The Uncle In Me
One of the most asked questions in the last few years at The Mountain Apple Company is "what is Willie K really like---who is he, really?" Years ago, when he charged on the Hawaiian music scene, everyone was talking about this overnight success story. In the entertainment business an overnight success sometimes takes decades of hard work and sacrifice. That more accurately reflects Willie K's story.Raised on Maui, Willie experienced the music business first hand. His father, one of the most respected Hawaiian musicians, recruited Willie by the age of 11 to play in his band. It was at the age of ten that the family moved from Oahu to Maui, and to make new friends fast, Willie picked up the ukulele and began to play. His father taught him vibes and bass. He continues to master instruments in the same manner. Jon de Mello quips, "If Willie doesn't know how to play an instrument you'd like to have on the recording, hand him the instrument, go to lunch, and when you return from your meal, Willie will have mastered the instrument and is ready to record".  By his high school graduation, Willie was playing in as many as 8 bands--country and western, salsa, rhythm and blues and he had discovered Santana and Jimi Hendrix. A few years later he moved to San Francisco determined to make it in the music scene.The Hawaiian community in California discovered Willie when he opened for groups such as C&K.; Frustrated by the scene in San Francisco, Willie moved back to Maui where he performed solo for the next few years. He pondered his options and again with renewed determination, focused on recording an album of his own. His first three albums changed the direction of contemporary Hawaiian music. He swept up Hoku Awards from the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts and continued to record for a new company, Round Island Records. After two more recording efforts and once again discouraged by the business, he took a break from recording his own music and hooked up with a new talent, Amy Hanaiali'i. He has produced three albums with Amy for The Mountain Apple Company. He earned more Hoku Awards for his efforts when Amy's albums won Album of the Year, Female Vocalist, Song of the Year and Hawaiian Album of the Year awards.