Glen Hirabayashi

Uncle Glen was born a long time ago on Oahu. His family lived in Lanikai at first, but moved to a tiny house with a huge yard on the beach in Kailua with 100 coconut trees lining the driveway. He then  moved to Kaua'i when he was in the 2d grade. He lived in Kilauea, Kaumakani, Kekaha, and Waimea. His first musical instrument was the ukulele. Charlie Kaneyama used to come to the elementary schools on the west side of Kaua'i after school to teach ukulele. Manuela Boy was the first song he said he  learned. His parents tried to make him take piano lessons, and he did for awhile. He must have driven Mr. Suga, his piano teacher, wild because, at that time, he thought Little League baseball was more important than the piano. What a mistake! He remembers listening to the kanikapila sessions under the hau tree near Poipu Beach on Sundays. He also played the trumpet in the Waimea High School Band and also in a 17-piece swing band under Mr. Kanayama's direction. Glen finally picked up the guitar in college and the bass many years later when he was the worst guitar player in their rock and roll band. He didn't play much Hawai'ian music until he arrived on the East Coast the second time. He then  really started playing a lot when his kids starting dancing hula at Halau O 'Aulani. That's where the Aloha Boys were born.