Charles E. King

File:First Graduating Class of the Kamehameha School for Boys, 1891.jpg

Charles E. King was born of part Hawaiian ancestry, at the Nuʻuanu Valley estate of Queen Emma of Hawaii, in Honolulu, to Walter and Mary Ann Brash. He was adopted by his maternal grandfather John Lewis King after the death of his mother, and was christened by his godmother Queen Emma at St. Andrew's Cathedral.{{harvnb|Siddall|1921|p=237}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.davidwbandy.com/bandy_historyoftheroyalhawa.pdf |title="The Music of Charles E. King." Concert Program, City and County of Honolulu, July 20, 1978 |access-date=2016-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029043855/http://www.davidwbandy.com/bandy_historyoftheroyalhawa.pdf |archive-date=2016-10-29 |url-status=dead }} King was educated in public schools in Hawaii and the Kamehameha School for Boys.

Following his 1891 graduation from Kamehameha School, Charles Reed Bishop, husband of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, paid his tuition at Oswego Primary Teachers Training School in New York. He returned to Hawaii, teaching music in the Kailua-Kona school district, and also at Kamehameha School for Boys.{{cite news|last1=|title=King Hurt But Injury is Slight: Educator in Bad Fall|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1913-04-05/ed-1/seq-1/|accessdate=October 24, 2016|work=The Honolulu Star-Bulletin.|date=April 5, 1913|location= Honolulu, Hawaii|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}} In 1914, Kamehameha alumni circulated a petition requesting that King be named school principal, but Ernest C. Webster was chosen instead.{{cite news|last1=|title=Charles E. King May Take Place of Pres. Horne|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1914-03-26/ed-2/seq-1/|accessdate=October 24, 2016|work=The Honolulu Star-Bulletin.|date=March 25, 1914|location= Honolulu, Hawaii|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}; {{cite news|last1=|title=Reception at Kamehamena Honoring Two New Principals|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1915-11-03/ed-2/seq-5/|accessdate=October 24, 2016|work=The Honolulu Star-Bulletin|date=November 3, 1915|location= Honolulu, Hawaii|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}

When Bishop Estate trustee Samuel Mills Damon resigned in 1916, the trustees named former teacher William Williamson, a white man, to fill the vacancy. As established by the original trust deed, any trustee appointment had to be approved by the Supreme Court of the Hawaiian Islands. With his post-teaching success in business, Williamson's nomination easily received that approval. The nomination ran into trouble with Judge C. W. Ashford of the probate court that was charged with overseeing trusts. Ashford decreed that the slot should be filled by someone of Hawaiian ancestry, and therefore representative of the very people for whom the trust was established. He appointed alumnus King, who had spoken openly about his concerns that the school was under-performing academically and not adequately preparing its graduates for career or economic success. Ashford's appointment of King was overturned on appeal in the ninth circuit court, which ruled in favor of the original Williamson appointment having been in strict accordance with the trust deed.King, Roth (2006), pp. 45–47; {{cite news|last1=|title=Defend Naming of King Before Supreme Court|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1916-08-29/ed-2/seq-3/|accessdate=October 26, 2016|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|date=August 29, 1916|location= Honolulu, HI|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}; {{cite news|last1=|title=King to Appeal From Decision of High Court|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1917-02-02/ed-1/seq-2/|accessdate=October 26, 2016|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin.|date=February 7, 1917|location= Honolulu, HI|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}

After considering a run for various elected offices in 1917, King successfully ran on the Republican ticket in 1918 for a seat in the Territory of Hawaii senate.{{cite news|last1=|title=King May Make Race for Mayor|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1917-02-10/ed-1/seq-3/|accessdate=October 30, 2016|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|date=February 10, 1917|location= Honolulu, HI|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}; {{cite news|last1=|title=On The Other Islands|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014689/1918-07-19/ed-1/seq-5/|accessdate=October 30, 2016|work=The Maui News.|date=July 19, 1918|location= Wailuku, Maui|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}; {{cite news|last1=|title=Report Favors $10,000 for Maui Fair Building|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014689/1919-04-25/ed-1/seq-3/|accessdate=October 30, 2016|work=The Maui News.|date=August 25, 1919|location= Wailuku, Maui|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}} The College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts of the Territory of Hawaii was authorized by the legislature in 1907 and first began operating in 1908 on Young Street in Honolulu. The institution's name was changed in 1911 to College of Hawaii and relocated to the Manoa valley. A community need to expand the school's curriculum and offer university-level degrees, led to King's introducing Senate Bill 76 in 1919, creating the legislation to establish the University of Hawaii at Manoa. While still serving in the legislature, he also led campus song concerts at the university.{{harvnb|Kamins|Potter|1998|pp=6–18, 215}}; {{cite news|last1=|title=Roster of the Legislature|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014689/1920-11-19/ed-1/seq-8/|accessdate=October 24, 2016|work=The Maui News.|date=November 19, 1920|location= Wailuku, Maui|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}; {{cite web|title=Napoleon Kalolii Pukui supporting Charles E. King for delegate to Congress, 1922.|url=https://nupepa-hawaii.com/tag/charles-e-king/|publisher=Nupepa|accessdate=October 8, 2016}}; {{cite news|last1=|title=Pick Your Men|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014689/1922-09-12/ed-1/seq-7/|accessdate=October 24, 2016|work=The Maui News.|date=September 12, 1922|location= Wailuku, Maui|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}

He grew up surrounded by traditional Hawaiian mele style of music and was a musical protégé of Liliuokalani. King began pursuing songwriting sometime in mid-life, publishing the first two of his three books of sheet music when he was 42 years old.

"Kamehameha Waltz" was penned by King as a paean to his alma mater and to Bernice Pauahi Bishop who created the trust fund that established the school, "Majestic stands Kamehameha/My home of education"..."For you, O great Pauahi, high chiefess/Our exclamations of joy".{{cite web|title=Kamehameha Waltz by Charles E. King|url=http://www.huapala.org/Kam/Kamehameha_Waltz.html|publisher=huapala.org|accessdate=October 28, 2016}} The song was performed in 1914 by the King Glee Club as part of The Woods of Hawaii musical presentation at the Honolulu Opera House, sponsored by the Christian youth organization Young People's League.{{cite news|last1=|title=Rev. Ebersole Delivers Sermon at Y. P. League|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1914-04-20/ed-1/seq-3/|accessdate=October 28, 2016|work=The Honolulu Star-Bulletin.|date=April 20, 1914|location= Honolulu, Hawaii|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}; {{cite news|last1=|title=Big Program by the Young People's League|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1914-07-03/ed-1/seq-13/|accessdate=October 28, 2016|work=The Honolulu Star-Bulletin.|date=July 3, 1914|location= Honolulu, Hawaii|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}} It was first recorded on May 18, 1928 by the Charles E. King Male Chorus on the Columbia Records label.{{cite web|title=Columbia matrix 146655. Kamehameha waltz / Charles E. King's Male Chorus|url=http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000036318/146655-Kamehameha_waltz.|website=Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v.|publisher=University of California at Santa Barbara|accessdate=October 28, 2016}} Since then, it has become a standard at the school's annual song contest.

His compositions were favored by Hawaiian lap steel guitarist Sol Hoʻopiʻi who, along with Glenwood Leslie and Lani McIntyre as Sol Hoopii's Novelty Trio, recorded 17 of King's songs from 1927–1931.{{cite web|title=Sol Hoopii's Novelty Trio (Musical group)|url=http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/talent/detail/125852/Sol_Hoopiis_Novelty_Trio_Musical_group|website=Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v.|publisher=University of California at Santa Barbara|accessdate=October 29, 2016}}

File:Funeral Procession of Liliuokalani (PP-26-6-031).jpg

The most famous song associated with King, "Ke Kali Nei Au" (Waiting For Thee), is known to today's audiences as the Hawaiian Wedding Song. Recorded by numerous modern-day artists, King's original lyrics{{cite web|title=Ke Kali Nei Au (Waiting For Thee)|url=http://huapala.org/Ke/Ke_Kali_Nei_Au.html|publisher=huapala.org|accessdate=October 28, 2016}} are not the same as the 1958 translation by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning. King's version was not a wedding song but one of several tunes written for his Hawaiian-language opera The Prince of Hawaii. At its May 4, 1925 premiere, Ray Kinney starred in the lead of Prince Kauikalu, with Rose Tribe as Queen Kamaka, and Joseph Kamakau as King Kalani.{{cite news |title=Opera Will Be Given Tonight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21033810/may_4_1925_premiere_performance_of/ |accessdate=June 18, 2018 |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com |date=May 4, 1925 |page=17}}{{free access}} The production toured the mainland United States with King in 1926.{{harvnb|Tranquada|King|2012|p=130}} "Ke Kali Nei Au" was first recorded in Honolulu on May 22, 1928 on the Columbia Records label as a duet with Helen Desha Beamer and Sam Kapu Sr. accompanied by the Don Barrientos Hawaiia n Orchestra.{{cite web|title=Columbia matrix 146670. Ke kali nei au / Helen D. Beamer ; Don Barrientos Hawaiian Orchestra ; Sam Kapu|url=http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000036333/146670-Ke_kali_nei_au|website=Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v.|publisher=University of California at Santa Barbara|accessdate=October 28, 2016}}

At the 1917 state funeral of his musical mentor Liliuokalani, King led the Young People's League in singing her composition "Aloha ʻOe" on the balcony of ʻIolani Palace as her catafalque was carried out to take her casket for entombment in the Kalākaua Crypt of the Royal Mausoleum of Mauna ʻAla.{{cite news|title="Aloha ʻOe" of Queen's Own Song Goes With Her Into Resting-Place|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1917-11-19/ed-1/seq-9/|accessdate=October 7, 2016|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|date=November 19, 1917|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. |location=Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii}}; {{cite news|title=Funeral is Held in the Throne Room|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025121/1917-11-20/ed-1/seq-3/|accessdate=October 7, 2016|work=The Hawaiian Gazette|date=November 20, 1917|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. |location=Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii}}

He served as conductor of the Royal Hawaiian Band for two non-sequential periods, 1932–1934 and 1939–1941.{{cite web|title=Charles E. King|url=http://www.rhb-music.com/charlesking|website=Royal Hawaiian Band|publisher=City and County of Honolulu|accessdate=October 28, 2016}}

In 1911, King's wife Jean Bates died of cancer and was buried at Kawaiahaʻo Church cemetery.{{cite news|last1=|title=Jean Bates King obituary|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015415/1911-09-18/ed-1/seq-7/|accessdate=October 24, 2016|work=The Hawaiian Star.|date=September 18, 1911|location= Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}

Through his musical work with the Young People's League, he became acquainted with Emma Liftee of Kona. The couple was married by Rev. Akaiko Akana on July 26, 1915.{{cite news|last1=|title=Young People's League Makes a Tryst for Cupid|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1915-07-27/ed-1/seq-3/|accessdate=October 31, 2016|work=The Honolulu Star-Bulletin.|date=July 27, 1915|location= Honolulu, Hawaii|via=Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.}}

When the United States entered World War II, King relocated to Elmhurst, New York, with his last wife Regina P. Hughes and began pursuing his music publishing interests. He died on February 27, 1950.{{cite web|title=Charles E. King|url=http://blogs.ksbe.edu/archives/files/2015/01/Charles-E-King-Finding-Aid.pdf|publisher=Kamehameha Schools|accessdate=October 28, 2016}}

• {{cite book|title=King's Book of Hawaiian Melodies|date=1915|lccn=unk84134220|language=haw, en}}
• {{cite book|title=Song of the Islands, as sung in "The Woods of Hawaii".|date=1915|lccn=unk84214415}}
• {{cite book|title=Na lei o Hawaii; ukulele solo|date=1916|lccn=unk84212590}}
• {{cite book|title=Songs of Honolulu|date=1917|lccn=unk84112974}}
• {{cite book|title=The Latest Hawaiian Hulas|date=1917|lccn=unk84129393}}
• {{cite book|title=The Prince of Hawaii|date=1925|lccn=unk84074733}}
• {{cite book|title=Favorites from The Prince of Hawaii|date=1926|lccn=unk84070988}}
• {{cite book|title=King's Songs of Hawaii: a companion to King's Book of Hawaiian Melodies|date=1942|lccn=43011014|language=haw, en}}
• {{cite book|title=Hawaiian favorites, for the piano|date=1945|lccn=unk84202781}}
• {{cite book|title=Ke kali nei au. The Hawaiian wedding song: Hawaiian lyric and music by Charles E. King. English lyric by Al Hoffman [and] Dick Manning. |date=1958|lccn=unk84211379}}

Partial listing. Sources: DAHR, UC Santa Barbara{{cite web|title=Charles E. King (composer)|url=http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/talent/detail/65284/King_Charles_E._composer|website=DAHR: Discography of American Historical Recordings|publisher=University of California at Santa Barbara|accessdate=October 27, 2016}} and [http://huapala.org/ huapala.org]

{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}

• "Aloha Oe E Kuu Lei"
• "An Island Serenade"
• "Elue, Mikimiki"
• "Hawaii"
• "Hawaiʻi Kuʻu Home"
• "Hawaii Nei"
• "Hawaiian Mother's Lullaby" (co-wrote with Frances H. Gerber)
• "He Nohea Oe I Kuu Maka"
• "He Olu Ia No'u"
• "Hi‘ipoe Like I Ke Aloha"
• "Honolulu Maids"
• "Honolulu, You're the Home of the Moon"
• "Hoʻokahi No Pua Lawa Kuʻu Lei"
• "Hoohihi Oe Ke Ike Mai"
• "Huehue"
• "Imi Au Ia Oe" (from The Prince of Hawaii)
• "Imua Kamehameha" (from The Prince of Hawaii)
• "Kaala"
• "Ka ʻAnoʻi"
• "Ka Ipo Poina Ole"
• "Ka Hana Ia A Ke Aloha"
• "Kaimana Hila"
• "Kalena Kai" (Liholiho chant set to music by King)
• "Kamaile Waltz"
• "Kamehameha March"
• "Kamehameha Waltz"
• "Ka Ulua"
• "Ke Kali Nei Au" (from The Prince of Hawaii)
• "King's Serenade"
• "Ku‘u ‘I‘ini"
• "Kuu Leialoha"
• "Kuʻu Lei Lehua"
• "Kuu Lei Mokihana" (from The Prince of Hawaii)
• "Kuu Lei Pikake"
• "Lehua"
• "Lei Aloha Lei Makamae"
• "Lei Gardenia"
• "Lei Ilima"
• "Leilani"
• "Leilehua" (from The Prince of Hawaii)
• "Leilehua-ahula"
• "Lei Leihua O Pana ʻewa"
• "Lei Lokelani"
• "Maile Laulii"
• "Mai Nuha Mai ʻOe "
• "Maui Ka' Oeoe"
• "Mauna Loa"
• "May Day is Lei Day Too"
• "Mi Nei"
• "Momi O Ka Pākīpika"
• "My Dear Hawaiʻi"
• "Na Lei O Hawaii" (aka "Song of the Islands" from The Prince of Hawaii)
• "Na Moku O Hawai`i"
• "Neʻeneʻe Mai A Pili"
• "Nênê Hanu `A`ala" (co-wrote with Mary Jane {{proper name|Montan}})
• "O Oe Ka'u"
• "Paahau Waltz"
• "Pa`au`au Hula" (co-wrote with John U. Iosepa){{refn|group=FN|"This song was dedicated to Hon. John F. Colburn, cousin of Lahilahi Webb, whose home was called Pa`au`au in remembrance of the pool in Ewa."{{cite web|title=Pa'au'au Hula|url=http://huapala.org/Pa/Paauau_Hula.html|publisher=huapala.org|accessdate=November 5, 2016}}}}
• "Pehea Ho`i Au"
• "Palolo"
• "Pauoa Liko Lehua"
• "Pidgin English Hula"
• "Pô Mahina"
• "Pua Onaona"
• "Pua Roselani" (from The Prince of Hawaii)
• "Pulupe Nei Ili"
• "Uheuhene"
• "Wahiikaahuula" (co-wrote with Ruth Lilikalani)

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist|group=FN}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=33em}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{cite book|last=Kanahele|first=George S.|title=Hawaiian Music and Musicians: An Illustrated History|url=https://archive.org/details/hawaiianmusicmus00kana|url-access=registration|year=1979|publisher=University Press of Hawaii|isbn=978-0-8248-0578-4|oclc=903648649}}
• {{cite book|last1=King|first1=Samuel P.|last2=Roth|first2=Randall W.|title=Broken Trust: Greed, Mismanagement, & Political Manipulation at America's Largest Charitable Trust|date=2006|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|location=Honolulu, HI|isbn=978-0-8248-3014-4}}
• {{cite book|last1=Kamins|first1=Robert M.|last2=Potter|first2=Robert E.|title=Malamalama: A History of the University of Hawai'i|date=1998|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|location=Honolulu, HI|isbn= 978-0-8248-6350-0|via=Project MUSE|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/book/8009|url-access=subscription}}
• {{cite book|last=Siddall|first=John William|title=Men of Hawaii|volume=2|year=1921|location=Honolulu|publisher=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|url=https://archive.org/details/menofhawaiibiogr00sidd|page=[https://archive.org/details/menofhawaiibiogr00sidd/page/237 237]}}
• {{cite book|last1=Tranquada|first1=Jim|last2=King|first2=John|title=The 'Ukulele: A History|date=2012|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|location=Honolulu, HI|isbn= 978-0-8248-6587-0|via=Project MUSE|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/book/14461|url-access=subscription}}

• [https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107029 Charles E. King recordings] at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.

{{Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame}}

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Category:1874 births

Category:1950 deaths

Category:Politicians from Honolulu

Category:19th-century American guitarists

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Category:20th-century American conductors (music)

Category:American people of Native Hawaiian descent

Category:Kamehameha Schools alumni

Category:State University of New York at Oswego alumni

Category:Native Hawaiian musicians

Category:Members of the Hawaii Territorial Legislature

Category:20th-century American legislators

Category:American male guitarists

Category:20th-century American male musicians

Category:People from Elmhurst, Queens