NO MORE DON HO SHOW

Marlene and I took the opportunity to see the Don Ho show in Honolulu in 2003. Glad we did. We won’t be able to see it again. The great entertainer died from heart failure April 14th at age 76. So many great entertainers have left the scene. To mention a few: Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Jimmy Durante, and scores of others – and now Don Ho.

For the benefit of younger readers, Don Ho was possibly the biggest singing star ever of Hawaiian entertainment, with a wide following of fans throughout the nation. Few people in my generation traveled to Hawaii without seeing his show. Don Ho’s most famous songs were “Tiny Bubbles” ("Tiny bubbles/in the wine/make me happy/make me feel fine.") and my favorite “Pearly Shells.” I remember Don Ho’s show as a relaxing evening of good music, laid back self-deprecating humor. His style was not very hip by today’s raunchy standards, but was nice to be entertained by good music not cacophony.

The photo shows my wife Marlene with Don. After the show, he was very generous in allowing fans to have their pictures taken with him. Many years previously her mother Edith Wagner also enjoyed the Don Ho show.