The Hoopii Brothers are an old style Hawaiian falsetto singing duo based on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
In 1996, the Hoopii Brothers were honored by the National Endowment for the Arts for their contribution to perpuating an important cultural art form for future generations to enjoy. They also received $10,000 as part of the Folk Heritage Fellowship award. They also received the Na Hoku Hanohano Hawaiian Music 1997 Group of the Year Award.
Salomon and Richard Hoopii were born in the small town of Kahakuloa in West Maui, and they started performing at a young age in churches and at school. They taught themselves to sing and play ukulele in the old Hawaiian style by listening to the recordings of the old masters. In 1968 they formed their own group and called it the Ho’onanea Serenaders, and eventually they became known as simply the The Hoopii Brothers.
Sadly, Solomon Hoopii died on March 1, 2006, at the age of 70, from complications from diabetes. He had stopped singing in 1999 because of poor health. Sol is survived by his wife Gladys and nine children, five daughters and four sons, 32 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
