Andy Iona was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 musician and one of Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

's most influential musicians. He was a composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

, songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

, conductor, saxophonist, and steel guitar

Steel guitar

Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...

ist. He went to the Kamehameha School for Boys

Kamehameha Schools

Kamehameha Schools , formerly called Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate , is a private co-educational college-preparatory institution that specializes in Native Hawaiian language and cultural education. It is located in Hawaii and operates three campuses: Kapālama , Pukalani , and Keaau...

. He was also educated at Henri Berger

Henri Berger

Henry or Henri Berger was a Prussian Kapellmeister composer and royal bandmaster of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1872 to his death....

's Private School of Music in Honolulu.

He was a member of the radio station KHS staff orchestra. He went on to form his own group called Andy Iona and his Islanders, which mixed traditional Hawaiian melodies with American swing; the band appeared in films, hotels, and theatres, and on records. He composed songs for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers

American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization that protects its members' musical copyrights by monitoring public performances of their music, whether via a broadcast or live performance, and compensating them...

 after joining in 1940, and recorded the music for two Soundies

Soundies

Soundies were an early version of the music video: three-minute musical films, produced in New York City, Chicago, and Hollywood between 1940 and 1946, often including short dance sequences. The completed Soundies were generally released within a few months of their filming; the last group was...

 in 1941. Long toured with Sonja Henie

Sonja Henie

Sonja Henie was a Norwegian figure skater and film star. She was a three-time Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles, a ten-time World Champion and a six-time European Champion . Henie won more Olympic and World titles than any other ladies figure skater...

 for 12 years.

He married Leimomi Woodds and had three children.

Music

• Public domain song: Andy Iona - Pretty Red Hibiscus
• Public domain song: Andy Iona - Naughty Hula Eyes
• Box set (6 CDs - 112 tracks): The Andy Iona Collection - Andy Iona and his Islanders, Cumquat Records.
• Album: Hawaiians In Hollywood: Smooth, Sweet & Swinging 1934-1936: Volume 1 by Andy Iona.
• Album: From Honolulu To Hollywood: Jazz, Blues & Popular Specialties Performed Hawaiian Style by King Bennie Nawahi, Sol Hoopii, Andy Iona.
• Album: Jazz Goes Hawaiian by Louis Armstrong feat. Andy Iona, Challenge Records.

External links