Don Ho, the iconic entertainer, was synonymous with Hawaii and its laid-back charm. He delighted thousands of tourists for nearly five decades, earning the nickname "goodwill ambassador" of the "Aloha State".
Born on August 13, 1930, in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako, Don was one of nine children with a mixed ethnic heritage. He was a high school football star and later attended Springfield College in Massachusetts, but chronically homesick, he returned to Hawaii by year's end.
At the University of Hawaii, Don earned a BA in sociology and then served as a fighter pilot in the Air Force, being honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in 1959. His parents owned a cocktail lounge, Honey's, where he formed a band to entertain customers, which soon became a hotspot.
Don's success led to bigger gigs at hotels in Honolulu, and he developed his signature laid-back style, which included easy banter and talented musicians. Reprise Records signed him, and he released popular live albums, including "The Don Ho Show" and "Don Ho--Again!".
His signature song, "Tiny Bubbles", became a hit, reaching number 8 on the Billboard charts, and he went on to perform at top nightclubs across the nation, breaking attendance records. He also had his own ABC daytime comedy-variety show, "The Don Ho Show", and made frequent guest appearances on TV shows like "I Dream of Jeannie", "Batman", and "Charlie's Angels".
Although his popularity waned in the 1980s and 1990s, Don remained a beloved figure in Hawaii, and he continued to perform at the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, teaching tourists about Hawaiian culture and traditions. He died of heart failure at age 76 on April 14, 2007, leaving behind a legacy as a true icon of Hawaiian entertainment.
