Behind the Book: Neil Plakcy

When I speak with readers, they’re often surprised that the music my hero listens to in my Mahu Investigations series is real. Even the most publicized musicians from Hawai’i, where the books are set, sing covers of American pop music, so it’s not surprising. Iam Tongi, who recently won American Idol, sung famous songs such as “The Sound of Silence” and “The Winner Takes it All” rather than native music.

I love Hawaiian music, and I use it a lot in my books. My protagonist, Honolulu Homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka, is an island native, and his car radio and his CD player often feature the greatest hits of the Aloha State.

Every list of Hawaiian favorites has to begin with Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. This super-sized, super-talented musician hit mainstream lists with his version of John Denver’s “Country Roads,” sung to his hometown of West Makaha on the coast of O’ahu. Another of my favorites is his mashup of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” with Hawaiian lyrics.

But he really hit the jackpot when his version of “Over the Rainbow” played as Dr. Mark Green was dying of a brain tumor in Episode 21 of ER’s eight season It was a heart-breaking scene for those who loved the series, and introduced Bruddah Iz to a wide audience.

Sadly, Bruddah Iz died in 1997 at the age of 38 from respiratory failure. His music lives on, though. For a similarly mellow vibe, check out Jake Shimabukuro, who plays the ukulele, which Bruddah Iz played as well. Jake’s version of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is a classic.

Another of my favorites is Keola Beamer. I’ve used his melancholy song “Honolulu City Lights” as background music in books where Kimo leaves the islands. And I’ve quoted from his song “Wooden Boat” many times, because it perfectly describes the joy of family life in the islands.

The first way that Hawaiian music entered the mainstream was with the genre called Hapa Haole—or half-white. In about 1889, Joseph Kekuku began sliding a piece of steel across the strings of a guitar, thus inventing steel guitar; at about the same time, traditional Hawaiian music with English lyrics became popular. “My Little Grass Shack” and “Tiny Bubbles” were popular examples—but they’re songs that Kimo’s parents listen to.

In 1983, Hawaiian native Keli‘i Kaneali‘i and New Jersey transplant Barry Flanagan formed the group Hapa, named for that mix of Hawaiian and white. Their distinctive sound is an update of traditional Polynesian textures and rhythms and incorporates elements of pop and worldbeat. Because of his background as a former competitive surfer, Kimo particularly likes their Surf Madness album. I also love the sweetness of their love song “Manoa in the Rain” as well as their cover of U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love).”

Apple Music and Spotify have Hawaiian music playlists that can introduce you to many author island artists, some of whom appear in the 13 Mahu Investigations, including The Virgin Homicides, which debuts today. If you like a musical background while you read, any of these can provide a soundtrack to Kimo’s investigation of incels, fashion influencers, ghost guns—and murder.