I have just returned from a funeral where, at the conclusion, a video of still photographs of the deceased was played. The background music for this collage was a male singing “(Somewhere) Over The Rainbow”. He was accompanied only by a ukelele (I think).
Maybe it was the setting, but this was the among the most powerful music I have ever heard - his gentle, sincere voice and the simplicity of the arrangement and the lyric were devastating.
Anybody know who this singer could be???
Tiny Tim?
Yes, he does have a beautiful voice. The singer’s name is Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole and the album the song is from is Facing Future.
My sympathies on your loss.
I am pretty sure the version you’re referring to is the one by a late Hawaiian singer namedIsrael Kamakawiwo’ole. I agree that it is very beautiful.
Yeah I was just listening to that this morning when it came up on iTunes shuffle. Good song, they used it on ER when Dr Green died ( he grew up in HI so it was location appropriate)
It’s by a guy named Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole. He was hawaiian and died a few years ago iirc. His version of the song’s been used in a number commercials, tv shows and movies.
On preview, I see I’ve been beaten out. Damn these slow typing fingers!
That’s it! Thank you so much aaelghat. Amazon has just made a sale!
Now, next question: how do you pronounce his name?
(on preview, I see the other responses. This Board never fails, does it!? Thanks everyone. I see there’s quite a story behind this gentle giant)
Annoyingly enough, there’s a commercial that’s come out in the last couple of weeks that uses a version of ‘Wonderful World’ in the HI singer’s style; first time I saw the ad, I thought they’d used ‘Somewhere…’
Now that would be an interesting thread, wouldn’t it? Musicians who only became very well-known posthumously?!
I’ve seen that commercial (don’t recall who it’s for). I don’t think it’s copy of Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole. His version is a medley of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and What a Wonderful World. 
Man, this was my secret song for years. I freakin’ love it.
Now it’s everywhere. They took my song! NPR even has a program that uses it for it’s theme song.
Yes, the song is very compelling and Iz’s voice is wonderful.
Re-reading that, it might be unclear. What I meant was I don’t think the commercial uses someone copying Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole, I think it’s actually his music.
Think of it as three words: Ka-maka wiwo 'ole: Ka-má-ka vē-vo ó-le
Which raises the eternal question: which 400+ pounder made more beautiful music: Nusrat or Israel? I still go for Nusrat but I can see where fans of Israel have a point.
Portia writes:
> Now that would be an interesting thread, wouldn’t it? Musicians who only
> became very well-known posthumously?!
Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole was moderately well known before he died, but it may be true that he’s better known now that he was when he was alive. But that brings up the reason that I entered this thread. The best version of “Over the Rainbow” was by Eva Cassidy, who wasn’t appreciated by anybody except for some of the regulars of music clubs in the Washington, D.C. area before she died in 1996. At the time she died, she had one album by herself and one with her duets with Chuck Brown out and had sold a few tens of thousands of albums. Now her best-selling album in the U.S. is a gold record and was pushing platinum record status last time I checked. She’s approximately 10 times as well known in the U.K., where she’s had three #1 albums. Incidentally, although she didn’t do a medley of “Over the Rainbow” and “Wonderful World,” she did each of them separately.
I think there’s a rule that if you do a great version of “Over the Rainbow” you will die young. Judy Garland did a great version and died at 47. Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole did a better version and died at 38. Eva Cassidy did the best version of all and died at 33.