At 3 a.m. one night in 1988, Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwo’ole called a local studio and said he needed to record something right then and there. He pleaded with the engineer: “Please, can I come in? I have an idea.”
Then, in a single take, Kamakawiwo’ole recorded the iconic version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” that would soon touch countless people across the globe. The recording, featuring just Kamakawiwo’ole’s voice and ukulele, seemed to captivate everyone who heard it in a way that was utterly unforgettable.
Even after Kamakawiwo’ole died in 1997 at just 38 years old, his haunting music and his short yet inspiring life have continued to have a profound effect on people the world over.
