Joseph Kekuku facts for kids
Joseph Kekuku (1874–1932) was a famous musician. Many people believe he invented the steel guitar. This special guitar makes a unique sliding sound.
Contents
Joseph Kekuku's Life Story
Joseph Kekuku was born in a village called Lāʻie. This village is on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaii. His full name was Joseph Kekuku’upenakana’iaupuniokamehameha.
When Joseph was 15, he went to a boarding school. He and his cousin, Sam Nainoa, moved to Honolulu for school. In 1889, Joseph was at the Kamehameha School for Boys. There, he accidentally found the amazing sound of the steel guitar.
How the Steel Guitar Sound Was Discovered
Joseph was walking with his old Spanish guitar. He saw a rusty bolt on the ground and picked it up. As he held it, the bolt touched a guitar string. It made a new, pleasing sound!
After this, Joseph practiced with the metal bolt. Then he tried using the back of a pocket-knife. He also used the back of a steel comb. Later, he used a smooth steel bar. This is very much like what steel guitar players use today.
Performing Around the World
In 1904, Joseph was 30 years old. He left Hawaii and never returned. He began performing in vaudeville theaters across the United States. Vaudeville was a popular type of show with many different acts.
Joseph's group was called "Kekuku's Hawaiian Quintet." They were sponsored by a group called "The Affiliated."
In 1919, Joseph left the U.S. for Europe. He toured there for eight years with "The Bird of Paradise" show. This show started on Broadway and was very popular in Europe. "The Bird of Paradise" was so famous that it became a movie in 1932 and again in 1951. Joseph Kekuku was not in either film.
Joseph eventually came back to the United States. When he was 53, he settled in Chicago. He ran a very successful music school there. In 1932, Joseph lived in Dover, New Jersey. He gave Hawaiian guitar lessons with his wife.
Joseph Kekuku's Legacy
On January 16, 1932, Joseph Kekuku passed away. He was 58 years old. He died in Morristown, New Jersey, from a stroke. Joseph Kekuku is buried in the Orchard Street Cemetery.
In 1993, Joseph Kekuku received a great honor. He was added to the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. He was recognized as the inventor of the Hawaiian steel guitar. In 2015, a statue of him was put up. You can see it at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii.
