| Bill Keale | |
| Origin: | Bend, Oregon |
| Genre: | Hawaiian |
| Birth Place: | Oahu, Hawaii |
| Occupation: | Musician |
| Instrument: | Ukulele
|
| Years Active: | 1998-present |
| Label: | Twin Island; CD Baby |
William Gregory Keale[1] is a Hawaiian-American singer-songwriter from Bend, Oregon.[2] He is best known as Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's cousin.
Keale was born on Oahu, Hawaii. He grew up to love Hawaiian music, and was raised by Hawaiian musicians, and spent a lot of time with his uncle Moe Keale, a ukulele virtuoso. His cousin, Kamakawiwoʻole, once told him that the "music is in the bones."[3]
Bill Keale was a former member of the Sons of Hawaii band, and is one of the few people today to have been born in the 20th century with pure Hawaiian ancestry.[3] Today he has a wife named Tiffany and two kids, Mac and Rosie Keale.[4]
Bill Keale's first album, "Islands Away," was released in 1999. His albums feature lyrics in Hawaiian and English. Some of his best-known songs are "After The Rain" from the album of the same name, "Kai'lua Rain," "Ala Ka'i," and his rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What a Wonderful World." His albums "Keeper of The Rain" and "After The Rain" were both released on the same day, in July 2002. He also released a Christmas album titled "The Magic of Christmas" in 2006.
Keale has released 7 studio albums, one EP, and a Christmas album. Although he has not released any new music since 2013, he is still active. His albums have received generally positive reviews.[5]
| Album Name | Release Date | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| "Islands Away" | January 5, 1999 | Twin Island |
| "America: Home of The Beautiful" (EP) | July 17, 2001 | |
| "Keeper of The Rain" | July 15, 2002 | |
| "After The Rain" | CD Baby/Twin Island[6] | |
| "By Request" | February 4, 2005 | Twin Island |
| "The Magic of Christmas" | November 27, 2006 | |
| "With Aloha" | January 1, 2008 | CD Baby/Twin Island |
| "Yesterday" | March 2, 2010 | Twin Island |
| "What a Wonderful World" | May 20, 2013 |