We went to Maui for the first time the year they did this performance.. While enjoying the stay, someone in a store recommended that we should get the first CD of the Barefoot Natives. The next morning, I got up early and left Kanapalli to get my wife her morning coffee and put on the CD while driving to the Starbucks. I remember sitting in the parking lot during those early morning minutes listening to this song on the CD, It was beautiful and inspiring. As a result, we went on to learn about the tremendous talent of these two fellows. We later met Willie at a performance a year later and Mr. Gilliom when he was playing with Barry Flanagan on Fathers Day 2018 in Maui. We were saddened to learn of the passing of Willie. It is always inspiring to go back to You Tube and see these great talents again.
Were on Maui on vacation in 2007 when someone told us to buy the Barefoot Natives CD. This classic was on it. These two are extremely talented. Too bad we didn't get to see them live while they were together. It's incredible how they hold that note at the end. That's good singing breathing!! Of course, Willie's guitar playing is always impeccable.
I use to listen to them in the backyard in Ma'alaea at Timmy G's place before they where the barefoot natives they where unreal then just improving. Smoky.
Eric Gilliom IS local. Not that it matters, but he also has Hawaiian ancestry. He definitely looks more haole than his sister Amy, (quite likely our finest living female interpretor of Hawaiian music.), but what matters is that he performs the song beautifully and with all the nostalgic feeling required. Just my humble opinion.
This makes me think of my late step-father Jim. The islands were always in him and he was always there even when he was here on the mainland. "It's there I'm going again, home again, home again one day...."
Willie K and Eric G are unbelievable together, I have listen to Willie for a long time. I had the fortune to see them November 30 2007 at the Kauai Community Center and they simply were awesome, pure from the heart talent! Can't wait to see you guys again soon! Thanks for signing my CD!! Love from Chicago
Willie K. and I came close to "French kissing" once by accident following the end of his show at Ka'ahumanu Center. Both of our sets of eyes bugged out in the moment of realization of what almost just had happened; both of us were relieved in ways which were written large across our faces for the two of us and all of those around us to see. Purely coincidentally, years later, around the time of the Castle Theater concert featured here, there was the occasion at 'A Saigon Cafe' when Eric Gilliom entered the restaurant and approached my table (where I was seated with a couple of friends, just having finished our meal) to say hello. I began to rise from my seat to embrace him, while at the same time he bent over toward me to embrace me. A big surprise for us both occurred when my hands, intended to be heading around his sides and then around his back in order to hug him, landed with some force on what could be described as his "man boobs" instead. LOL. True Dat. Roger Dat. Li' Dat. Aloha.
This really reminds me of my daddy enjoying his ukulele and being funny and my uncle Goerge showing off with his smooth guitar playing! Such beautiful chicken skin mele and just press playing.
Something about a Haole guy singing this song that it just doesn't feel the same no matter how good the performance. I'm Haole too so I don't mind saying that I would rather hear the local guy singing the lead.
