1953 graduate of the University of Hawaii, earning a Bachelor's degree in Sociology.
Don Ho was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 13, 1930. His parents were Emily and Henry Ho. He had four siblings: Henry, George, Emily, and Ruth. Ho’s father was a musician and his mother was a hula dancer. Ho’s early education took place at the Kamehameha School for Boys. He later attended the University of Hawaii, where he studied music.
Ho’s career began in the 1950s, when he started performing at various nightclubs in Honolulu. He soon became a popular attraction, and his act began to draw attention from mainland United States. In 1965, Ho signed a recording contract with Reprise Records. He released his self-titled debut album the following year. The album’s lead single, “Tiny Bubbles”, became a huge hit, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Over the course of his career, Ho released more than 20 albums. He also appeared in a number of films and television shows, including Hawaii Five-O and Magnum, P.I. In addition to his musical career, Ho was also a successful businessman. He owned a number of nightclubs and restaurants in Honolulu, as well as a record label and a production company.
Ho was married three times. His first wife was Melveen Leed, with whom he had two children: Don Jr. and Hoku. His second wife was Haumea Hebenstreit, with whom he had two more children: Kapua and Noelani. His third and final wife was Carolyn Tanaka, with whom he had one child: Kapono.
Ho died on April 14, 2007 at the age of 76. His cause of death was complications from heart failure. At the time of his death, Ho’s net worth was estimated to be $20 million.
General Info
Full Name
Don Ho
Died
April 14, 2007, Waikiki, Honolulu County, Hawaii, Hawaii, United States
Father of ten children: Donnie Jr., Donalei, Dondi, Dori, Dwight Ho, Kea and Kealii Ho, Hoku Clements and Kaimana Farris. Daughter Dayna Ho Henry died May 11, 2007 just weeks after her father.
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Recognized by Maxim magazine as one of the "50 coolest guys ever".