By Brad Gallagher:
My wife, Shari, and I spent the last couple weeks in Hawaii on the beautiful garden island known as Kauai. So, I thought it would be appropriate to write a story with something about Hawaii in it. On our second day on Kauai, we drove past a hotel which was once known as the Coco Palms Resort, and my thoughts went back a few years to the evening when we had the privilege of meeting Larry Rivera.
I know what you are thinking… Who in the world is Larry Rivera? Admittedly, he is not a rock star. Again, I know what you are thinking… These stories are supposed to be about classic rock and roll, right? Well, yes they are. So bear with me and keep reading while I introduce you to a singer/song writer who has direct connections to rock and roll.
As The Story Goes:
In 1951, a young man named Larry Rivera took a job at a small businessmen’s lodge on the east shore of Kauai as a waiter. Later that year he was drafted into the US army and was stationed at a base on Oahu. At one point during his two years on Oahu a talent show was organized which included singers from 35 different army installations throughout Hawaii. Larry decided to assemble a small group, just him and two other guys, and enter the contest. They called themselves “The Beach Boys”. (And that was ten years before the formation of that other group with the same name). These Beach Boys finished first place in that talent show, and it was there and then that Larry found what he referred to as his true calling; Music.
After his time in the army, Larry returned to his job at the lodge, but the lodge had been sold and renamed “The Coco Palms”. With his newfound love for music, he was able to work his way into the entertainment scene at the Coco Palms resort, and became a regular act in the hotel lounge. He wrote and performed much of his own music and was eventually picked up by a local radio station and his singing career took off from there.
I know… So what does this have to do with rock and roll? Other than the Beach Boys reference? Well, in 1953 Hollywood discovered the Coco Palms resort and began filming movies there such as “Miss Sadie Thompson” starring Rita Hayworth and Jose Ferrer. And later in 1961, “Blue Hawaii” staring “The King of Rock and Roll”, Elvis Presley. It was in this movie that Elvis recorded one of his most famous songs, and the song that he ended each concert with, “Can’t Help Falling In Love”. During Elvis’s filming of Blue Hawaii, he met Larry Rivera and the two became fast friends. Larry still talks about watching Elvis film Blue Hawaii and points out, to those who will listen, the different locations around the property where the famous scenes were filmed, such as the wedding of Chad and Maile.
As the years went by, every time Elvis visited the Coco Palms he made it a point to catch Larry’s show in the lounge. Elvis would sit in the audience at a table with Larry’s wife, Gloria, and from time to time, the King of Rock would even go up on stage and sing background vocals for Larry.
Larry also befriended other famous singers while working at the Coco Palms such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Patti Page, and Don Ho. Unfortunately though, in 1992 the Coco Palms resort was devastated by hurricane Iniki and to this day has not been restored. Next to his wife Gloria, the Coco Palms resort was the love of Larry’s life. Even after the resort closed it’s doors and stopped housing guests, Larry used the grounds to host weddings for many years. They were called “Blue Hawaii” weddings, patterned after Chad and Maile’s wedding at the end of the movie.
And as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Shari and I met Larry a few years ago when he was performing at a restaurant called “The Island Garden Grill”. He was 89 years old at the time. And before he started his show that night he walked around the restaurant from table to table and gave each if the ladies in the audience a plumeria flower to put in their hair. We often chuckle when we recall that evening because at 89 he was getting a little hard of hearing, and when he came to our table Shari said, “How are you?” And Larry responded with, “No, have I met you?” He then took the stage and told us every story he remembered about his time at the Coco Palms and the beautiful island of Kauai. And he sang all of his favorite songs.
Larry Rivera was never a rock star but he befriended and sang with rock stars as he entertained audiences for years in his own unique Hawaiian style. He absolutely loved Kauai and the Coco Palms resort, and as far as I know he is still alive and well , living his best life, now in his nineties, on the beautiful island of Kauai.
So now you have been introduced to one of Hawaii’s most famous singers and good friend of the King of Rock.
Larry Rivera performing at the Garden Island Grill:
Elvis in Blue Hawaii: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t6VqfqQLQI
Come back and see me real soon right here at As The Story Goes.
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AS THE STORY GOES 