Na Mele:Emma Veary at Halekulani

By Wendy Osher

Emma Veary, Photo by Elizabeth Pepin Silva.

Emma Veary, the Golden Voice of Hawaii, revisits the golden age of Waikiki in a one-of-a-kind performance entitled Na Mele: Emma Veary at Halekulani.

The program, presented by Hawaiian Airlines, is set to air on Sunday, June 5, 2011 at 7 p.m. on PBS Hawai’i.

The performance was captured in April when Veary revisited the Halekulani’s House Without A Key, an elegant venue where she had headlined 40 years earlier.

PBS Hawaii cameras recorded the magical evening, recapturing the golden age of Waikiki as Aunty Emma performed the original songlist from her 1970s show.

Now, at 81, Aunty Emma’s voice is “sweet, pitch-perfect, and lovely as ever,” according to Jimmy Borges, jazz vocalist and PBS Hawaii Board Director.

Accompanied by virtuoso pianist Randy Hongo, Emma Veary performed a few songs with daughter Robyn Knuebuhl, a composer, singer, dancer; and harpist Nyle Hallman.

Aunty Emma’s rendition of Knuebuhl’s “Pua Pakalana” brought second daughter K. Noelani Bennette onstage to join her sister in hula.

Veteran entertainers Roland and Robert Cazimero, Nina Keali`iwahamana, Beverly Noa and Tony Conjugacion honored the songstress with tributes and onstage performances.

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbbpDCpfY3I /] *** File video from June 2010 performance on Maui.