Kui Lee | |
|---|---|
 Kui Lee performing at Kalia Gardens in Honolulu, 1965 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kuiokalani Lee |
| Also known as | Kui Lee |
| Born | July 31, 1932 Shanghai, Republic of China |
| Died | December 3, 1966 (aged 34) Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
| Genres | Hawaiian music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1961-1966 |
| Labels | Columbia Records, Music of Polynesia |
Kui Lee (born Kuiokalani Lee; July 31, 1932 – December 3, 1966) was an American singer-songwriter. Lee began his career in the mainland United States while performing as a dancer. Upon his return to Hawaii, he worked in clubs. At the Honey club, he met Don Ho, who popularized Lee's compositions. Ho's fame made Lee a local success in Hawaii. Multiple artists then covered his song "I'll Remember You".
Lee was diagnosed with cancer in 1965. While he kept performing, he had two recording sessions. After his death in December 1966, Columbia Records released his debut studio album, The Extraordinary Kui Lee the same month. A part of the Hawaiian Renaissance, the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts posthumously awarded Lee a Lifetime Achievement award, and he was later inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame.