What happened to Israel Kamakawiwo'ole?

In the summer of 1997, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, already celebrated as one of Hawaii’s most beloved singers, passed away due to respiratory failure. At the time, he was beginning to witness the success of his rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, a famous song sung by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz from 1939. At the time of his death, Israel was a morbidly obese 38-year-old. His story is always told as the journey of an immortal legend, whose unique voice and innate talent redefined Hawaiian music. Come with me to dive into the life and career of this icon, from his first chords to his last days. Leave in the comments which songs you love the most from Israel, and don’t forget to hit the like button and subscribe if you haven’t already! 00:00 INTRO 00:38 WHO IS ISRAEL KAMAKAWIWO’OLE? 02:58 THE STORY OF “SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW” 06:46 ISRAEL KAMAKAWIWO’OLE’S DEPARTURE AND LEGACY #biographies 🚨 Fair Use Disclaimer: This video was made for educational, biographical, and documentary purposes. Some images, videos, and audio elements used in this content belong to their respective copyright owners. They are used here under the principles of Fair Use (Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act) for purposes of commentary, criticism, education, and historical illustration. The content has been significantly transformed through original research, narration, and creative editing to provide a new meaning and context to the subject matter. This work is based on factual events and information from reliable media sources. There is no intention to infringe copyright or replace the original works. If you are the copyright owner of any material used and would like it removed, please contact us before taking any action. We are willing to cooperate. 📩 Contact for copyright owners: [email protected]