Johnny Pineapple

Hawaiian musician and entertainer, died June 13, 1981, at his home in New York. He was 74. He performed Hawaiian music (both solo and with his orchestra) in such spots as New York's Lexington Hotel and Stork Club and Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. During his freshman year at Oregon State University, motion picture scouts saw Kaonohi on stage and signed him to make several appearances in Hollywood films. He was dubbed "Johnny Pineapple" in 1938. A longtime student of harmony and musical composition, Kaonohi wrote more than 25 songs and worked out arrangements. During World War II military service, he entertained troops on the mainland and in Europe. He later entertained armed forces personnel around the world as a civilian.