Thursday, September 23, 2004
Dover to honor musical pioneer - Joseph Kekuku
From the Daily Record (Parsippany, NJ)
Hidden under an overgrown bush in Dover's oldest cemetery is a piece of history that, historians say, may have revolutionized music altogether. Joseph Kekuku, considered the inventor of the steel guitar style of music, is thought to have been buried in Dover's Orchard Street cemetery in 1932.
Local officials learned about five years ago that Dover was the renowned musician's final resting place.
"We didn't know" Kekuku was buried in Dover, said George Laurie, the Dover Area Historical Society museum curator.
Kekuku was born in La'ie, Hawaii, in 1874. At the age of 11, Kekuku decided to try something new, sliding a metal piece across slacked strings. As if by accident, Kekuku originated the distinctive sound, which later became part of Hawaiian traditional music and eventually made its way into country music and other musical styles. ...
Now both men are working with the historical society, Dover Renaissance, and the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association in putting together a Hawaiian festival on Oct. 10 at the Dover American Legion Hall, 2 Legion Place. The celebration will start with a memorial service at Kekuku's grave at 3:30 p.m., followed by a social hour inside the legion hall. The evening Hawaiian steel guitar program will start at 7 and will feature steel guitar musicians and hula dancing. ...
Read the article
The Daily Record
Hidden under an overgrown bush in Dover's oldest cemetery is a piece of history that, historians say, may have revolutionized music altogether. Joseph Kekuku, considered the inventor of the steel guitar style of music, is thought to have been buried in Dover's Orchard Street cemetery in 1932.
Local officials learned about five years ago that Dover was the renowned musician's final resting place.
"We didn't know" Kekuku was buried in Dover, said George Laurie, the Dover Area Historical Society museum curator.
Kekuku was born in La'ie, Hawaii, in 1874. At the age of 11, Kekuku decided to try something new, sliding a metal piece across slacked strings. As if by accident, Kekuku originated the distinctive sound, which later became part of Hawaiian traditional music and eventually made its way into country music and other musical styles. ...
Now both men are working with the historical society, Dover Renaissance, and the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association in putting together a Hawaiian festival on Oct. 10 at the Dover American Legion Hall, 2 Legion Place. The celebration will start with a memorial service at Kekuku's grave at 3:30 p.m., followed by a social hour inside the legion hall. The evening Hawaiian steel guitar program will start at 7 and will feature steel guitar musicians and hula dancing. ...
Read the article
The Daily Record
# posted by Dave Sichak @ 10:45 AM 
