Dave Lawrence Interviews

Legendary Hawaii musician Willie K has passed away at 59. His family announced via his social media that he died at home Monday night on Maui. HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence had this tribute.

See a live video of Willie playing with Alice Cooper's band on Maui in 2016, and honoring a friend who'd recently passed away at the time, Prince:

Jack Johnson will host and perform as part of a two-hour livestream from his front porch in the Honolulu area tomorrow, for an Earth Day celebration he’s calling Kokua Festival 2020 – Live From Home. He spoke with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence about it.

Some of the many casualties from the coronavirus have been popular musicians, including previous guests of HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence, and in some cases, their parents.

Another major musician has lost their life to the coronavirus today. Adam Schlesinger was 52, and wrote music for TV, movies, and worked with many other artists, but may be best known as co-founder of the alternative group Fountains of Wayne, that had the early 2000’s hit, “Stacy’s Mom”.

The coronavirus has taken a toll around the world, and in Paris it was announced that legendary artist, Manu Dibango, a musical pioneer from Cameroon based in France, lost his life today to the coronavirus. He was 86 and is survived by four children. Manu Dibango was an established jazz artist before he began his trademark mixing of African rhythms, funk and rock, first in the late 1960s.

Legendary musician Taj Mahal is back in the islands for shows through Sunday at the Blue Note. He’s been our guest several times before with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence, including in HPR’s Atherton Performing Arts Studio. For this latest interview, he spent nearly an hour speaking with Dave, and you can hear the complete interview below.

Entertainer Carol Burnett is back in town. She discussed her remarkable career recently with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence ahead of a pair of dates at the Blaisdell Concert Hall this Friday and Saturday. The events are billed as an evening of laughter and reflection, where the audience gets to ask questions. The complete interview is posted below.

Musician Judy Collins is back in the islands through Saturday at the Blue Note. As she has each of her last several years when visiting the state, Judy took time for an interview with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence, sharing fun stories about her new album, recent celebrity encounters, and details into some of her friends in the political world. Hear the complete new interview.

Carol Burnett is headed back to the islands for a pair of shows at the Blaisdell Concert Hall March 6 and 7. The legendary entertainer took time for a long conversation about her remarkable career with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence.

Hawaii is getting a visit from Melvin Seals and JGB Featuring John Kadlecik, and Melvin took time for an interview with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence. The JGB stands for the Jerry Garcia Band; Melvin Seals played in Jerry’s band for over fifteen years.

Music legend Sergio Mendes is returning for shows at the Blue Note next week Wednesday through Friday, and returned to Hawaii Public Radio as a guest of HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence. He's got a new album and documentary, In the Key of Joy.

MORE SERGIO:

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Guitar virtuoso Stanley Jordan is back in the islands, with shows tonight at 6:30 and 9 p.m. at the Blue Note, called "Stanley Jordan plays Jimi Hendrix" and he spoke with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence about it.

MORE STANLEY:

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Air Supply is back in Hawaii, with dates through Sunday at the Blue Note Hawaii. Though nearly their entire five night run was sold out, founders Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell sat down with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence to reflect on their long history and connections to the state.

Boston guitarist Johnny A is back in the islands on a solo tour he's calling Just Me... And My Guitars: Celebrating the British Song Book of the 60's. He took time to speak with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence about his history, which includes working with The Yardbirds, the J.

Reggae artist Maxi Priest is back in the islands. He welcomed HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence into his dressing room at the Blue Note, where he’s performing through Saturday for 6:30 and 9 p.m. shows.

Gregg Rolie is back on the show speaking with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence about his latest album, Sonic Ranch.

Bill Maher is back in the islands with shows Monday in Kahului and Tuesday in Honolulu. Ahead of the dates, the comedian and host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, returned for a conversation with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence. 

MORE BILL:

Macy Gray is making her Hawaii concert debut this weekend at the Blue Note through Saturday night. She took time to speak about her career with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence, and shared stories of working with a wide range of entertainers: Denzel Washington, Natalie Cole, Dolly Parton and Stevie Wonder among them.

MORE MACY:

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Neil Sedaka is back in the islands, a place where he’s had a long history. Ahead of a December 27th Hawaii Theatre show, he returned to All Things Considered to share details of his local experiences and more than half-century career with Honolulu Host Dave Lawrence.  

MORE NEIL:

Legendary entertainer Johnny Mathis is back for shows Friday and Saturday at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. He took time to speak with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence about his remarkable career, surpassing most of his peers from the era when he debuted on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1957.

MORE JOHNNY:

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The O'Jays most recent album is called "The Last Word", and while they've said it may be their last release, the group have maintained their socially conscious messaging that helped define their sound over decades, and perhaps taken it up a notch.

This Saturday night at the Hawaii Theatre, Jefferson Starship performs, and HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence welcomed them to the show today.

The Wailers are back in Honolulu for a weekend of shows at the Blue Note. Last night, HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence sat down for a conversation with guitarist Donald Kinsey.

Tower of Power is back in the Aloha State, with dates through Sunday at the Blue Note, and back on All Things Considered with HPR's Dave Lawrence. The band have a long history here, and the late concert promoter and radio personality Tom Moffatt often called them "one of Hawaii's favorite bands".

Today Engelbert Humperdinck returned to HPR’s All Things Considered for a conversation with Honolulu Host Dave Lawrence ahead of his Saturday Blaisdell gig, even offering an impromptu poetry reading!

Ahead of their area shows next weekend, HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence spoke with Tower of Power band leader Emilio Castillo about what they've been up to since last being on ATC, and in Honolulu, a year ago. The late local concert promoter Tom Moffatt used to call them "one of Hawaii's favorite bands".

Loretta Ables Sayre returns to the Blue Note for a 7 p.m. show this Sunday. The local artist sat down with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence to discuss her remarkable career. She explains how she got a big break at a 1 a.m.

This weekend Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone are at the Blue Note. He took time to speak with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence.

Blake and Brent Cousins are filmmakers from Hawaii Island. In 2001 they released the film “The Night Marchers”, based on the island legend of the deadly ghosts of ancient warriors. They recently released a new version of the film, which is in theatres now.

Songwriter/musician Gerry Beckley from the band America is back with another solo album, Five Mile Road.