The Uncle In Me

About the Artist
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.

Product Description
As a solo performer, Willie's music is an evolutionary consummate experience, and it is this music, his best music, that is presented on this new project. This CD, "The Uncle in Me", allows you to experience Willie's evolution...an evolution of heart and soul and remarkable talent...the music of Willie K.

Tracks:

You Ku'uipo
I Will Dance For You
My Moloka'i Woman
Good Morning
Katchi Katchi Music Makawao
Ho'okipa Surf Song
Here's My Heart
Spirits in the Wind
Waterfall
Love And Desire
North Shore Reggae Blues
Appleberry Hill

Album Description

As a solo performer, Willie's music is an evolutionary consummate experience, and it is this music, his best music, that is presented on this new project. This CD, "The Uncle in Me", allows you to experience Willie's evolution...an evolution of heart and soul and remarkable talent...the music of Willie K.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing talent.......2006-02-01

Willie K is a man with great talent. If he wanted to be on the mainland...he would be a household name. I think that the only reason he isn't as popular as Rob Thomas or Cake is because he's so happy on the islands. The Uncle in Me is a nice mix of Hawaiian music with traditional rock sounds, so if you aren't sure you're ready for Hawaiian music, this is a good choice.

Best of Willie K.......2003-12-28

I originally fell in love with Willie K's music on a trip to Hawaii. I bought a couple of his CD's to bring back to Wyoming with me. I listened to them as I walked, worked, and played. He had the ability to take you back to the islands that I love dearly. His music has so much to tell you and he has so much talent. Anytime a musician reaches out to the young and the old, he is in my books a great musician.

As Good As It Gets!.......2003-01-07

Willie K is a monster talent, and this is his greatest hits collection. A previous CD which is no longer in print contained almost all of these songs, and also the unbelievable Willie K rendition of Ho'onanea, sadly missing here.

Still, if you've never listened to Willie, or to Hawaiian music, this CD should knock your socks off. You Ku'uipo is a beautiful sweet love song, I Will Dance For You will make you dance, My Moloka'i Woman has the damndest jammin' ukulele solo you'll ever hear. Good Morning is a fine reggae song to start your day, Katchi Katchi Music Makawao, about the Puerto Rican music of America's oldest cowboy town, will definitely move your feet. Spirit In The Wind shows off Willie's kickass rock lead guitar. Waterfall is a powerful expansion of Jimi Hendrix's May This Be Love. There just simply isn't a mediocre song on here. It's all unbelievably good.

If you want to hear all Willie can do, try this CD. If you want to hear just his magnificent voice and acoustic guitar doing old Hawaiian songs, get the AWIHILIMA: REFLECTIONS CD.

On Willie K.......2000-08-01

On the island of Kauai, up at Lihue Airport, while getting ready to take a heli-tour on Air Kauai, we heard this beautiful song called Waterfalls and asked the driver who was the person singing it and he told us that it was a local man from Kauai named Willie K and the name of the CD was Uncle in Me and that we could find it at Borders Music store so, we went there and bought it and would you believe when we got back home to Oregon on July 6th, we could not find it. We are still trying to find out if it was left by mistake in a rental car or the condo we rented. We really loved this CD and feel like everyone should own it. We will most probably end up having to purchase it again but, we are waiting to find ours. He will definitely be 5 stars in our book. Keep up the good work Willie K.

new album?.......2000-04-22

I have not listened to this album,at least not this version of these songs. I think this may be a compilation of previous albums. I have most of these songs and I love Uncle Willie's energy. 'You Kuuipo'was a big hit & is a great example of how Willie uses his voice. 'Good Morning' and 'North Shore Reggae Blues' are inspiring with their positive vibes. I love 'My Moloka'i Woman' and 'Katchi Katchi Makawao.' And 'Ho'okipa Surf Song' is one that plays in your head throughout the day. If you ever get a chance to see Willie K. in person, GO ! He can play guitar a la Hendrix and even lays down a mean Texas blues. This is an artist I listen to when I want a quick pick-me-up ! I recommend this music.