Post #545262 by Trad'r Bill on Thu, Jul 29, 2010 6:03 PM

Name:Tahitian Hut
Type:bar
Street:99 Broadway
City:San Francisco
State:CA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:DOuglas 9981
Status:defunct

Description:
Reported location where Solomon K. Bright wrote the famous song "Hawaiian Cowboy":

Source: Copyright 1936 - Solomon (Kolomone) Kamaluhia Kekipi Ke Aliikaapuni Ku Keala Oka Mahanahana Bright's father was Andrew Iaukea Bright, half Hawaiian and half Castilian. His mother, Alice Keahi Kekipi was pure Hawaiian. Sol K. Bright, Sr. on tour with a 5-piece band and 2 hula dancers in 1933, composed this song at the Tahitian Hut in San Francisco. Playing to a packed house, he was asked during intermission about cowboys in Hawaii. He told them about the 1908 rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where his cousin, Ikua Purdy of the Big Island, accompanied by 3 other cowboys from Hawaii, won the grand prize. This event is recorded in the song "Waiomina". After intermission, on his way to the stage, he noticed the guitar player with a woman who put a $20.00 bill on the table every time the musician would yodel. He told the guitarist, "You take 16 bars and let me have 16 bars". Bright started yodeling his 16 bars and composed this song on the spot.

There was also another Tahitian Hut at 801 Geary Street in San Francisco... they may be related somehow.

-Trad'r Bill

[ Edited by: Trad'r Bill 2010-07-29 19:38 ]