Willie K

Born and raised in a family of musicians in Lahaina, Hawaii, Willie began performing at the age of 8 alongside his father, Hawaiian jazz guitarist Manu Kahaialiʻi.^[3][4]

In 1993, Willie began a collaboration with Amy Hānaialiʻi Gilliom that would last for nine years. The pair recorded, performed, and toured together, and also shared a personal relationship.^[5] Their recordings won seven Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, part of Willie's total of 19 Hokus as a musician and producer.^[6][7]

In 2005, Willie's reunion album with Gilliom, Amy & Willie Live, was nominated for a Grammy in the first year of the Best Hawaiian Music Album award.^[8]

In 2007, Willie K became one of very few artists to win a Hoku as part of three different acts – his collaboration with Eric Gilliom called "Barefoot Natives" won Best Contemporary Hawaiian Album, in addition to wins already achieved with Amy and as a solo artist.^[9]

Willie K played many different genres of music including Hawaiian music, blues, rock, opera, and Cachi Cachi music.^[10][11]

In February 2018, Willie K was diagnosed with lung cancer and promptly canceled upcoming performances in Honolulu.^[12] In April 2019, Willie announced via his Facebook page that he was undergoing immunotherapy.^[6]

In January 2020, in a video posted to Facebook, Willie announced that his cancer was at the terminal stage. He made the video after a concert at Blue Note Hawaii in Waikiki. He stated that his "spirits remained high during the concert," which was supposed to be only a 90-minute set, but lasted for two hours. "The crowd deserved it," he said.^[13]

Willie K died at age 59 on May 18, 2020.^[14][15][16]