Webley Edwards
Both as the longtime host of the weekly radio series Hawaii Calls and through his many albums, broadcasting pioneer Webley Edwards played a pivotal role in exporting the music of the islands to the continental U.S. Born November 11, 1902, in Corvallis, OR, he later attended Oregon State University, becoming the first student manager of campus radio station KOAC; relocating to Hawaii in 1928 to work as an auto salesman, Edwards was so fascinated by the native musical traditions that in 1935 he sealed a deal to produce a radio show spotlighting authentic island performances. Broadcast from Waikiki's Moana Hotel, Hawaii Calls made its debut that July 3; though carried on over 400 stateside stations, the show struggled financially during its early years, often relying on state funding from the Hawaii Tourist Bureau to stay afloat. The first radio announcer to broadcast news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Edwards also worked as a reporter for CBS Radio during the war years, where he landed exclusives including an interview with Colonel Paul Tibbetts, the pilot who dropped the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima; he was also the lone broadcaster allowed on board the USS Missouri to report on the surrender ceremony that brought the conflict to its close. Throughout the 1950s, Edwards compiled and produced a series of Hawaiian music collections for Capitol Records; though issued under his name, the albums (among them Fire Goddess, Hula Island Favorites, and Exotic Instrumentals) actually featured performances by the likes of Alfred Apaka, George Kainapau, Haleloke, and Simeon and Andy Bright. In all, Hawaii Calls ran for 37 years, along the way popularizing tunes including "Sweet Leilani," "Lovely Hula Hands," "Beyond the Reef," "Little Brown Gal," and "The Hawaiian Wedding Song." The series ended in 1972 after Edwards (who also served as a member of the state legislature) suffered a heart attack; he died in Honolulu on October 5, 1977.
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Discografia
9 álbum(ns) • Ordenado por Mais vendidos
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Music for Enchanted Sunsets - Webley Edwards' Exotica Escapades
World - Lançado por So Easy em 1 de set. de 2023
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hawaii Calls: Greatest Hits
Webley Edwards, Al Kealoha Perry
World - Lançado por CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) em 1 de jan. de 1960
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stars of Hawaii Calls
World - Lançado por TP4 Music em 6 de jan. de 2020
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let's Sing with Hawaii Calls
World - Lançado por TP4 Music em 6 de jan. de 2020
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chillin' With..., Vol. 1
World - Lançado por Digital Revival em 17 de jun. de 2020
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hawaii Calls At Twilight
World - Lançado por Leverage em 1 de jan. de 2000
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hawaiian Shores
Pop - Lançado por Leverage em 31 de dez. de 1899
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let's Sing With Hawaii Calls
Pop - Lançado por Leverage em 1 de jan. de 2000
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Island Paradise
Pop - Lançado por PnR em 30 de set. de 2009
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo