“C&K Coming Home - The Waikiki Shell” (Part 6)

The Iconic Waikiki Shell was the place to play and we were headlining this time with our first album. Our first album, Cecilio and Kapono(the Green album) was a HUGE HIT!!! I remember driving on Keaumoku Street listening to the radio and hearing “Feeling Just The Way I Do” for the first time. Whoa... WHAT A RUSH!!! I couldn’t believe it. Neither could Cee (what I called Cecilio). The energy was incredible. You could feel it in the air. We were on high rotation on every radio station statewide. Big Smiles!!! 

Back then radio was way different. DJ’s could actually play whatever they wanted and they would talk it up if they liked it and people trusted their choices. This was before Spotify, iTunes...in other words social media. Anyway, you had guys like, Krash Kealoha, Tom Moffat, Kimo Kahoano, Kamasami Kong, Ron Wiley, Ron Jacobs to name a few. These guys were celebrity’s In their own right and they loved their job. I thank all of them for their utmost support. Through the year we’ve become friends still till now.

Cecilio and Kapono “under the stars at the Waikiki Shell”, a phrase coined by Hawaii’s #1 concert promoter and fan, the late Tom Moffat. Thx Tom. Cee and I couldn’t believe it. The Shell was sold out, 10,000 raving local fans. A record crowd that hasn’t been broken and may never be, cuz after that they limited the Shell to 8,500 capacity. Concert goers back then had fun. It was always about the music and the good times. Cee and I were writing about the island lifestyle that we were all living. By the way we were told that there were a couple thousand fans outside in the park BBQing and having a good time. In fact Cee yelled out to the fans in the park and asked them to scream and we couldn’t believe the response. 

Well, it was an EPIC night and everyone had a great time!!! We were higher than a kite. It was INCREDIBLE. Right now I’m feeling how I felt that night...CRAZY GOOD!!! Well, we were thinking we made some kālā(money). We were excited and met with our backers at the Tahitian Lanai, between the Hilton Hawaiian Village and the Ilikai(long gone). Everybody was so happy. We ate, talked about the success of the concert........and then, when all was said and done we were each handed a check........for $.66. That’s right $.66 cents. “MAJOR JAW DROPPER!!!” I could of cried, I was pissed, to say it mildly. But what could we do. It wasn’t fair, at all. It had nothing to do with Tom Moffat. Everything to do with the other guys. I apologize if this might bring you down, but it is what it was and a major life lesson. My first experience of the music business. All we could do was get back up and we did and we didn’t let that stop us. 
Tune in for more next TBT. The journey continues. Henry

Psss I want to thank all of you who have been following my Throwbacks, for your support and amazing comments. I’m have fun and I hope you are too. If you like it or love it, Please share it with other C&K and Henry Kapono fans you may know. Mahalo!!!