C. E. Chambers

Photo of Mau'i is by C.E. Chambers Hawai'i

Keali’i Reichel was born in 1961 on Lahaina, Mau’i, and was raised on the island.  His birth name is Carleton Lewis Kealiʻinaniaimokuokalani Reichel.  He is one of Hawai’i’s most popular songwriter-singers who has won numerous awards, and consistently places on Billboard Magazine’s World Music and Heatseeker Charts.   He has opened for renowned singers like Celine Dion and Sting, and has performed at places like Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl.

His first name is pronounced Kay-ah-LEE-ee.  Ali’i refers to royalty and can mean a king or a queen, a chief or a chiefess.  Reichel “works to dispel long-held stereotypes of Hawai’i’s living culture and her indigenous people.”

Keali’i Reichel has many other accomplishments that are noted at his official website (Bio Two) and at Wikipedia.  (Most of the above information was obtained from these two websites.)

“Wanting Memories” is from the album titled Kawaipunahele that was released in 1994.  Dina Ely wrote an excellent review and it can be read here.  Most of the songs are in the Hawaiian language with liner notes in English.  (The second track is a Beatles’ song, “In My Life”, and “begins with a haunting Hawaiian chant.”)