DAVID KANUI


For many years it was erroneously thought that David was the Kanui in the Kanui & Lula partnership. This, however, was completely false and you can read the true story in Aloha Dreams written by Colin Bolton and Les Cook ( write to Basil and see if he has back issues) a while back .

In brief, David Kanui left Hawaii and settled on the mainland sometime prior to 1915. He enjoyed success as a  steel guitarist, even playing on a Jimmie Rodgers session, before WW2 , publishing his own method book in the 20s although he didn't record in his own name until 1946 for Continental.

For many years David was a regular in clubs and restaurants around New York and New Jersey, and later Pennslyvania,  usually with his wife Evalyn and billed as Ewalani's Hawaiians. Evalyn also played steel guitar.

Here are a few photos of David and Evalyn , kindly loaned by their daughter Ewalani