It’s one of those songs that has lived in my memory ever since I first heard it back in the early 1990s. The information superhighway known as the Internet had not yet made everything readily accessible, so back then I couldn’t find out much about the artist whose rendition of a well-known song was so brilliantly soul touching.

Occasionally I would hear it on the radio; there was something special about this new and remarkable rendition of a hit made famous by Judy Garland back in the 1930s. FolkWorks readers, you are now probably thinking “I know exactly who that is” or, in other words, “That’s Iz!”

Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole, also known in his native Hawai’i as Bruddah Iz, became a global sensation with his iconic rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” a song originally written by Harold Arlen for the musical film “The Wizard of Oz.” Accompanied only by Iz himself on a traditional acoustic ukulele,  the song began as a simple recording made on short notice when a friend called Milan Bertosa, a recording engineer, from a bar at 2:30 AM; Bertosa brought over the equipment and recorded the song in just one take.

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” became a popular favorite whenever Iz performed locally.  Coincidently, in 1993, Milan Bertosa happened to be working with the record company where Iz was recording a solo album and convinced the producer to listen to Bertosa’s recording. As a result, the album “Facing Future” included the song, as a medley with Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” The album went platinum and became one of Hawai’i’s highest-selling records ever. And while the general population was only beginning to explore the Internet, this new medium helped this iconic song to become a global sensation. It also helped that the song was licensed for use in commercials, film, and television.

Bruddah Iz was a vocal supporter of Hawaiian rights and independence. On the same album, he recorded the song ” “Hawai’i 78” which also became extremely popular, particularly among Hawaiians, with lyrics such as “All the fighting that the King had done, to conquer all these islands, now these condominiums, how would he feel if he saw Hawai’i nei?”

Tragically, Iz died of respiratory failure due to multiple medical issues related to obesity on June 26, 1997. Thousands attended his funeral, the traditional scattering of ashes in the ocean. And, the state flag was flown at half-staff.  A special tribute video was made of the event, with audio of his solo ukulele version of Over the Rainbow:

A true Hawaiian treasure may be gone, but his music and sprit will live on forever.

For more information:

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole: The Voice Of Hawaii