Musical Influences

I grew up in Hawaii and in the 60's and 70's all I listened to was good 'ole rock-n-roll. It wasn't until I moved to California in the early 80's that I really began to appreciate Hawaiian music.

I enjoy oldies from the Motown era, as well as the styles of Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Rait, Norah Jones, and Sheryl Crow.

I have been in the heart of music since childhood and my early school years. Through high school and college I continued to develop my skills as a piano player and lead vocal singer.

Coming from a large Polynesian family (and the youngest of fifteen children), music naturally has been a big part of my family traditions and cultural heritage. Singing in the home and at church formed a solid foundation of my passion for music.

Traditional Hawaiian music is making its way back and is reviving its people and senses to what was once lost in the music scene. Personally, my goal is to help preserve and promote traditional music of the Hawaiian people.

Group, Soloist, and Venue Experience

I started playing locally in the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-90's.

Over the last 10 years, I've been a member of three different established bands in the Bay Area, performing variously as lead and backup vocalist and playing ukulele and keyboard. Subsequently, I and several other members of these bands have gone on to develop solo careers.

These bands ranged in size from duets to 6 members and played to audiences ranging in size from small private parties to well over 8,000.

Over the same period, I have played more than 700 gigs in all types of venues. A sampling of the various types of venues is listed below:

Lead vocalist and ukulele player in a five-member band accompanying Rick No'eau Smith and his Halau Na Mamo No'eau (Hawaiian dance group) on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship traveling from Kauai to Maui, Hilo, and Kona.

Vocalist and piano player for "Na Mele Welo," a hula presentation at the Marin Veteran's Auditorium.

As part of a group, Faith has opened for the Brothers Cazimero, Amy Gilliom & Willie K, Ledward Kaapana, and Hapa, to name a few.

Hawaii Visitors' Bureau promotional conference presented at the Palace, Sheraton, Alta Mira, and Marriot hotels in San Francisco.