Chick Daniels

Chick was raised on Kauai where he had music education at a young age from his aunt, a music teacher. He learned the ukulele and developed a voice which had a rich, soulful sound. In 1927 he was in Oahu where he became the most charismatic Beach Boy at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. He was also the star entertainer at night when he and his group, Chick Daniels and the Royal Hawaiians, performed in the hotel. He was often called. "the Happiest Hawaiian." He was well loved as a singer, ukulele player and all around entertainer by local Hawaiians and visiting Hollywood celebrities. He did a great hula and he named some of his hula's that were unique to his style. He performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic as a singer and he was a special guest at the World Series for eight consecutive years. Chick was a generous man given to sentimentality but he was also a strict disciplinarian who worked hard and wanted things done right. He composed some of his best known songs like, Lei Aloha. Whenever his phone rang he always answered with, "I'm ready!"

Read about Chick Daniels in Grady Timmons book, Waikiki Beachboys.