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Kui Lee

{{Short description|American singer-songwriter (1932–1966)}}

{{Good article}}

{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}

{{Use shortened footnotes|date=September 2020}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Kui Lee

| image = Kui Lee Kaia Gardens Cropped.jpg

| caption = Kui Lee performing at Kalia Gardens in Honolulu, 1965

| image_size =

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Kuiokalani Lee

| alias = Kui Lee

| birth_date = {{birth date|1932|7|31|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Shanghai, Republic of China

| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|1966|12|03|1932|8|13}}

| death_place = Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

| origin =

| instrument = Vocals

| genre = Hawaiian music

| occupation = Singer, songwriter

| years_active = 1961-1966

| label = Columbia Records, Music of Polynesia

| associated_acts = {{hlist|Don Ho|The Kanakas|Nani Lee}}

}}

Kuiokalani Lee (July{{nbsp}}31, 1932{{snd}}December{{nbsp}}3, 1966) was an American singer-songwriter. Lee began his career in the mainland United States while performing as a dancer. Upon his return to Hawaii, he worked in clubs. At the Honey club, he met Don Ho, who popularized Lee's compositions. Ho's fame made Lee a local success in Hawaii. Multiple artists then covered his song "I'll Remember You".

Lee was diagnosed with cancer in 1965. While he kept performing, he had two recording sessions. After his death in December 1966, Columbia Records released his debut studio album, The Extraordinary Kui Lee the same month. A part of the Hawaiian Renaissance, the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts posthumously awarded Lee a Lifetime Achievement award, and he was later inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame.

Early life

Kuiokalani Lee was born in Shanghai, China, on July 31, 1932, as his parents were touring China. His father Billy was a singer and his mother Ethel was a singer and dancer. Lee was a descendant of native Hawaiians, Chinese, and Scots.{{sfn|Hopkins, Jerry|p=74|2002}} At the age of five, after his mother died, Lee returned to Hawaii with his father who feared the escalating tensions in the area around Shanghai, and the threat of war.{{sfn|Van Buren, Abigail|1971|p=C-3}} In Hawaii, he attended Kamehameha Schools and Roosevelt High School.{{sfn|Enomoto, Catherine Kekoa|1997}} Lee began to compose songs as a teenager. He was regarded as a quick learner, and an articulate student, but he often missed classes to pursue his hobby of surfing.{{sfn|Rath, Arthur III|p=50|2010}} Because of his continuous misbehavior, he was expelled.{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126407/honolulu-star-bulletin/ A1A]}} Lee then enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served for two years.{{sfn|Hopkins, Jerry|p=74|2002}}

Career

After his stint with the Coast Guard, Lee traveled to the US mainland and became a knife dancer in Los Angeles, New York City, and Puerto Rico.{{sfn|Hopkins, Jerry|p=74|2002}} Lee learned by watching experienced Samoan dancers. Eventually, he appeared a number of times on The Ed Sullivan Show.{{sfn|Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff|1966|p=1}} While working at The Lexington Hotel in New York City, Lee met his wife, hula dancer and singer Rose Frances Naone "Nani" Leinani.{{sfn|Shikina, Robert|2008}} Lee returned to Hawaii in 1961.{{sfn|Enomoto, Catherine Kekoa|1997}} His wife found a job performing at Honey's club with Don Ho. Though discouraged by her, Lee then taught himself to sing.{{sfn|Gene, Hunter|1965|p=C7}} He got a job performing at Nawiliwili Beach Park's Club Jetty in Kauai, and worked as a doorman at the Honey club in Kaneohe.{{sfn|Enomoto, Catherine Kekoa|1997}} Ho, the featured singer whose mother owned the club, began to perform Lee's original songs. He was met with success performing "Ain't No Big Thing Bruddah", "The Days of My Youth" and "I'll Remember You".{{sfn|Hopkins, Jerry|p=74|2002}} Lee convinced Ho to let him perform as a singer at the Honey club.{{sfn|Gene, Hunter|1965|p=C7}} He also appeared at Kalia Gardens and Kanaka Pete's in Lahaina during 1965.{{sfn|Gene, Hunter|1965|p=C7}} By October, Lee was performing at Waikiki's Queen's Surf club.{{sfn|Martin, Que|1965|p=B-5}} Around that time, he composed "Lahainaluna" and "One Paddle, Two Paddle".{{sfn|Hopkins, Jerry|p=74|2002}} Lee earned US$2,000 weekly ({{Inflation|US|2,000|1966|fmt=eq|r=-2|cursign=US$}}) for his club appearances.{{sfn|Butwin, David|p=D6|1966}} During an interview with Paradise of the Pacific, Honolulu radio D.J Hal Lewis said of Lee, "Kui is a gold mine for his song-writing alone. His music could be worth $10 to $15 million to him. This kid's ready right now."{{sfn|Paradise of the Pacific staff|1965}} The same year, Lee signed a five-year recording contract with Music of Polynesia's subsidiary Palm Records.{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126407/honolulu-star-bulletin/ A1A]}} "I'll Remember You" was included on Ho's debut studio album, Don Ho Show, released on Reprise Records.{{sfn|Duffet, Mark|p=165|2018}} Ho's success increased Lee's local popularity in Hawaii.{{sfn|Allen, Robert|p=206|2004}} Other artists soon recorded the song in Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and Tagalog.{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126407/honolulu-star-bulletin/ A1A]}} Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, and Vic Schoen covered it in English.{{sfn|Harada, Wayne|1966|p=B4}}

File:Kui Lee Queens Surf publicity.jpg

Lee was diagnosed with lymph gland cancer while working at Kanaka Pete's in 1965. Though he was aware of his health issues, he delayed visiting a physician. He then underwent radiation therapy at Queens Hospital.{{sfn|Gene, Hunter|1965|p=C7}} While being treated for the disease,{{sfn|Enomoto, Catherine Kekoa|1997}} in March, Lee appeared at the Bora Bora club in San Francisco. He then went to New York City for a recording session with Columbia Records,{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126407/honolulu-star-bulletin/ A1A]}} which released his debut single "Ain't No Big Thing", paired with "All I Want To Do", in May 1965.{{sfn|Billboard staff|1966|p=18}} Around that time, Lee expressed to childhood friend Douglas Mossman his regret towards not graduating from high school. Mossman contacted Richard Lyman, the board chairman of the Bishop Estate, owner of Kamehameha Schools. Lyman issued a graduation certificate to Lee as part of a 1950 promotion,{{sfn|Rath, Arthur III|pp=50, 53|2010}} which he received during a ceremony in July 1966.{{sfn|Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff|1966|p=1}} The same month, he began treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=1}} While waiting for treatment by a doctor from Sweden, the cancer metastasized to his lungs,{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=1}} and he later entered Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles for lung surgery.{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126407/honolulu-star-bulletin/ A1A]}} His next recording session was for Jack de Mello's label.{{sfn|Enomoto, Catherine Kekoa|1997}} Because of Lee's condition, de Mello recorded his vocals in bed at the hospital.{{sfn|Sherman, Eddie|1966|p=B3}} In August, local artists organized a benefit concert to pay for Lee's medical expenses.{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126407/honolulu-star-bulletin/ A1A]}} On October 18, 1966, Lee played at the Waikiki Shell, during Aloha Week.{{sfn|Stinton, Eric|2019}}{{sfn|Wilds, Tony|2020}} He used a wheelchair after the surgery and could not sing. Lee apologized to the crowd and told anecdotes, then Nani Lee sang his latest composition "The Intangible Dream Came True".{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126407/honolulu-star-bulletin/ A1A]}} In November 1966, Columbia released "Rain, Rain Go Away" backed with "I'll Remember You".{{sfn|Library of Congress. Copyright Office|1968|p=1946}}

Eventually, Lee traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, where he sought treatment with laetrile, which was banned by the Food and Drug Administration in the US.{{sfn|Hopkins, Jerry|p=75|2002}} Lee favored laetrile, as he opposed cobalt and radiation therapies.{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126407/honolulu-star-bulletin/ A1A]}} Nani Lee stressed in a later interview that though she did not believe in the treatment's effectiveness, and her husband "knew very well what little chance there was", that "he wanted so much to live. He was willing to try anything and everything."{{sfn|Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff|1968|p=A4}} Kui Lee died in Tijuana on December 3, 1966, at Guadalajara Hospital. His body was taken to the local Del Carmen funeral home and later flown to Ordensteins Mortuary in Hawaii. Lee expressed his wish to be buried at sea, while a band played his songs.{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=1}} On December 8, 1966, Pastor Abraham Akaka presided over a memorial service at Kawaiahaʻo Church. Honolulu's mayor Neal Blaisdell attended the ceremony and gave a speech.{{sfn|Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff 2|1966|p=C8}} By 1:00 pm, his body and 90 mourners sailed from Kuhio Beach Park on the catamaran Ale-Ale Kai to the burial location {{coord|21|15|N|157|49.8|W|display=inline}}. It was escorted by nine canoes, followed by other mourners on boats and a surfer. During the procession, loudspeakers played Lee's songs. 10,000 orchids were dropped from a plane to the signal of a flare, and Lee's lei-covered casket was released to waters with a depth of between {{convert|500|-|600|ft}}.{{sfn|Morse, Harold|1966|p=5}}

Legacy

{{Listen

| filename = I'll Remember You - Kui Lee.ogg

| title = "I'll Remember You"

| description = Lee's style was a blend of popular music of mainland United States and Hawaiian music

}}

Soon after his death, Columbia Records released Lee's debut studio album The Extraordinary Kui Lee in December 1966.{{sfn|Billboard staff 2|1966|p=31}} In 1970, Music of Polynesia released Lee's recordings on the double album The World of Kui Lee (MOP 12000), with the first disk entitled Words And Music and the second Images Of Kui's World.{{sfn|Harada, Wayne|1970|p=C4}}{{sfn|de Mello, Jack|1970}} The label's publisher Mickey Goldsen credited Lee with bridging a generational gap in Hawaiian music. He also expressed his concern to Billboard over the future of the "new wave of Hawaiian composers" following Lee's death.{{sfn|Billboard staff|1968|p=H-10}} A part of the Hawaiian Renaissance, his fan base regarded him as a "rebel" for departing from the themes in traditional music.{{sfn|Allen, Robert|p=206|2004}} During an interview, Lee said that while performing on the mainland early in his career, the mainstream stereotypes of Hawaiian culture, and the adoption of them by his peers on the Islands aggravated him. He declared: "All this commercial garbage has to go".{{sfn|Gima, Dick|p=C1|1966}} Upon his return to Hawaii, Lee discarded his previous outfit of choice, the suit and tie, and favored informal shirts, while he let his hair grow.{{sfn|Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff|1966|pp=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58130118/ A2]}} In June 1966, a poll published in The Honolulu Advertiser placed him among the most admired people by Hawaii's youth.{{sfn|The Honolulu Advertiser staff|1966|p=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126407/honolulu-star-bulletin/ A1A]}} Lee's followers compared him to James Dean, as the themes of several of his songs dealt with social deception and oligarchy.{{sfn|Hopkins, Jerry|p=74|2002}} According to author Adrienne L. Kaeppler, Lee's sound "experimented with a laid-back English balladic style, harmonically and rhythmically complex".{{sfn|Kaeppler, Adrienne| Love, J. W.|2017|p=137}} It consisted of a blend of jazz, blues, and rock and roll with classic Hawaiian music.{{sfn|Stinton, Eric|2019}}{{sfn|Bolante|Keany|2007}} Lee had been influenced by the popular music of the time during his stay in the mainland.{{sfn|Hopkins, Jerry|2002|p=74}}

Ho organized The Kui Lee Memorial Show at the Waikiki Shell on December 3, 1968. The benefit concert raised money to help Hawaiian musicians. CBS broadcast it on February 7, 1969.{{sfn|BMI|1968|p=8}} Elvis Presley, who recorded a cover of Lee's "I'll Remember You" in the summer of 1966, included the song during his live sets between 1972 and the summer of 1976. In 1973, the proceeds of his concert Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite benefited the Kui Lee Cancer Fund.{{sfn|Duffet, Mark|p=166|2018}} It raised US$75,000 ({{Inflation|US|75,000|1973|fmt=eq|r=-2|cursign=$}}). Hawaii newspaper columnist Eddie Sherman had created the fund shortly before the event to assist cancer research at the University of Hawaiʻi.{{sfn|Guralnick, Peter|1999|p=478-480}} In December 1986, Sherman's musical Kui opened at the Honolulu Community Theater. Originally, Sherman adapted a screenplay for a motion picture, but eventually he settled for a play. The play starred Kimo Kahoano as Kui, and Shaunne Gallipeau as Nani Lee.{{sfn|Rozmiarek, Joseph|1986|p=B2}}

In May 2000, the Na Hoku Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Award was given posthumously to Lee. Presented by Ho, Lee's wife and daughters accepted it.{{sfn|Oda, Dennis|2000}} In 2009, Lee was inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame by the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts.{{sfn|Advertiser staff|2009}}

Discography

=Albums=

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Album

! Label

1966

| The Extraordinary Kui Lee

| Columbia Records

1970

| The World of Kui Lee

| Music of Polynesia

=Singles=

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Single (A-side, B-side)

! Album

rowspan="2"|1966

| "Ain't No Big Thing"
b/w "All I Want To Do"

| rowspan="2" | The Extraordinary Kui Lee

"Rain, Rain Go Away"
b/w "I'll Remember You"

References

=Citations=

{{Reflist}}

=Sources=

{{Refbegin|colwidth=30em}}

  • {{Cite news |last=Advertiser staff |date=September 28, 2009 |title=Seven inducted to Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame |url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2009/Sep/28/br/hawaii309280012.html |access-date=August 28, 2020 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |publisher=Black Press Media}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Allen, Robert |title=Creating Hawai'i Tourism: A Memoir |publisher=Bess Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-573-06206-0}}
  • {{Cite magazine |last=Billboard staff |year=1966 |title=Album Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eCIEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22The%20Extraordinary%20Kui%20Lee%22&pg=PA31 |access-date=August 26, 2020 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |volume=78 |issn=0006-2510 |number=53}}
  • {{Cite magazine |last=((Billboard staff 2)) |year=1966 |title=Pop Spotlights |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6xAEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Mike+Berniker%22+%22Kui+lee%22&pg=PA18 |access-date=August 27, 2020 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |volume=78 |issn=0006-2510 |number=21}}
  • {{Cite magazine |last=Billboard staff |year=1968 |title=Hawaii: Evoluationary State. Traditional arts and current crazes struggle for identity |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pwgEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Music%20of%20Polynesia%22%20%22kui%20lee%22&pg=RA1-PA4 |access-date=August 26, 2020 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |volume=80 |issn=0006-2510 |number=20}}
  • {{Cite journal |last=BMI |year=1968 |title=Television |journal=BMI: The Many Worlds of Music |publisher=Broadcast Music, Incorporated}}
  • {{Cite news |last1=Bolante|first1=Ronna |last2=Keany|first2=Michael |date=June 2007 |title=50 Greatest Songs of Hawaii |url=https://www.honolulumagazine.com/core/pagetools.php?pageid=4788&url=/Honolulu-Magazine/June-2007/50-Greatest-Songs-of-Hawai-8217i/&mode=print |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818003425/http://www.honolulumagazine.com/core/pagetools.php?pageid=4788&url=/Honolulu-Magazine/June-2007/50-Greatest-Songs-of-Hawai-8217i/&mode=print |archive-date=August 18, 2017 |access-date=October 1, 2020 |work=Honolulu Magazine}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Butwin, David |date=April 27, 1966 |title=Isle Musicman Kui Lee Takes Five at Queens |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58460351/ |work=Honolulu Advertiser |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Open access}}
  • {{Cite AV media notes |last=de Mello, Jack |title=The World of Kui Lee |year=1970 |publisher=Music of Polynesia |id=MOP 12000 |type=sleeve}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Martin, Que |date=October 22, 1965 |title=Backstage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67847022/ |access-date=January 17, 2021 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |via=Newspapers.com |volume=110 |issue=54,914}} {{open access}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Duffet, Mark |title=Counting Down Elvis: His 100 Finest Songs |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-442-24805-2}}
  • {{Cite web |last=Enomoto, Catherine Kekoa |url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/97/05/15/features/story1.html |title=Kui Lee: 'One of the all-time geniuses of Hawaii' |date=May 15, 1997 |newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |publisher=Oahu Publications, Inc. |access-date=August 26, 2020 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629024744/https://archives.starbulletin.com/97/05/15/features/story1.html |archive-date=June 29, 2009}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Gene, Hunter |date=August 5, 1965 |title=Singer is Determined to Remain Beachboy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58206037/ |access-date=August 28, 2020 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |via=Newspapers.com |volume=110 |issue=54,836}}{{open access}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Gima, Dick |date=September 29, 1966 |title=Kui Lee-- A rebel, but a nice one |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58129297/honolulu-star-bulletin/ |access-date=August 27, 2020 |work=Honolulu-Star Bulletin |via=Newspapers.com |volume=55 |issue=272}}{{Open access}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Guralnick, Peter |title=Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley |publisher=Hachette UK |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-349-14446-7}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Harada, Wayne |date=February 4, 1966 |title=Everyone, Everywhere Singing Kui Lee's Tune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58129822/ |access-date=August 29, 2020 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |via=Newspapers.com |volume=111 |issue=55,019}}{{open access}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Harada, Wayne |date=November 9, 1970 |title=de Mello Creates 'Word of Kui Lee' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58129264/ |access-date=August 28, 2020 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}
  • {{Cite news |last=The Honolulu Advertiser staff |date=December 4, 1966 |title=They'll Bury Kui Lee in the Sea He Loved |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58126535/ |access-date=August 27, 2020 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |publisher=Oahu Publications, Inc. |via=Newspapers.com |volume=111 |issue=55,316}}{{Open access}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff |date=December 3, 1966 |title=Entertainer Kui Lee Dies in Mexico |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58130094/ |access-date=August 28, 2020 |work=Honolulu-Star Bulletin |via=Newspapers.com |volume=55 |issue=335}}{{open access}}
  • {{Cite news |last=((Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff 2)) |date=December 9, 1966 |title=Kui Lee is Buried at Sea |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58127607/ |access-date=August 27, 2020 |work=Honolulu-Star Bulletin |via=Newspapers.com |volume=55 |issue=343}}{{Open access}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff |date=March 16, 1968 |title=Phony Cancer Cures Recalled |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60215053/laetrille-kuis-use-of/ |access-date=September 29, 2020 |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |via=Newspapers.com |volume=57 |issue=74}}{{open access}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Hopkins, Jerry |title=Elvis in Hawaii |publisher=Bess Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-573-06142-1}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Kaeppler, Adrienne |title=The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: Australia and the Pacific Islands |last2=Love, J. W. |publisher=Routledge |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-351-54432-0}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Library of Congress. Copyright Office |title=Catalog of Copyright Entries |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |year=1968}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Morse, Harold |date=December 10, 1966 |title=Mourners Take Kui Lee to Final Resting Place |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58128108/honolulu-star-bulletin/ |work=Honolulu-Star Bulletin |publisher=Oahu Publications, Inc. |via=Newspapers.com |volume=55 |issue=344}}{{open access}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Oda, Dennis |date=May 22, 2000 |title=Na Hoku Hanohano Awards |url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2000/05/22/features/story1.html |access-date=August 26, 2020 |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |publisher=Oahu Publications, Inc.}}
  • {{Cite journal |last=Paradise of the Pacific staff |year=1965 |title=A Onetime Waikiki Beachboy Who Writes Mournful Songs, Sings With a New Beat, and May Just Become a New National Craze |journal=Paradise of the Pacific |publisher=Honolulu magazine |volume=77–78}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Rath, Arthur III |title=Slices of Life in Hawaii |publisher=iUniverse |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-450-23520-4 |volume=1}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Rozmiarek, Joseph |date=December 9, 1986 |title=Sherman's 'Kui' still needs work |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58208507/ |access-date=August 28, 2020 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |publisher=Oahu Publications, Inc. |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Open access}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Sherman, Eddie |date=September 22, 1966 |title=Latest on Kui |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59964088/music-of-polynesia/ |access-date=September 28, 2020 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |publisher=Oahu Publications, Inc. |via=Newspaper.com |volume=111 |issue=55,246}}{{open access}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Shikina, Robert |date=April 13, 2008 |title=Nani Lee Meadows 1931–2008 |url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2008/04/13/news/story08.html |access-date=August 26, 2020 |work=Honolulu Star Bulletin}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Stinton, Eric |date=December 3, 2019 |title=Remembering Kui Lee |url=https://www.khon2.com/remembering-hawaii/remembering-kui-lee/ |access-date=August 27, 2020 |work=KHON2 |publisher=Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.}}
  • {{Cite web |last=Wilds, Tony |year=2020 |title=Kui Lee - Biography by Tony Wilds |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kui-lee-mn0000093678 |access-date=August 26, 2020 |website=AllMusic |publisher=Netaktion LLC}}
  • {{Cite news |last=Van Buren, Abigail |date=January 12, 1971 |title=Kui Lee's Life |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67853053/ |access-date=January 17, 2021 |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |via=Newspapers.com |volume=60 |issue=12}} {{open access}}

{{Refend}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • {{AllMusic}}
  • {{IMDb name}}
  • {{YouTube|id=AJyOcZc4SZ0|title=Interview with Leilani Lee}} – Lee's sister recounted their experience moving from Shanghai to Hawaii
  • {{YouTube|id=GCR9MTz9vz4|title=Interview with Maile Tavares Lee}} – Lee's daughter on an interview with Big Island Television

{{Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Portal bar|Biography|Hawaii|Music|United States}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Kui}}

Category:1932 births

Category:1966 deaths

Category:20th-century American songwriters

Category:American musicians of Chinese descent

Category:American people of Native Hawaiian descent

Category:American people of Scottish descent

Category:Burials at sea

Category:Deaths from lung cancer in Mexico

Category:Hawaii people of Chinese descent

Category:Hawaiian songwriters

Category:Kamehameha Schools alumni

Category:Musicians from Hawaii

Category:Musicians from Shanghai

Category:President Theodore Roosevelt High School alumni

Category:United States Coast Guard enlisted