Clarissa Haili, known professionally as Hilo Hattie, was born on October 28, 1901, in Honolulu, Hawaii. She began her career as a teacher at Waipahu Elementary School, where she entertained students with what would become her comedy hula routines. Her breakthrough came in 1936 when she performed "When Hilo Hattie Does the Hilo Hop" on a cruise ship, which became her signature tune. In 1940, she joined Harry Owens' Royal Hawaiian Hotel orchestra and began appearing on Hawaii Calls broadcasts, reaching global audiences. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Hilo Hattie toured extensively, performing in movies such as Song of the Islands (1942) and Blue Hawaii (1961). She released several albums, including Hilo Hattie At The Tapa Room (1965). In 1978, she received the Na Hoku Hanohano Sidney Grayson Award for lifetime achievement from the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts. Hilo Hattie died on December 12, 1979.
