the Paradise Islanders (UK)

found this while surfing.

** The Wolverhampton musician who brought the magical melodies of Hawaii to the Black Country **

In issue 649, our columnist Dianne Pye presented an unusual photograph from her extensive collection. Showing a couple leaving a church somewhere in Wolverhampton after tying the knot, the pair were greeted by an extraordinary guard of honour, formed by acoustic guitars. Who were this couple, Dianne wondered, and what were their musical connections?

In response, we were contacted by Frank Wakeman, of Harper Avenue in Wednesfield, who informed us that the bridegroom on the occasion of this musical marriage was his late brother Oswald Clement Wakeman, universally known as Clem. Rather than rock 'n' roll or folk, however, Clem's own taste in music was a little more exotic, and owed more to the tropics of the Pacific Ocean than to the Black Country! Thanks to Frank, we can this week further expand on his brother's musical prowess.

Clem's interest was sparked when he bought a sixpenny record as a sixteen year old and brought it back home to play at his parental home in Littles Lane, Wolverhampton. The disc was a record of Hawaiian music, and Clem was immediately struck by the soft, lingering guitar music, so redolent of palm-fringed beaches and dusky-eyed maidens. From then on, Clem spent all his spare time studying Hawaiian rhythms and melodies, and mastered playing the guitar and the ukulele. Although the record was soon worn out, Clem's enthusiasm never waned.

However, while Clem was still a young man, Britain went to war with the Axis powers, and eager to do his bit, he volunteered for service in 1939. After a spell with the Royal Artillery, he was transferred to the catering corps on account of an injured leg. His musical plans were put on hold during the war, but as soon as he was demobbed, he made his way back to the Black Country, determined to bring Hawaiian music to the Midlands.

Clem had an electric Hawaiian guitar, which is played across the knees, specially made for him, and even took up music lessons in St. John's Square, Wolverhampton. He had also cultivated a friendship with Felix Mendelssohn, the country's leading exponent of Hawaiian music with his band the Hawaiian Serenaders, once very popular, and his mentor gave some valuable advice about this style of music.
It was possibly through the music lessons that Clem met fellow Hawaiian enthusiasts, married couple Stan and Audrey Blount, in around 1946. With Stan on plectrum guitar, in the form of the shapely Audrey they had a ready-made hula-hula girl! Audrey could sing and play ukulele and guitar as well as dance, and they decided to form a group, dubbed the Paradise Islanders. Rehearsals took place at the Summerhouse Inn in Newhampton Road West in Whitmore Reans, and soon bookings came flooding in for shows in clubs, pubs and cabarets.

To really look the part, the Paradise Islanders all wore appropriate costumes, although they were hard to obtain in the rationed and cash-strapped Black Country. Audrey, of course, wore the obligatory grass skirt, while the men improvised; although their authentic Hawaiian shirts were specially made for them, their white pants were actually painters' trousers! All wore the beautiful lei, or flower garland, that is so closely associated with Hawaii.

Having bought his younger brother Frank his first ukulele one Christmas, it came as little surprise when Frank, having been demobbed himself, joined the act a couple of years later, performing duties on vocals, strum guitar and the ukulele. However, Frank often found it difficult to fit in bookings with his work commitments, working as he did initially on the railways in Wolverhampton, and when he married Dorothy in 1950 he decided to call it a day. Clem drafted in Gerald "Gerry" Aston from Codsall as a replacement on rhythm guitar, and the group continued to go from strength to strength.
Some of the most high profile performances given by the Paradise Islanders were their shows at the Theatre Royal in Bilston, where they were a popular fixture in the programme. A poster for one of the performances, still retained by Frank and Dorothy, reveals that they often shared the stage with such local acts as Jimmy Bertram, who offered 'Elegance in Magic," Albert Diggett, the "Midland's Popular Mirth Maker" and "Partners in Mime" the Norton Brothers, as well as more racy features such as Carla with "England's Sexiest Fan Dance," in her "Sensational Bedroom Scene"!

Clem still combined his busy schedule with work, being employed by various manufacturing giants in Wolverhampton such as Goodyear, Marston's and Hayward's. He also ran a tobacconist shop in Chester Street, Whitmore Reans, with his mother. He later became a factory inspector, and moved to Probert Road, Fordhouses.

It was while he was living in Fordhouses that Clem met his future wife, Grace Cross. Grace lived with her parents Mr and Mrs J.A. Cross in Sedgley Road on Penn Common. They married at St. Bartholomew's Church in Penn in May 1955, with Gerry Aston as best man and Clem's sister-in-law Dorothy as matron-of-honour, and the snap taken of their melodic guard of honour is the photograph that was published in Dianne Pye's column.

Clem and Grace settled first on Penn Common, and then relocated to Owen Road. Grace herself had a musical bent, and loved to hear Clem play - which was fortunate, as his practice sessions could run into three hours or more!

Sadly, Grace was tragically killed in a car accident, and the devastated Clem finally ended his love affair with Hawaiian music. He passed away himself in 1986, much-missed by the wide circle of friends he had made while at the centre of the Black Country's Hawaiian music boom.

Black Country Bugle 652 Story First Published: 24/02/2005

original piece at this link.
http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/blackcountrybugle-news/displayarticle.asp?id=73583

Highly interesting .... as is the reason you found this article ..., I'm interested as to who you are.. I'm Basil Henriques, Tamworth, leader of the Waikiki Islanders .. formed in 1937 by my wife's dad.. See http://www.waikiki-islanders.com ... also secretary of the European Steel Guitar Hall of Fame committee, see http://www.european-steel-guitar-hall-of-fame.com/

Do you have any information about the Hodgkinson Bros. ?

On 2009-06-18 14:58, basilh wrote:
Highly interesting .... as is the reason you found this article ..., I'm interested as to who you are.. I'm Basil Henriques, Tamworth, leader of the Waikiki Islanders .. formed in 1937 by my wife's dad.. See http://www.waikiki-islanders.com ... also secretary of the European Steel Guitar Hall of Fame committee, see http://www.european-steel-guitar-hall-of-fame.com/

Do you have any information about the Hodgkinson Bros. ?

No - I don't have any more info - I was searching for UK Hawaiian Bands and came upon this story and thought this piece of history was interesting enough to share.

Please see my PM to you also.

regards,