Beyond 'Tiny Bubbles:' Don Ho, Hawaii's Favorite Son

By | August 21, 2018

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Left: Johnny Cash and Don Ho in 1969. Right: Don Ho on the cover of his album 'Hawaii's Greatest Hits.'Source: NBCU Photo Bank; Wikimedia Commons

Hawaiian singer Don Ho, of "Tiny Bubbles" fame, was a popular entertainer throughout the '60s and '70s. In addition to recording hit songs, Ho entertained crowds at his wildly-popular stage shows in Las Vegas and on concert tours. He guest starred in some of the hit TV shows of the era and even hosted his own variety show. There was a lot more to Don Ho than Hawaiian shirts, ukuleles, and tiny bubbles -- he and his large family were and continue to be a beloved and looming cultural presence in Hawaii.

Don Ho Didn’t Start Performing Until He Was In The Military

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After Don Ho graduated from Kamehameha School then earned a football scholarship to Springfield College. He transferred to the University of Hawaii, where he earned a bachelor degree in sociology. Once his education was complete, Ho joined the United States Air Force…a full five years before Hawaii was even a state…and was sent to bases in Mississippi and California. It was in California that Ho bought his first electric keyboard. Although he had always been musically inclined, it was that keyboard that helped Ho realize his musical potential and passion.