Harry Kailimai Biography - A Very Quick Guide

Henry K. Kailimai Sr. (1882 – February 7, 1948) was a Hawaiian musician, composer, and bandleader who first received attention after his band performed at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in 1915, becoming among the first musicians to showcase Hawaiian music to mainland American audiences on a large scale. His song 'On the Beach at Waikiki', which he performed at the exposition, found commercial success in the mainland United States, becoming one of the first Hawaiian songs to do so. His music attracted the attention of the business magnate Henry Ford, who hired Kailimai and his group as official musicians for the Ford Motor Company. Kailimai moved to Detroit to fill the role, where he lived until his death in 1948.