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Foreword from Butch:
“Mahalo” means “thank you” in Hawaiian, but cannot adequately express my gratitude to the nice people who have taken the time to send me compliments about my music or performance.
Mahalo no
(“Thank you very much”)!
Received: 25 October from Ed Hurt
Aloha Butch,
What a surprise to receive your E-mail after learning this week of your updated website with my letters published. I was surprised to see all 4 letters from me, and I guess I “spouted on” like a “mouth from the South.” Well, if you wanted them there, I told you it was fine by me.
I really enjoyed reading the letters from other people around the country. I know that you have been able to meet some great folks from all walks of life. I can’t remember who it was that you recommended the music by Israel, but I listened to some of his music on the internet. He had a beautiful voice, and apparently he was a great talent. It was tragic that he died so young.
You truly have an enviable profession—to be associated with some of the happiest thoughts in people’s lives—Cruising the Hawaiian Islands. It has been 6 months since Janice and I met you last June on Pride of Aloha, and we still swoon and just say “WOW.” Our experience in having 3 of our 4 children with us, plus one of Jan’s sisters and her husband, just made for a glorious time. I don’t think I told you, but one of the smartest things we did was to simply rent a van on 3 of the islands and take off driving to view the countryside. What beautiful places we saw. God’s handiwork was everywhere.
If you get a chance to write a note, tell us when you moved to the Norwegian Wind and how it compares to the POA. Have you been on the Pride of America? A review of the ship was not too complimentary—saying that rooms were small, etc. As you have been on many ships and seen many sites, I would like your personal critic and comments.
I don’t believe it will be another 29 years before Janice and I return to Hawaii. As a matter of fact, we recently learned that we will be able to get a special discount on our airfares from Memphis with my son being an engineer with FedEx. We plan on taking advantage of this as soon as possible.
Hope to hear from you again soon,
Ed Hurt
Memphis, TN
Received: 25 October from Rita & Ted Pond
Butch,
Greetings from Makaha! Glad to get your catch-up notes. Didn’t know you were now on the Norwegian Wind. Is that pretty much the same route? Do you go to Fanning Island?? Glad you like your new guitars. We hated the SMOKE from the cigar bar on the Pride Of Aloha—esp for the entertainers. That is so RUDE of people. (We told a couple of them, too.)
Went to a wedding last week for daughter of very good friends/working associates. Over at beautiful Ko‘olau Golf Club facility in Kaneohe. 250 for dinner, etc. Bride’s mother is pure Japanese—her father pure Chinese—groom and family all Japanese. (We were the two token haoles!!) So, we had everything from the Chinese Lion Dance—to Japanese Bonzai “toasts”—to a mixture of ethnic foods. We love all these people dearly. Only in Hawaii!!
Keep smiling and making people happy!
ALOHA, Rita & Ted
Makaha, HI
Received: 1 October from Denise Wolman
Hi Butch,
I looked for you the last night of our cruise but missed you. My sister and I enjoyed not only your music, but also the conversations we had while on the Wind. You have a beautiful voice and a wonderful personality. Don’t ever change. Take care and hope to see you again in the future.
Best wishes,
Denise Wolman (of Denise and Lori, on the Sept.14th cruise)
Received: 28 September from Wayne and Rieko Miyata
Hey Butch,
Went to your web site and thoroughly enjoyed the journey. Looking at the sculptures finally brought it all back. That form, “Ki i Kila Kane,”… Wow. You gotta find more time to work with the 3-d again. I’ve always loved the late Harry Chapin song, “Circle,” and today really was one more of those great circle moments which seem to be coming round more and more often.
Any way, keep up that great singing (very evident singing from the heart) and let’s keep in touch.
Wayne and Rieko Miyata
Kaua`i, HI
Received: 27 September from Ralph Antonacio
Hi Butch;
Thanks for answering our e mail. You wanted to know how we happened on your address. Doris and I were reminiscing re. our honeymoon trip around the Islands, and thought we would look for your e mail address. It was quite easy, just pulled down “key word” and wrote Butch O’Sullivan in the proper block, and everyone of your words on your site popped up.
We think of you and Hawaii evertime we hear Hawaiin wedding song, with glassy eyes.
Also got to hear some of your bits on your recorded work. Doris was especially taken with your song Maria Ellana, due to her daughter has that name. She said she must get that CD.
You also put us on to Israel, the Hawaiin singer, that had such a beautiful voice, and we managed to get two of his CDs right here in New Jersey. It’s the anniversarry time of the year again, and this year, we are going on a “Princess” cruise, to the Mexican Reveira. It’s a 10 day cruise, and we got such a bargain, we couldn’t resist. So we’re off to San francisco, Sept. 10. We had been at my brother in law, in St.louis, over Thanksgiving, last year, and on the way out, we volunteered to take the next plane, due to overbooking. We only had to wait 3 hours, and got round trip tickets anywhere in the U.S. so when the cruise came up, we had free airfare, which really made it a bargain rate for us.
Remember well the mini guitar you had. It had nice tone to it. I still have my baritone Uke (a silvertone), made by Sears and Roebuck, many years ago. Matter of fact, it was given to me in 1965 for my birthday. I’m sorry it doesn’t have any dates on it or any seriel number, cause then it would be worth quite a few dollars. I still have the original cat gut strings on it, and they refuse to lose their tone.
Hope the record with Marie Ellana has the wedding song on it. Thats about it for now. Doris sends her warmest and best to you and was happy to hear you were still on the Island Cruises.
Till next time;
Ralph and Doris Antonacio
Mays Landing, NJ
Received: 24 September from Pomaika`i and Alphonso
Guess, you may be thinking we have already forgotten you as we have not written to you since leaving the ‘Wind’ about 10 days ago. We apologize for the delay as we had to attend to an urgent medical condition, which have now been settled. Thanks to the Almighty.
Oh, Butch, how we miss you, your wonderful company and melodious music and singing! We deem you a new and true friend and enjoyed sharing similar views on every topic and subject; something we cannot say of most of our friends. Like you, we also try to make this world a better place, of course not with music, but by trying and helping by word and deed our fellow citizens.
We thank you especially for serenading us in front of the Coffee Bar. It was the first time this has happened to us in our 39 years of marriage and we appreciate your kindnesses. In our eyes, you are really a great person and please do not change your outlook of life as you are well focused.
We are going through your website and have read your biography. You have truly had all that life offers, enjoyments and tribulations.
We plan to keep in touch as long as you can tolerate us! Before we close, may we ask a small favor: take care of our ‘daughter,’ Salesiana. You know how vulnerable life is on board and tempting. Thanks very much.
Love and fond regards
Poma and Alphonso
(I called her Pomaika`i cause it was easy for me to remember —Butch)
Received: 21 September from Ralph Antonacio
Hi Butch,
I was surfing thru on the PC, and happened on your web page. What a nice surprise... You probably don’t remember us, but we were married on board ship, in Maui, and you played the wedding song and sang for our wedding (I’m the old man that married the younger woman). It was the USS Independance.
It brought back loads of memories. We were on your mailing list, but got lost in the shuffle.
Thanks again, for the song
Ralph and Doris Antonacio
Mays Landing, NNJ
Hope to make it back to Hawaii and revisit.
Received: 21 September 2005 from Kanieala Hee
Aloha Butch,
Life is good for you by the sounds of your E Mail. You must know that I feel you are free as a bird to do what you want to do & when you want to do it. On top of that, you are able to give your musical talents to those who appreciate music.
As for me, my lifes perspective is quite different due to responsibilities I must adhere to, as these involve family, business, and friends. I couldn’t sum up all the decisions I need to make daily, but one thing is factual, it consumes my mind. Oldies & Goodies, and Butch O’Sullivan made my life a lot fuller and pleasurable.
This EAGLE will never be able to soar, but does appreciate the intermittent short flights with his EAGLE friends.
See you soon!
Kanieala Hee
Honolulu, HI
Received: 13 September 2005 from Fred Witt
Butch,
I’m glad you emailed, because I lost all my email addresses when we upgraded, and I saw your show (the Dark Thirty Productions concert that I did in San Diego, CA, on 11 July 2004 —Butch) on the county network again last night, and wanted to let you know. We enjoyed it a lot.
Sounds like you have had a lot going on. Things are mellow here, taking trips here and there, working part time in the mean time, and catching waves when there are any.
It was good to catch your latest happenings. Take care...
Aloha,
Fred
San Diego, CA
Received: 28 August from Michael Dewey
Butch,
Thank you for the wonderful CD that alows us to continue our Hawaiian voyage while at home. Our entire family enjoyed your music during our vacation and listening to your CD. Thank you for everything.
Sincerely,
Debbie, Mike, Amanda and Nicole Dewey / (Phil & Elaine)
Michael Dewey
New York
Received: 31 July from Ed Hurt
Butch:
Went to the mailbox yesterday late afternoon - the CD had arrived. Presented this surprise present to Janice last nite, and we immediately listened to the songs all the way through. The songs that I especially liked were - “When You Wish Upon A Star” (my personal story), “Hawaiian Wedding Song,” “E Mama E,” “Thanks For Spending An Evening With Me” (“This Is A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening”). We loved your “falsetto voice” in many of the songs. When we see you again, I will forewarn you of our coming - and ask you to prepare to sing some of these songs.
A “Special Mahalo” to you for the extra effort to deliver the CD here for Jan’s birthday.
Aloha,
Ed Hurt
Memphis, TN
Received: 14 July 2005 from Ed Hurt
Dear Butch:
What a surprise - to hear back from you so soon! I really thought you would think “who is this guy”? I think I had better Email a photograph of us just so that maybe you’ll per chance remember for sure.
Your letter was so personable that I felt like I was reading a letter from a part of my family. That’s pretty special, and I really appreciate you sharing news of your family with us. Our family is very close and so this means very much to us. We are very much “children and family people.”
You asked about posting my letter on your website. This letter belongs to you, and if you should decide that you would like to share it with others, this is just fine with us. We are “just folks from home” - “easy dogs to hunt with.”
Janice and I celebrated our birthdays (her B’day is the 26th) by eating dinner at the Bahama Breeze restaurant last night, and once again we shared memories of our cruise of the islands. Either she or I will mention something about our trip at least once a day. I like to think of us as fairly well educated people with some ability to properly express our thoughts, but our common expression about our recollections is simply “wow.” I am sure that every day familiarity and acceptance of your surroundings probably makes the island scenery just ordinary daily life to you. However, to us, if there was ever a place on this earth that is the closest definition of Paradise on Earth, it is the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands. Man, what a trip !!!
Well, I have just returned to the office from a sales call - and I promised to send a man some more info on our company - so I guess I had better say “Aloha for now” and get back to the real world. When I got your Email, I just had to drop a quick note. I will try to write another letter again soon.
Best regards,
Ed Hurt
Memphis, TN
Received: 13 July 2005 from Ed and Janice Hurt
Dear Butch:
Just wanted to take a minute to say “Hello, and Thank You” for the special evening that you spent with Janice and me in the smoking lounge of the ship during the week of June 5th. We were the couple from Memphis alone with you on this particular night and we thought that was most unusual - but very special to us. At our request, you sang some Elvis songs, the Hawaiian Wedding Song, and others - and this made for a special evening. You now have some additional fans.
With all the people you meet and the time that has gone by, I don’t expect that you will remember us. However, I just wanted to send a note to let you know that you have a special place in our hearts and our special memories. Your kind hospitality extended to us made us feel very special and we sincerely enjoyed your God given talent.
I got on your website and enjoyed reading your biography. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s myself, we are close to the same age. I will have my 57th birthday this Wednesday, and all I can think is “where has the time gone.” The last of our four children is now 16 and he is the only one left at home with us. We now have two little grandchildren, and I tell Janice that I’m too young to be a grandpa. She keeps telling me that I just haven’t looked at me lately. Oh well, we are very thankful for God’s many blessings in our lives.
I hope that this note finds you to be very well and in good spirits. I thought you might like to know how your life has touched some other people in a wonderful way.
Best regards,
Ed and Janice Hurt
Memphis, TN
Received: 11 July 2005 from Ed and Janice Hurt
Dear Butch,
Just a note to say “hello from Memphis, Tennessee” and to once again thank you for the special songs you sang for us one night in the smoking bar on the ship when you, Janice, and I were the only people there (Elvis and others). We thought that was a special time - just for us. This was the week of June 5th.
Upon returning home, we have thought of you many times as a special part of our trip. I have finally made it a point to get on the internet, look up your website, and read your biography. Very interesting, we are pretty close in age as Janice and I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s, graduating high school in 1966. My 57th birthday is this next Wednesday. How can this be, and where has the time gone?
If your personality is like your “stage pressence”, and your life is centered around “love of family”, you are “our kind of people.” I think you can certainly count us as admiring fans.
We hope all is well with you, and we will always treasure the times we were able to spend in enjoying your “God Given” talent.
Our best regards to you,
Ed and Janice Hurt
Memphis, TN
Received: 1 July 2005 from Shirley Walk
Dear Butch,
I can’t believe it has taken me two years to figure out how to reach you. You may not remember me as you see so many people all the time. I was on a cruise with Toni Armistead, Bee Edwards, Jane and Gerald Sparks and many other close friends. We all loved your singing the good old Hawaiian songs and playing such a variety of tune’s. We loved meeting you and really you made the cruise worth while for us as we love Hawaii’s culture. Most of us have lived there and in Newport beach, CA and Las Vegas at sometime or other. I wish we could sit down and tell stories. Our dear Toni Armistead passed away. See was such a darling person. She sang the Hawaiian wedding song with you (Ke Kali Nei Aw} You two were so cute together. Gerald Sparks passed away about three weeks after Toni. His favorite was “ Akaka Falls” It was so special to have you play our favorite songs. So many memories. I am so glad we had that time on the cruise together. I do think about it often as the other’s do. Our group was called the Newport Bloomer Brigade and the guys were the BVD’s.
Please let me know how you are and what is going on with you. If I remember correctly Toni tried to get in touch with you. Someone saw you after our cruise. I don’t know for sure if you had been ill or just off the ship for a while. I hope all is well with you and do let me hear from you.
Love and Aloha,
Shirley (Kanoelani)
PS: I was so lucky to be invited to Helen Beamer’s and Mahi’s Birthday party in Palm Springs and Las Vegas. What a wonderful party with musicians from the Islands and the most elegant ono food.
Hope to hear from you,
Shirley Walk
Manhattan Beach, CA
Received: 30 June 2005 from Carol John
Hello there don’t know if you remember us or not, David (aka George Harrison) and Carol with “Beatlemania Live” from the SS Independence, we were on the ship for 2 weeks in Aug 2001. David and Mac (Paul McCartney) took ukulele lesson from you, and we enjoyed your music very much. We didn’t stay in touch and I’m sorry about that. Anyway, Beatlemania is playing in Waikiki for “Help the Homeless” benefit, at 5:30 p.m. July 2 at the Waikiki Shell.
Don’t know if you are out on a ship or on land thought, I’d try to contact you to let you know about this, if you are in town maybe you can meet up with the lads.... I don’t know where they are staying yet, David just flew out today. How you are doing well!
Looks like you have some new CDs! Glad to know you are still playing!
Carol John
Utah
Received: 6 June 2005 from Clark & Connie Morong
Aloha,
During our cruise on the Pride of Aloha the first week of May we had several occasions to enjoy your music. During your Neil Diamond performance when you asked for requests, I could not think of the title of one of his songs and could only tell you that it had something to do with sounds coming up from the street. Much to my comfort, I came across the song on one of his older cassettes. It was from 1976 and is titled “Beautiful Noise.”
Our thanks to you for adding some fun and music to our first visit to Hawai‘i and our first cruise ship experience. Quite often we take some time and play your CD and remember our visit to the islands. Hopefully someday we can return to enjoy the beauty and friendliness of the islands and spend some time listening to you live.
Mahalo,
Clark & Connie Morong
Spring, TX
Received: 30 May 2005 from Ann Davenport
Hi Butch,
I have been working very hard trying to get back into my walking after going to a knee specialist three weeks ago. Like you noticed when you tried to help me learn to use chop sticks the night we went out to dinner and ask if I had arthritis which I responded yes, Now it is in both knees and I’ve really had a difficult time.
I went out to walk and made it around just two times but loving the experience of walking the track again. The doctor said no more hills, steps, and inclines. I’ve got news for him and that is I shall do my best to get back to doing what I like to do. The first morning I wanted to just walk and meditate without my music and would you believe a yellow and black butterfly flew by. I said to myself that is Butch telling me to do my very best. I enjoyed every minute of the walk observing the different colors of the playground equipment up against the pine trees and looking through the trees at the beautiful blue Hawaiian sky. I have to think Hawaii when the NC sky is that bright blue.
I’m still hanging in there walking some days anywhere from two times to five times around the track. Today was to Butch Sings Hawaiian and what a delight you added to my walk. I’m still using the tapes with my small Walkman. If they wear out I shall order some more. I just want to say Thank you so very much for making my world a better place with your love for butterflies and your beautiful God given voice. That’s all this time. Have a fantastic evening!
Aloha,
Ann Davenport
Raleigh, NC
Received: 27 May 2005 from Gordon Becker
Hi Butch: It’s Gordon from Canada. I was on the cruise from April 24 to May 01, 2005 with my mother and aunt. My mother was the one that requested the song “Four Strong Winds” from Alberta. I was just online sampling some of your music. My mother is over for supper and she wanted to listen in. My aunt that bought your CD listens to it quite often in the evening after a long day at work.
Well take care and hang loose, as we sure enjoyed going to the lounge in the evening after supper to listen to your music!!
ALOHA
Gordon Becker
Canada
Received: 17 May 2005 from Don & Pat Sandell
Aloha Butch!
We have just returned from a cruise on the Pride of Aloha, which we took specifically to see YOU again. You have undoubtedly heard this thousands of times before, but it’s true- you are such a talented, enchanting, mesmerizing performer. Pat even managed to wear out the “
Live at Waikiki” tape purchased on the Norwegian Star, which has now been happily replaced with a new cd. Your generosity in spending part of your precious non-performing time with us was sincerely appreciated and enjoyed. We feel honored to have shared meals and conversations together, taken our shopping excursion, met your friends Gordon and Eddie, watched the sea turtles, and just gotten to know you better. You possess a wealth of knowledge on so many varied topics. Thank you for sharing your lifetime of learning and experiences, your immense talent, and the beautiful person that you are with us two fans from the midwest.
P.S. The Pride of Aloha is a much more appropriate venue for your talent than the Norwegian Star could ever hope to be. The Hawaiian theme of the entire ship is lovely, and is enhanced a thousand-fold by your performing there.
Don & Pat Sandell
Rockford, IL
Received: 30 April 2005 from John & Phyllis Nelson
Dear Butch-
We have enjoyed your music immensly. In fact, you have really made this cruise for us. We hope our paths may cross again sometime in the future.
We will be calling up your web site and reading your newsletters and send you an E-mail now and then.
Yours,
John & Phyllis Nelson
Florida
Received: 28 April 2005 from Pauline Desbiens
Hi butch how are you. I don’t know if you remember me, I see you in cruise 20 march on Pride of Aloha. I am travel agent from Valleyfield. Excuse my English and my errors. My travel back was very good. I would like to say thank you I appreciate very much the evening passed in your place and listening your song, you have a very good voice mellody. Now I am listening to your CD with pleasure. I travelled with my group and all the clients appreciated you. Continue your good work, I hope to see you in the next cruise next year I reserved for the april 4 the other date in march was full. I will go to the Jewel the new one on November 27 to the Western Caribbean. I wish you Happy Holydays. I read your biography this morning. I hope to recive the news from you if you have time I know than you are very occupied. Thank you for your patience with me and my group.
Pauline Desbiens
Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada
Received: 24 April 2005 from Peter & Freida Bielik
Hi Butch,
Hi from Sydney Australia
Peter and I really enjoyed meeting you on our first, of what is hopefully going to be many visits, to Hawaii. We felt an immediate affinity with you and as I said to you during one of our meetings, I felt like we had known you for many years.
I have just visited your website and am so impressed. You are a very versatile and talented man who obviously can lend his hand to many facets of communication through music, art and horticulture. How wonderful to have such an enormous talent that expresses itself in such a variety of ways.
I must say that I loved “meeting” your family. You are so obviously a loving father, father-in-law and grandfather. But someone I could have guessed that without even the need to see your photo album. When I was looking at the photos of your family and your beautiful garden I almost felt that I was intruding into an area that I had no right to see. But thank you so much for sharing all of that with people who are relative strangers to you. You have a lot to be thankful for and I can understand your need to share with the world a small insight into your wonderful family. Your daughter is amazing. How did she get that body? ...it is awesome!!!!!!
Butch, Peter and I had a wonderful day with you in Maui. It was very funny how crazy events somehow allow one to see the real person. You were so cool about our mixed-up bus trip and the wrong directions we were given. Nevertheless, we all ended up having a great day together and I hope that you enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed yours. Sorry about the time I took with the shopping, a weakness of mine.
Peter and I would like to hear about your future work schedule as we would love to visit Hawaii again in the near future and hope to catch up with you, perhaps on another cruise.
I would like to invite you to visit our website when you have a few spare moments as that will give you a little insight into who we are and how we spend our lives here in Australia. You can view that at www.acnt.edu.au.
I really hope that one day soon you and your partner will come on down under and spend some time in our beautiful country. It would be our great pleasure to show you both around.
Once again, thanks for being such a great and versatile entertainer. You obviously bring a lot of pleasure to so many people with first your music and then, yourself. You have done the same for us and we loved meeting with you and hope that it will be the first of many meetings for all of us.
With lots of affection,
Peter & Freida Bielik
Sydney, Australia
Received: 24 July 2004 from Bonnie Black
Hi Butch:
I know you don’t remembr me but I was on the Norwegian cruise on May 30th to June 6th. (I was the lady in red one night and the lady in black lace another night.) The best thing about the cruise was visiting you in the Red Lion each night. You were so inspiring with your songs and the fact that you remmbered the songs requested on previous nights. You have the most mellow voice I’ve ever heard.
On your suggestion, I bought your CD of “
Butch Live at Waikiki.” I’ve almost worn it our playing it for myself and my friends. Haven't found anyone who didn't like it.
I have your home page on my computer and am looking forward to any and all updates.
I know it's a while before Christmas, but to be sure I have it, I would like to order “THOUGHTS OF CHRISTMAS” now. I am enclosing a check for $20.00. Please have the CD shipped to me at:
Bonnie Black
Winston-Salem, NC
Received: 26 January 2004 from Bill Hughes and Adrienne Brown
Butch,
I was disappointed not to see you on our Norwegian Cruise during Christmas 2002. I took my kids (4) and Grand kids (8) on the seven day cruise around the Islands. Please excuse me for not writing before now, but my life has been a little chaotic with moving and all. I just found copies of your Flutter Bylines. Hope you remember me and my wife from our 2001 cruise. We will never forget our conversations with you about learning music and she will never forget signing you guitar. ( I was the guy that kept moving around watching you in the Atrium of the Norwegian Star). In 2002 after the cruise my wife and I stayed in Honolulu with the kids for awhile and during the stay I purchased a tenor ukulele and enjoy playing it. The cruise with my family is the best money I could have spent- the grand kids still ask me when I will return. I tell them soon, but in reality, I return in my mine every once in a while to the Atrium on the Star with you singing Hawaiian Songs and telling stories about the Islands. Thanks for the experience. Hope you are back on the Star. Aloha!!!
Bill Hughes and Adrienne Brown
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