, Hawaii time - yet draw a full house..."
He referred to the show as 'smartly paced and packaged to suit all camps in the Presley following', noting the effective blending of older songs and later hits.
(The setlist had been put together by Elvis, Red West and Charlie Hodge).
The inclusion of local musicians in the orchestra was noted with appreciation, as was Kui Lee's ballad, I'll Remember You, and the fact that the gate was a benefit for the cancer research charity in his name;
"...For the Hawaii audience, his I'll Remember You vocal easily was the most sentimental. The Presley version retained the Hawaiian flavour, but also capitalized on the International scope of the tune; it easily could emerge as Presley's next No. 1 hit..."
"...Yesterday's show reaffirms Presley's and manager Col. Tom Parker's philanthropic fondness for Hawaii. Like the enduring nature of Kui Lee's music, the incandescence of Presley is incomparable..."
At a press conference from the Rainbow Rib Room of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, it was announced that the live concert gate would benefit the Kui Lee cancer fund, at the suggestion of local entertainment writer Eddie Sherman, also present at the press conference, and who had actually started the charity through the medical faculty at the University of Hawaii.
“…I had started the Kui Lee Cancer Fund, through my column, for a doctor at the University of Hawaii doing cancer research. Lee was the legendary songwriter who died of cancer at 34. In the TV concert, Elvis sang Kui’s most famous tune, I’ll Remember You, to millions of global viewers. Thanks to Elvis and Col. Tom Parker, his manager, I received, for the fund, a check for $75,000 from the live concert gate…The audience was allowed in via their own contributions. Some kids saw the show for only 10 cents. Next day, Elvis and the Colonel took out full-page newspaper ads thanking Hawaii…” (From Eddie Sherman’s obituary in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
Additional background to the podcast series can be found in our archive here, or at dec4podcast.com.
Very special thanks to all our readers and listeners, Gary Wells, to Detlef Wolff and Gainesville, and to Steve Collins.