Marlene Mikahala Sai (born December 14, 1941) is a Hawaiian classic-style female solo singer, born in Honolulu of Hawaiian–Chinese heritage. The ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...

'' refers to Marlene Sai as one of the true icons of the islands. The ''

Santa Cruz Sentinel The ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'' is a daily newspaper published in Santa Cruz, California, covering Santa Cruz County, California, and owned by Media News Group, which is controlled by Alden Global Capital. History The paper was owned by the McP ...

'' refers to Sai as a living legend of Hawaiian music. PBS Hawaii's Leslie Wilcox says of Sai "There are only a handful of true divas in Hawaiian music, women who wrap their powerful voices with grace, elegance and beauty. You can add to the list Marlene Sai."

Early years

Sai is from

Kaimuki, Hawaii Kaimukī is a residential neighborhood in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. History In the 19th century the area was a farm of Kalākaua, King Kalākaua, where ostriches roamed wild over the mountain side. It later became the site of a carnati ...

, and a product of the Kamehameha school system. She released her first record in 1959. Sai was taught the basics of singing and mentored by her uncle Andy Cummings, considered another legend of Hawaiian singing and songwriting. Cummings taught his niece the love song "Kainoa" written by his friend Jimmy Taka when he found out he was dying of cancer. The song was for his wife. Cummings put the song down on paper and later taught it to his then-teenage niece, Marlene Sai. "Kainoa" went on to become Sai's first hit and title for her debut album. Sai was discovered by Hawaiian entertainer

Don Ho Donald Tai Loy Ho (; August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007) was a Hawaiian traditional pop musician, singer, and entertainer. He is best known for the song "Tiny Bubbles" from the 1966 album of the same name. Early life, family and education Ho ...

before he was famous while managing his mother's restaurant lounge Honey's in

Kaneohe Kāneohe () is a census-designated place (CDP) included in the City and County of Honolulu and in Hawaii state District of Koolaupoko on the island of Oahu. In the Hawaiian language, ''kāne ohe'' means "bamboo man". According to an ancient ...

on the island of

Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...

Singing

Sai, just out of high school, became a teenage recording star. Sai toured

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

in 1962 and has an extensive following there. In 2007 Sai hosted the 23rd annual Ka Himeni Ana singing contest at the

Hawaii Theatre The Hawaii Theatre is a theatre in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Built in 1922, it is located at 1130 Bethel Street, between Hotel and Pauahi Streets, on the edge of Chinatown. It is listed on the State and National Register of Histor ...

. In 2008, Sai performed in concert in New York City at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

. Sai's album Kainoa was considered 21st out of 50 of the all-time great albums of Hawaii by ''Honolulu'' magazine in 2004. In the article it states that it wasn't recorded under the most ideal circumstances. When she signed with Sounds of Hawaii, the new label hadn't even finished building its studio. Kainoa was recorded inside the bus depot once located on King Street. "We recorded late at night, when it was quiet, buses weren't moving and you hoped an airplane didn't fly overhead," Sai says. "But I had Sonny Chillingworth on slack key and Don Ho on the organ behind me, so we still had a ball."

Records and CDs

*''Kainoa'' 1959 *''Sweet Someone'' *''Best Of Marlene Sai'' 1967 *''Hana Hou'' *''Not Pau'' *''Marlene Sai'' 1985 *''I Love You'' 1994 *''Mele No Ka Oe'' 1996 *''Marlene & Mahela'' 1999 *''Legacy'' 2010

Acting

Sai's debut as an actress was in 1984 when she starred in the one-actress play ''Hear Me, O My People'' by Donald Berrigan. In it she portrayed Queen Liliuokalani. She was also invited to perform the play for members of the United States Congress at the Folger Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. As a spinoff from the play, Sai also portrayed Queen Liliuokalani, Hawaii's last monarch, in the PBS documentary ''Betrayal''. The made-for-TV film premiered in Hawaii on January 17, 1993, on the 100th anniversary of the overthrow it depicted. Sai's other roles include Makua Wahine Luka, in the 1986 TV series ''Magnum PI''. Sai portrayed Bloody Mary in the 2007–2008 Hawaii Opera Theatre's production of ''South Pacific'' in Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu. In 2008 Sai starred in the dinner show ''This Is Hawai'i'' at the Hale Koa Hotel. Marlene Sai is also known for The Short List (2011), Maui (2017) and Hawaii Five-0 (2010).

Recognition and awards

In 1986, Sai received the

Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts Hawaii ( ; ) is an island state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only state not on the North American mainland, th ...

(HARA)

Na Hoku Hanohano Award The Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, occasionally called the Nā Hōkū Awards or Hoku Awards, are the premier music awards in Hawaii.Berger, John"A night of Na Hoku Hanohano" ''Honolulu Star-Advertiser''. May 22, 2011.Haug, Kawehi"Hoku awardees shine ...

for 'Best Female Vocalist' In 1987, Sai was given the "Po'okela Award" from the Hawaii State Theatre Council for her portrayal of Queen Liliuokalani in a one-actress play called ''Hear Me, O My People''. In 2004, HARA honored her with Na Hoku Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Award for her accomplishments in music and recording. In September 2007, she was inducted into the

Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame is an organization dedicated to recognizing the cultural importance of the music of Hawaii and hula. Established in 1994, the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame promotes the appreciation and preservation of Hawaiian cultu ...

by the Hawaiian Music Foundation. Her first LP release, ''Kainoa'', was included in the book "The 50 Greatest Hawaii Albums".

Other interest

Sai is currently president of the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts and on the board of the Honolulu Boys Choir and the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sai, Marlene Living people Musicians from Honolulu Na Hoku Hanohano Award winners Kamehameha Schools alumni Actresses from Honolulu Traditional pop music singers American businesspeople American television actresses American film actresses American women pop singers American actors of Chinese descent Native Hawaiian actresses 21st-century American women 1941 births