Raymond Kane

Ray Kane, born Raymond Kaleoalohapoina'oleohelemanu Kane, keeps alive the deep traditions of Hawaiian slack key guitar. Though he waited until his forties before turning professional, Kane quickly compensated by producing concerts and recordings that loyal followers of classic Hawaiian music continue to treasure while also spreading the slack key approach far beyond its islands of origin. The unexpected spotlight left him puzzled. During a mid-1970s interview he remarked, "I don't know why they picked me. I wasn't famous. I wasn't playing anywhere. I was just trying to stick to the style I learned back in the 1930s."

Raised in Nanakuli on O'ahu as the stepson of a fisherman, Kane came from a family steeped in music. His biological father, who left when Kane was two, had been known for his own skill on slack key guitar. Through his mother, Kane is connected to the musicians Andy Cummings, Geonoa Kearve, Marlene Sai, and Mekia Kealaki.

Determined to master the instrument, he bartered fish obtained from a local fisherman in exchange for lessons. As a boy he absorbed the approach of Henry Kapuana and the songs broadcast over the radio. Service in the military during the 1940s carried him to Europe and the mainland United States. After setting the guitar aside for several years, Kane was motivated by Gabby Pahinui’s early recordings to resume playing.

Although he cut a session for the Tradewinds label in 1961, he never expected music to provide his livelihood; weekdays were spent welding, while performances were confined to weekends. The 1970s marked a decisive shift. Amid Hawaii’s renewed interest in slack key, Kane appeared in a series of concerts organized by the Hawaiian Music Foundation. His technically brilliant, nahenahe style, tempered by a ready wit, made him a sought-after artist. Health setbacks curtailed his activities in the late 1970s, yet he returned to performing and teaching throughout the 1980s. In 1987 he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Folk Heritage Fellowship.