'The Gentle Giant' Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole "Somewhere over the rainbow"

Last weekend I went to the memorial of one of my best childhood friends and they played this song. So everytime I hear this song it reminds me of him. When I got back home I looked it up and found out the singer's a gigantic Hawaian man named Israel 'IZ' Kamakawiwoʻole. He intrigued me as I saw the music video of the song and I wanted to know more of him.

Israel is an Hawaian singer who acquired fame after his album 'Facing Future'. He was raised on Honolulu and started playing music with his brother Skippy at the age of eleven, inspired by the great Hawaian musician of his time. While his star rose he became more and more known as an advocate for the Hawaian people for which he used his music.

When he was in his mid-thirties he began to suffer from obesitas ; at a certain point he had a weight of 340 kg. Eventually he died of breathing problems caused by his excessive weight at the age of 38 on 26 June 1997. The first day after his death 10.000 people came to greet him one last time.

What I really like about this man is that he sings out of his heart with just a tiny instrument (ukelele). That's something else than Madonna who sings live worse than my cat and that's when she has a good day...