Learn to Play “Haele,” a Hawaiian Ukulele Classic from Ernest Ka’ai

BY ADAM PERLMUTTER | FROM THE SPRING 2017 ISSUE OF UKULELE

Ernest Ka’ai was a pioneering Hawaiian musician, composer, and teacher. He was born in Honolulu in 1881 and died in 1962. A brilliant, self-taught multi-instrumentalist, he played mandolin, guitar, steel guitar, and violin equally well, and was the first Hawaiian to copyright his music. But he’s most celebrated as a prodigiously gifted ukulele player—to whom all modern players, whether or not they know it, owe a large debt.

This rendition of Haele by Sam Muir is from Ka’ai’s book, The Ukulele & How it is Played.

This song, “Haele,” first appeared in his book, The Ukulele & How it is Played, published in 1916. The arrangement here was made by Adam Perlmutter for Ukulele magazine.

Our arrangement of “Haele” by Ernest Ka’ai, is presented as a companion to the Gods of Uke feature on this pioneering Hawaiian musician, composer, and teacher.