104th Annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest to celebrate legendary falsetto singer
The 104th Annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest is this Friday night and this year, the students will be singing the music of falsetto legend, Bill Ali’iloa Lincoln. The 104th Annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest is set to celebrate legendary falsetto singer Bill Ali’iloa Lincoln. Known as ‘Hawaii’s falsetondo poet’, Lincoln's career spanned nearly eight decades. The students will be singing the music of Lincoln in the contest. Lorna Lim, a kumu hula performer from Kohala, is a Song Contest judge and descendant of Lincoln. Last month, students and teachers went to Kohala to visit with Lim and kupuna in the Lincoln ohana. They also saw the property in Honomaka’u where Lincoln's family home once stood.
Published : 2 months ago by Mahealani Richardson in Entertainment
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The 104th Annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest is this Friday night and this year, the students will be singing the music of falsetto legend, Bill Ali’iloa Lincoln.
Known as ‘Hawaii’s falsetto poet’, Lincoln’s musical career spanned nearly eight decades.
“Uncle was truly a prolific songwriter and a lot of the things that he wrote was about his hometown,” said Lorna Lim, a kumu hula, entertainer from Kohala, Song Contest judge and descendant of Lincoln.
“Just knowing that they’re going to bring to life these songs that were written years or years ago and bring it to life in this time in this era, is humbling, heartwarming,” she added.
Last month, Kamehameha teachers and students went on a huaka’i (trip) to Kohala to visit with Lim and kupuna in the Lincoln ohana. They also saw the property in Honomaka’u where Uncle Bill’s family home once stood.
“The trees, the ‘pua be still’ is still there and and so you can almost imagine how uncle saw the beauty of the place,” said Lim.
“Just to hear them honoring Uncle Bill brought tears to their eyes,” she added.
“He had a lot of aloha, and pride for his island of Hawaii, Moku o Keawe,” said Kahanuola Solatorio, Hawaiian language kumu and singer/songwriter in musical group, Keauhou.
He says says Lincoln inspires him with his own music.
“Uncle Bill has a really specific style and he sticks to the traditional two line, hula song, melody. You see a lot of his melody that you’re gonna see in some of this, just traditional hula songs,” said Solatorio.
Lincoln’s music takes people back to a different era and his extended ‘ohana is proud that its celebrated today.