01/08/2006 | 28m 49s | Video has closed captioning.
Huell spends an afternoon with a 97-year-old ukulele maestro Bill Tapia. With a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, Bill shares with all of us his remarkable and colorful life story and his lively music.
Aired: 01/08/06
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Announcer: VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.
[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION AND FRIENDS OF NCI] Huell Howser: WELL, HELLO, EVERYBODY.
I'M HUELL HOWSER, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN LIFE THAT BRINGS MORE JOY THAN TO BE ABLE TO MEET AND SPEND SOME TIME WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHOSE LIFE STORY IS RICH AND FULL AND INSPIRATIONAL.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE EXPERIENCE I'VE JUST HAD RIGHT INSIDE OF THIS HOUSE.
WE'RE IN WESTMINSTER, IN ORANGE COUNTY, AND I'VE JUST FINISHED SPENDING A COUPLE OF HOURS WITH A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF BILL TAPIA.
AND HIS STORY IS TRULY AMAZING.
[PLAYING HAWAIIAN-SOUNDING JAZZ] Huell: NOW, THAT'S NOT AN ISLAND SONG, IS IT?
Bill Tapia: NO.
YOU WANT AN ISLAND SONG?
Huell: NO, I JUST--YOU PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING ON THAT THING, DON'T YOU?
Bill: I'M A JAZZ MUSICIAN, BUT I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE ISLANDS.
BUT I LEFT THE ISLANDS BECAUSE THEY HAD TOO MUCH HAWAIIAN THERE WHEN I WAS YOUNG, AND I CAME TO THE MAINLAND BECAUSE I USED TO LISTEN TO LOUIE ARMSTRONG AND THOSE GUYS.
Huell: SO YOU WERE GETTING AWAY FROM THE HAWAIIAN MUSIC AND GOIN' MORE TOWARD JAZZ?
Bill: JAZZ.
Huell: AND YOU WERE GETTING AWAY FROM THE UKULELE, TOO.
Bill: THAT'S RIGHT.
I GAVE IT UP FOR 56 YEARS, UNTIL 3 YEARS AGO.
EVERYBODY WAS GETTIN' CRAZY FOR UKULELE, SO I PICK ONE UP AGAIN, AND I PLAY IT AS WELL AS I DID THEN.
Huell: SO, WAIT A MINUTE.
YOU DIDN'T START PLAYING THE UKULELE AGAIN UNTIL YOU WERE 93 YEARS OLD?
Bill: EXACTLY.
93 1/2.
Huell: WOW!
Bill: SEE, WHEN I WAS YOUNG, A KID, EVERYBODY KNEW ME IN HONOLULU.
I PLAYED IN EVERY THEATER IN VAUDEVILLE WH I WAS 12 1/2.
THEY TOOK ME OUT OF SCHOOL.
Huell: YOU WERE PLAYING THE UKULELE.
Bill: YEAH.
PLAYED IT IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD AND EVERYTHING, ON THE STAGE AND PLAYED IN EVERY THEATER.
Huell: THEN YOU LEFT HAWAII AND STARTED PLAYIN' JAZZ.
Bill: THAT'S RIGHT.
Huell: WITH SOME OF THE GREATS, OR WERE YOU ON YOUR OWN, OR HOW DID THAT WORK?
Bill: WELL, I PLAYED WITH GREAT MUSICIANS.
I STARTED TO PLAY BANJO AND GUITAR, AND I GAVE UP THE UKULELE.
I THOUGHT, "OH, THIS IS A TOY."
AND THEN I PLAYED WITH NAME BANDS LIKE VITO MUSSO, CHARLIE BARNETT.
I RECORDED WITH BING CROSBY AND...
PLAYED GUITAR AND BANJO.
Huell: WAS IT A GOOD LIFE, BEI'' A MUSICIAN?
Bill: I HAD A GOOD LIFE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW HOW MUSICIANS ARE.
THEY LIVE VERY HIGH.
BUT I'M ONE GUY...THE ONLY BAD HABIT I HAD WAS I SMOKED UNTIL I WAS 87.
I SMOKED PACK AND A HALF, SOMETIMES 2, AND I TOOK MARIJUANA ONLY ONCE.
A GUY GAVE ME THIS.
I WAS SITTING IN WITH LOUIE ARMSTRONG'S BAND, AND I CAME FROM THE ISLANDS, AND I SEE ALL THESE MUSICIANS GETTING CRAZY AND SMELLED LIKE BURNT GRASS.
Huell: HA!
Bill: SO I WENT IN THE BAND ROOM AND I SAID, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS ALL GETTIN' SILLY FOR?
LAUGHING" SO THE GUY SAID--HE GAVE ME A MARIJUANA.
HE SAID...
HE SAID..."YOU NEVER SMOKED THIS MARIJUANA?
THIS--" HE CALL IT "STICK OF TEA."
Huell: STICK OF TEA.
Bill: YEAH.
I SAID, "I THOUGHT MARIJUANA WAS THE NAME OF SOME GOOD-LOOKIN' GIRL."
Huell: HA HA!
Bill: HE SAID, "TAKE THIS, MAN.
IT'S GONNA MAKE YOU PLAY BETTER."
I DIDN'T WANT TO SMOKE IT.
SEE, MOST GUYS, THEY SMOKE IT, THEY INHALE IT, AND THEY TAKE A FEW DRAGS, AND PUT IT AWAY.
I SMOKED THE WHOLE THING!
AND MY LIPS BEGAN TO GET TIGHT AND TINGLING FEELINGS ALL OVER, AND I SAID TO MYSELF, "OH, BOY.
I THINK I'M GONNA DIE."
I GOT SCARED.
GOOD THING IT MADE ME SICK BECAUSE I DIDN'T TAKE IT NO MORE.
NEVER.
Huell: AND YOU DEFINITELY DIDN'T DIE BECAUSE TODAY YOU'RE 97.
Bill: RIGHT.
Huell: AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK 97-YEAR-OLD PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE AND FEEL LIKE AND ACT LIKE-- Bill: IT'S YOUR MIND.
Huell: IT IS, ISN'T IT?
Bill: YOU GOTTA THINK AHEAD ALL THE TIME, AND THESE PEOPLE, THEY GET LAZY.
WHEN THEY GET OLD, THEY SAY, "WELL, I HAD IT.
I DON'T WANT TO WORK NO MORE."
THEY START WATCHIN' TV OR READ NEWSPAPERS.
I EXERCISE.
I WALK 7 AND 8 MILES A DAY AND EXERCISE WITH IRONS 1/2 HOUR EVERY DAY.
I JOG 1/2 HOUR, AND I RODE MY BIKE--SEE, I'M FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA--I RODE MY BIKE FROM LAFAYETTE TO MORAGA--THAT'S 5 MILES EACH WAY--EVERY DAY UNTIL I WAS 87.
Huell: WOW!
Bill: THEN I BEGAN TO GET ANGINA, AND THE DOCTORS SAY, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT," AND THAT'S WHAT KIND OF HOLDS ME BACK NOW.
BUT I TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.
Huell: IT'S NOT HOLDIN' YOU BACK TOO MUCH, BECAUSE YOU'VE STARTED THIS WHOLE NEW AMAZING CAREER WITH THE UKULELE!
WHERE DID THAT COME FROM, THIS RESURGENCE OF YOUR INTEREST IN THE UKULELE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?
Bill: WELL, WHEN I CAME DOWN HERE ABOUT 3 1/2 YEARS AGO, AND THAT CLUB THAT YOU WERE IN?
OASIS?
Huell: YEAH.
Bill: SOME GUY SAID HE HEARD ME PLAY IN A MUSIC STORE.
A WOMAN WAS TRYING OUT A UKULELE, AND I NEVER TOUCH IT FOR 56 YEARS.
SO I SAYS, I TOLD THE GUY, "LET ME SEE THAT UKULELE."
AND HE WAS A UKULELE PLAYER HIMSELF, AND GUITAR.
HE GOT THE UKULELE, AND WHEN I STOPPED PLAYING, HE SAID, "HEY, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"
HE GOT ALL EXCITED.
AND THEN WE START TALK--I TOLD HIM ABOUT MY LIFE.
HE SAID, "WOULD YOU GO UP TO THE OASIS WITH ME ONE DAY?"
AND "I WANT THESE GUYS SEE YOU PLAY."
I SAID, "OK." I SAID, "YOU LOAN ME A UKULELE."
AND I WENT UP THERE.
THEN I SAW EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, INTERESTED IN UKULELE.
SO I SAID, "I'D BETTER GET ONE AND PLAY AGAIN."
SO SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN PLAYING CONCERTS ALL OVER THE GODDARNED PLACE.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
I MADE, OH, ABOUT 7, 8 TRIPS TO HONOLULU, PLAYED CONCERTS THERE, AND EVERYONE--I GOT A STANDING OVATION.
Huell: NOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS POPULARITY--YOUR NEWFOUND POPULARITY IS ALL ABOUT?
BECAUSE OF YOUR AGE AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE PLAYING THE CLASSIC UKULELE?
YOU'RE FROM THE OLD SCHOOL?
Bill: THAT'S RIGHT.
WELL, YOU SEE, WHAT EVERYBODY IS SURPRISED AT, MUSICIANS AND ALL THAT, THE GUYS THAT THOUGHT THEY WERE THE GREATEST, WHEN THEY HEARD ME, THEY WERE SURPRISED THAT I PLAYED THIS STUFF, THIS YOUNG JAZZ AND EVERYTHING.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Huell: SO YOU'RE NOT JUST PLAYIN' THE CLASSICS.
Bill: NO.
Huell: YOU'RE PLAYIN'...JAZZ-- Bill: JAZZ.
Huell: ON THE UKULELE.
Bill: THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THEN I PLAY HAWAIIAN.
I PLAY ALMOST ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE LIKE.
BUT WHAT I PLAY MOSTLY IS JAZZ.
I'M KNOWN FOR JAZZ.
Huell: SO YOU'RE INCORPORATING THE JAZZ THAT YOU PLAYED ALL OF YOUR LIFE INTO THE UKULELE, WHICH YOU HAD PLAYED IN THE YOUNGER YEARS OF YOUR LIFE.
YOU'RE COMBINING THE TWO.
Bill: RIGHT.
Huell: DOES JAZZ WORK WELL ON THE UKULELE?
Bill: OH, GREAT.
IT SOUND GOOD.
EVERYBODY LIKE IT.
Huell: BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE THINK OF THE TRADITIONAL UKULELE SONGS.
Bill: YEAH, HAWAIIAN.
A LOT OF THEM, THEY PLAY HAWAIIAN STYLE.
NOW, THAT SECOND RECORDING WAS THE DUKE OF THE UKE.
NOW THERE, YOU HEAR IT'S ALL JAZZ IN THERE.
AND THE LAST 4 SONGS IN THAT CD, I PLAYED IT THE WAY YOU HEAR IT IN THAT CD WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD IN WORLD WAR I!
SEE, I WORKED FOR THE U.S.O.
SHOWS ENTERTAININ' SERVICEMEN ONLY.
SO THE LAST 4 SONGS, HOW IT GOT IN THAT RECORDING?
BY ACCIDENT.
I PLAYED THAT IN WORLD WAR I. Huell: THOSE WERE YOUR ORIGINAL RECORDINGS.
Bill: THAT'S RIGHT.
Huell: BECAUSE I'VE GOT THE CD.
IT'S A WONDERFUL CD.
Bill: YEAH!
Huell: IT MIXES NEW STUFF WITH YOUR OLD RECORDINGS FROM 1936.
Bill: EXACTLY, FROM '36.
Huell: AND WHEN YOU GO OUT ON THE ROAD, THIS IS THE UKULELE THAT YOU PERFORM ONSTAGE WITH.
Bill: YEAH.
IT'S A GREAT UKULELE.
I HAD ALL KIND OF UKULELES IN MY LIFE WHEN I PLAYED IN HONOLULU, BUT NONE TOUCH THIS.
THIS IS A GOOD UKULELE.
Huell: WAS THIS MADE JUST FOR YOU?
Bill: OH, FOR ME, YEAH.
HE MADE IT SPECIAL FOR ME.
IT SELLS FOR $4,500.
Huell: REALLY!
NOW, IT'S BIGGER--IS IT THE SAME SIZE AS THIS?
Bill: YOU PLAY THE SAME AS THIS.
THE ONLY THING DIFFERENT IS A LITTLE BIGGER.
THIS IS A CONCERT.
THIS IS CALLED A TENOR.
Huell: WELL, LET'S HEAR SOMETHIN', JUST SOMETHIN'-- [TUNING UKULELE] Huell: OH, IT'S GOT YOUR NAME ON IT AND EVERYTHING.
Bill: YEAH.
[PLAYING JAZZ RIFFS] [STARTS SONG] Huell: WOW!
YOU'RE REACHING A WHOLE NEW AUDIENCE WITH THIS KIND OF MUSIC ON THE UKULELE, AREN'T YOU?
Bill: RIGHT.
Huell: PEOPLE WHO'VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD THE UKULELE PLAYED THE WAY YOU PLAY IT.
Bill: THAT'S RIGHT.
NOW, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I PLAYED CONCERTS.
I MADE A TOUR OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND THAT'S WHERE I LIVED FOR 56 YEARS.
I ONLY MOVED HERE 7 YEARS AGO.
AND I PLAYED IN THE PLACES WHERE THEY HIRE JAZZ BANDS AND THINGS.
FIRST TIME THEY HAD A UKULELE, AND I PACKED IT!
THEY HAD TO TURN 'EM AWAY.
Huell: HOW ARE YOU DEALIN' WITH THIS NEWFOUND FAME?
YOU'VE BECOME A CELEBRITY HERE AT 97.
Bill: RIGHT.
RIGHT.
I FEEL GOOD, BECAUSE I NEVER THOUGHT I'D QUIT PLAYING.
I WANT TO PLAY UNTIL I STOP BREATHIN'.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Huell: I THINK YOU PROBABLY WILL.
Bill: I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT ME SO MUCH EVERYPLACE I GO.
YOU KNOW, THEY TREAT ME REAL GOOD, MUSICIANS AND NON-MUSICIANS.
AND I KEEP PLAYIN'.
I--I GET LITTLE PROBLEMS WITH MYSELF, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF MY AGE, BUT I DON'T FEEL BAD.
I GO.
I THINK DIFFERENT.
I THINK AHEAD.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
I WANT TO KEEP GOING, NO MATTER HOW I FEEL.
Huell: AND HOW LONG--HOW MANY SONGS CAN YOU PLAY IN A SET?
HOW MANY--HOW LONG DO YOU GO IN THESE CONCERTS?
Bill: OH, I PLAY 2 HOURS, YOU KNOW, EACH TIME.
Huell: NONSTOP?
Bill: NONSTOP.
AND THEN SOMETIMES AFTER THE CONCERT, I GO TO A SESSION TILL ABOUT 2:00, 3:00 IN THE MORNING, AND PLAY.
Huell: YEAH, YOU'RE A MUSICIAN, ALL RIGHT.
Bill: YEAH.
Huell: THAT'S THE MUSICIAN IN YOUR BLOOD, IN YOUR HEART, IN YOUR SOUL.
Bill: THAT'S RIGHT.
WHEN I WAS A KID, IT'S FUNNY, MY INSTRUMENT CAME FIRST.
I HAD A LOT OF GIRLS.
BUT I DITCH 'EM BECAUSE THEY WANT ME TO DITCH IT.
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO--THEY GOT JEALOUS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
THEY DIDN'T WANT ME GO OUT AND PLAY BECAUSE EVERYBODY, WHEN I WAS YOUNG, USED TO MAKE OVER ME.
THEY SAY, "GET ANOTHER JOB."
AND I SAID, "NO, I AIN'T GONNA GET ANOTHER JOB.
YOU GET ANOTHER GUY."
Huell: HA HA HA!
Bill: THE INSTRUMENT CAME FIRST.
Huell: NOW, WHEN BILL IS NOT PERFORMING ON STAGE, HE HAS STARTED GIVING LESSONS, AND, PAT, TELL US HOW YOU CAME TO BE HERE.
Pat Enos: I MOVED HERE FROM BETHESDA, MARYLAND.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN KANEOHE.
I BECAME A BUILDER AND BUILT HOMES FOR 20 YEARS, AND ON MY WAY BACK TO HAWAII 5 YEARS AGO, I STOPPED BY.
2 YEARS LATER, I WAS PLAYING IN A LITTLE CLUB, HAWAIIAN MUSIC, AND IN WALKS BILL TAPIA.
Huell: AND DID YOU KNOW HIM FROM BEFORE?
Pat: NOT AT ALL.
HE SAYS, "WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"
I SAID, "PAT ENOS."
HE SAYS, "ENOS!
ENOS!
FREDDIE ENOS.
IN 1972, I SAW YOUR..." HE'S NAMING PLACES AND DATES.
HE KNEW MY FATHER.
Huell: MM-HMM.
FROM HAWAII?
Pat: FROM HAWAII.
THE OLD DAYS.
Huell: SO ARE YOU TAKING--THAT'S NOT A UKULELE.
Pat: I PLAY THE UKULELE, BUT BILL IS A MASTER GUITAR PLAYER, SO HE'S TEACHING ME CHORDS.
Huell: NOW, ARE YOU LEARNING JAZZ, OR ARE YOU LEARNING-- Pat: I'M LEARNING JAZZ.
I WANT TO LEARN JAZZ.
Huell: SO YOU'RE HERE WITH THE BEST RIGHT HERE.
Pat: ABSOLUTELY.
Huell: AND YOU COME OVER FOR LESSONS.
Pat: FOR LESSONS, ONCE A WEEK.
Huell: AND WE HAVE LESSONS OVER HERE.
YOUR NAME IS... Greg Kline: MY NAME IS GREG.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
Huell: AND HOW DID YOU GET HOOKED UP WITH BILL?
Greg: I MET MR. TAPIA DOWN AT THE OASIS SENIOR CENTER.
Huell: MISTER ...TAPIA.
Greg: IN NEWPORT BEACH.
Huell: YOU SHOW THE PROPER RESPECT.
Greg: AND IT'S A GROUP OF SENIORS THAT GET TOGETHER AND PLAY THE UKULELE FOR FUN.
AND MR. TAPIA CAME AND HE PLAYED JAZZ ON THE UKULELE LIKE NOBODY ELSE.
AND I FIGURED THIS IS THE GUY I HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY UKULELE FROM.
Huell: SO YOU WERE USED TO THE MORE TRADITIONAL WAY OF PLAYING THE UKULELE.
I'VE BEEN TO THE OASIS GROUP BEFORE.
THAT'S DOWN IN NEWPORT.
Greg: RIGHT.
Huell: AND IT'S A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO GET TOGETHER AND PLAY THE UKULELE.
Greg: RIGHT, AND FOR THE MOST PART, THEY JUST STRUM THE CHORDS, BUT MR. TAPIA, HE'S SOMETHING ELSE.
Huell: SO WHAT'S IT LIKE TO WORK WITH THIS GUY?
IS IT KIND OF INTIMIDATING?
Greg: IT'S VERY INTIMIDATING.
BUT IT'S ALSO AN HONOR.
IT WOULD BE LIKE FOR A TRUMPET PLAYER TO BE ABLE TO TAKE LESSONS FROM LOUIE ARMSTRONG.
Huell: YEAH.
AND WHAT ARE THEY LIKE AS STUDENTS?
Bill: HUH?
Huell: WHAT ARE THEY LIKE AS STUDENTS?
ARE THEY PRETTY GOOD STUDENTS?
Bill: GOOD STUDENT.
HE'S AN EXCELLENT STUDENT.
EVERYTHING I TEACH HIM, HE GET ON IT GOOD AND PLAY IT.
FOR THE TIME HE'S BEEN PLAYIN', HE'S PLAYING GOOD.
AND HE'S GONNA BE GREAT BY THE TIME I GET THROUGH WITH HIM.
[LAUGHTER] Huell: NOW, WHEN YOU TEACH, HERE'S YOUR HAT OUT HERE THAT YOU WENT OUT AND BROUGHT BACK IN OUT OF OF THE CLOSET.
TELL US ABOUT THIS HAT.
THIS IS ONE OF MANY HATS YOU HAVE.
Bill: IT'S THAT LEI.
NOW, THIS LEI, A HAWAIIAN WOMAN MADE IT FOR ME IN COOK STREET IN HONOLULU IN 1935.
Huell: THIS LEI?
Bill: THIS LEI.
Huell: WHAT IS THAT MADE OF?
Bill: THIS LEI IS CALLED KOAHALA LEI, AND THIS ONE HERE IS ORIGINAL KIND, WHERE THEY ONLY TAKE 3 FEATHERS OFF EACH PHEASANT.
YOU HAVE TO GET THOUSANDS OF PHEASANTS TO MAKE A LEI LIKE THIS.
AND SHE MADE IT FOR ME IN 1935, AND I RECORDED WITH BING CROSBY IN A STUDIO IN HAWAII ON BERETANIA STREET CALLED S.O.S.
RECORDING STUDIO.
Huell: WERE YOU WEARIN' THIS HAT?
Bill: YEAH!
NOT THE HAT.
I HAD THIS LEI ON ANOTHER HAT, ON A HAWAIIAN HAT, A STRAW HAT, LIKE, AND HE SAID, "SAY, WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?
I LIKE THAT.
WHERE CAN I GET ONE?"
I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW."
THEY HAVE A LOT OF IMITATIONS, BUT THIS IS THE ORIGINAL KIND.
SO I SAID, "I'LL ASK THIS WOMAN."
SO I TOOK HIM TO THIS WOMAN, AND SHE MADE HIM ONE, TOO.
Huell: DO YOU WEAR THIS HAT WHEN YOU'RE PLAYIN'?
Bill: NO.
ONCE IN A WHILE.
I GOT ALL KIND OF HATS AND CAPS--I GOT ABOUT 60, AND I-- Huell: 60?
Bill: YEAH.
I GOT IT ALL OVER.
I DIDN'T SHOW YOU.
I JUST SHOWED YOU ONE CLOSET.
AND I HAVE ABOUT 6 OF THESE LEIS NOW, BUT THEY'RE NOT LIKE THIS ONE.
THIS ONE IS THE ORIGINAL.
Huell: WELL, SHOULD YOU WEAR THE HAT OR JUST PUT IT OFF TO THE SIDE?
Bill: OH, YOU WANT ME WEAR THE HAT?
Huell: WELL, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.
Bill: I HOPE I DON'T CLAMP MY BRAINS.
[LAUGHTER] Huell: YEAH, THAT KIND OF SETS THE STAGE, DOESN'T IT?
Pat: HE NORMALLY WEARS A HAT WHEN HE PLAYS MUSIC.
INDOORS, OUTDOORS.
AND WE WERE AT THE BEACH LAST WEDNESDAY AT SAN ONOFRE.
WORE A SUIT.
HE HAD RED SHOES ON AND HIS CAP.
[LAUGHTER] Huell: SO HE'S ALWAYS DRESSED FOR THE OCCASION.
Pat: ALWAYS.
ALWAYS DRESSED.
Huell: WHICH GOES BACK TO THE MORE FORMAL, OLDER DAYS.
Pat: I THINK SO.
Bill: WELL, THAT'S HOW YOU ATTRACT WOMEN.
YOU KNOW?
[LAUGHTER] Huell: WELL, CAN WE PLAY A LITTLE SOMETHIN' HERE?
Bill: YEAH.
Huell: WHAT ARE YOU GONNA PLAY?
Bill: MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK.
PLAY THE PART LIKE THIS.
Bill: NOW PLAY.
SHOW THEM WHAT YOU LEARNED.
Bill: LEARN THE CHORDS.
♪ I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK IN KEALAKEKUA, HAWAII, IF I CAN FIND IT, I WANT TO BE WITH THE KANES AND WAHINIS THAT I KNEW LONG AGO, I CAN HEAR THE OLD GUITARS PLAYIN' ON THAT BEACH AT HO'ONAUNAU, AND I CAN HEAR THE OLD HAWAIIANS SAYIN', KOMO MAI NO KAUA IKA HALE WELAKOHAO, IT WON'T BE LONG TILL MY SHIP BE SAILIN' BACK TO KONA, A GRAND OLD SIGHT THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE, YEAH, BABY, YOU'RE TELLIN' ME, I'M JUST A LITTLE HAWAIIAN HOMESICK ISLAND BOY, AND I'D LOVE TO GO BACK TO MY FISH AND POI, I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK IN KEALAKEKUA, HAWAII, WHERE THE HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUAA GOES SWIMMIN' BY, OH, WHERE THE HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUAA GOES SWIMMIN' BY ♪ STOP.
IN 5.
[LAUGHTER] Huell: SO, WHERE DOES ALL OF THIS GO?
WHAT'S THE...WHAT'S THE LESSON HERE?
WHERE DO YOU GO WITH YOUR LIFE?
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR YA?
Bill: WELL, UH, YOU GOTTA KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES, SEE?
I'M 97, AND I'VE SEEN ALL CHANGES, ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHEN THEY GET ABOUT 60 OR 70, THEY BEGIN TO GET CORNY...YOU KNOW, OUT OF STYLE.
I KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING WITH THE STYLE... YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING--THE WAY PEOPLE LIVE AND EVERYTHING.
AND I STUDY THAT AS I GO.
I HAD 105 PRIVATE STUDENTS UP NORTH WHEN I WAS TEACHIN' REGULAR, AND I GET THESE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, AND THEY GET CONFIDENCE IN ME, AND THEY TELL ME ABOUT THEIR LIFE--WHAT THEY'RE DOIN'--EVERY GODDARN THING--AND I KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.
Huell: NOT JUST WITH MUSIC, BUT EVERYTHING.
Bill: NO, WITH EVERYTHING--WITH WOMEN AND EVERYTHING.
[HUELL LAUGHS] Huell: SO IT'S JUST GETTIN' BETTER.
Bill: IT'S GETTIN' BETTER ALL THE TIME.
SEE?
Huell: WHERE DOES THIS GO?
[BILL CHUCKLES] YOU'RE ALREADY A STAR, OVERNIGHT ALMOST, HERE AT 97.
Bill: YEAH.
I--I GOTTA GO FURTHER.
SEE, I EXPECT TO LIVE MAYBE TILL ABOUT A HUNDRED.
Huell: MM-HMM.
Bill: THEN MAYBE I'LL STOP BREATHIN' BY THAT TIME.
Huell: BUT YOUR MUSIC IS GONNA LIVE ON.
Bill: I--I GOT PROBLEMS WITH ME, BUT I FORCE MYSELF.
I PLAY ALL THESE GIGS AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE I WANNA GO UNTIL I PASS OUT.
Huell: WOW.
Bill: SEE, I--I HOPE TO GOD THAT HE LETS ME PLAY...YOU KNOW... ALL THROUGH MY LIFE.
Huell: WELL, THIS HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR GIVIN' US SOME OF YOUR TIME AND SHARIN' YOUR STORIES AND YOUR LIFE AND YOUR TALENT.
IT'S A--IT'S--YOU FEEL GOOD JUST BEIN' IN HERE, DON'T YOU?
Pat: ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY.
Huell: I MEAN, WE'RE TALKIN' ABOUT ENERGY HERE.
Pat: ENERGY AND--AND A LIFETIME OF STORIES.
Huell: YEAH.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT HERE?
I MEAN, 'CAUSE YOU'RE GETTIN' A LOT MORE THAN JUST MUSIC LESSONS.
Greg: IT'S--IT'S SOMETHIN' ELSE.
IT REALLY IS.
IT'S A REAL TREAT TO BE ABLE TO STUDY WITH MR. TAPIA.
Huell: WELL, I'VE GOTTA TELL YA, THERE'S A LOT YOU'VE GOT TO TEACH US ALL AND A LOT OF GOOD MUSIC STILL LEFT TO SHARE WITH ALL OF US.
WILL YOU--WILL YOU PLAY SOMETHIN' FOR US?
SOME OF YOUR--YOUR CLASSIC JAZZ UKULELE MUSIC FOR US TO--TO KIND OF LEAVE US?
YEAH, HE'S ALREADY STARTED.
HA HA!
[♪♪] Bill: ♪ IF I COULD BE WITH YOU, I'D LOVE YOU STRONG, AND IF I COULD BE WITH YOU, I'D LOVE YOU LONG, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WOULDN'T GO UNTIL I TOLD YOU, HONEY, THAT I LOVE YOU SO, IF I COULD BE WITH YOU FOR AN HOUR TONIGHT, AND IF I WAS FREE TO DO THE THINGS THAT I MIGHT, I'M TELLIN' YOU TRUE, BABY, I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU, IF I COULD BE WITH YOU FOR JUST ONE HOUR, IF I COULD BE WITH YOU ♪ [PLAYING CONTINUES] [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION AND FRIENDS OF NCI] [CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org--] Bill: ♪ IF I COULD BE WITH YOU I'D LOVE YOU STRONG, AND IF I COULD BE WITH YOU, I'D LOVE YOU LONG, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WOULDN'T GO UNTIL I TOLD YOU, HONEY, THAT I LOVE YOU SO, IF I COULD BE WITH YOU FOR ONE HOUR TONIGHT, AND IF I WAS FREE TO DO THE THINGS THAT I MIGHT, I'M TELLIN' YOU TRUE, BABY, I'M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU, IF I CAN JUST BE WITH YOU FOR JUST ONE HOUR, IF I JUST CAN BE WITH YOU ♪
