A new CD of music paying tribute to Freckles and Mokihana Smith of Smith’s Motor Boat Service’s Fern Grotto tours and Smith’s Tropical Paradise goes on sale at various retail outlets on Kaua‘i, and online at musicofkauai.com starting this week.
“’Kaua‘i..An Everlasting Beauty, A Musical Tribute,’ is a musical tribute dedicated to Kaua‘i’s Living Treasures, Walter ‘Freckles’ and Mokihana ‘Moki’ Smith, owners of Smith’s Motor Boat Service on the Wailua River since 1946,” said Art Umezu of Music of Kaua‘i.
“For 75 years, Smith’s boats has employed hundreds of musicians and hula dancers to perform on the boats to the Fern Grotto tours, and also at the world-known Fern Grotto.”
Kamika and Kahanu Smith, sons of Freckles and Mokihana, are featured on the CD that had all of its music recorded on Kaua‘i by Kaua‘i musicians between 1993 and 2013, at Pua Olena Studio and MIRAI Studio.
Kahanu is featured in two numbers, “Wailua River Boat Cruise” and “Kaua‘i’s On My Mind,” both numbers recorded at Pua Olena Studio with music provided by the late Doric “Kaleo” Yaris and arranged by the late Robbie Kaholokula. Yaris and Kaholokula also provided the music for Kamika, who sings “My Sweet Maile Girl.”
Yaris performs the CD’s opening number, “Kaua‘i Forever,” and four numbers from Yaris’ 1994 album, “Kaua‘i, Island of My Dreams,” dedicated to the late Kaua‘i Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste.
Kumu hula Troy Hinano Lazaro recites the oli leading to Yaris’ “Kaua‘i Forever,” and is among the slate of entertainers featured on the CD, including former dancer and singer on the Wailua River boats Sherieme Glovasa, a former Miss Island Mokihana royalty, and Daphne Sanchez who, in 2020, introduced “One America,” a last-minute addition to the “We Are One World” CD also produced by Music of Kaua‘i.
Sanchez pays tribute to Mokihana Smith with her “Mokihana,” with Hawaiian lyrics by Hawaiian language expert Kiele Akana Gooch, and recorded by Sanchez at the MIRAI Studio by Berto Genovia when she was 16 years old and being scouted to be the poster girl and entertainer for the Spa Resort Hawaiians in Japan.
Liner notes trace the history from an entertainer and musician’s perspective, “Musical Stars Forever,” with names of more than 100 musicians, dancers, kumu hula and special friends who have passed on over the years.
During the 75 years since being started by Freckles’ dad, Walter Smith Sr., the Smith ‘ohana has employed hundreds of musicians and hula dancers to perform on the boats and at the Fern Grotto. In 1985, the Smith ‘ohana started the Smith Family Garden Lu‘au and Show at Tropical Paradise Gardens, formerly known as Paradise Pacifica at Wailua River State Park.
“Kaua‘i..An Everlasting Beauty” was produced by Music of Kaua‘i and Umezu. Music of Kaua‘i celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2022.
w Info: musicofkauai.com
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
