[78-L] Researching Charles Kama

[Hank Harrison]

I am researching the career of Charles Kama (Valera), a Hawaiian musician
who recorded for RCA Victor from 1929 to 1940.

Does anyone have a photo of Charles Kama and his Moana Hawaiians?

Does anybody know why Victor's Field Recordings were done at the Texas Hotel
in San Antonio? Why there? And why did they move to the Bluebonnet Hotel in
1937?

There is some question about where Charles Kama's first 1929 recording was
made.
A cryptic mention of *“several recordings with John D. Fowler, singer, of **San
Angelo**.”* was published in a San Antonio newspaper 18 days after the
Victor recording. Who was Fowler? A talent scout? A Victor employee? Not
related at all? And where were the recordings made? San Antonio? San Angelo?
Inquiring minds want to know.


The same August, 1929, newspaper article reported that *“**Kama** recently
signed a two-year contract with the Victor company and planned to leave for
**New York** to make the first of a series of records in September.” *I can
find no listing of a Kama recording session in New York, let alone in
September 1929. Does this sound familiar to anyone?*

Any help would be fantastic!

Thanks for your time,
Hank Harrison
hankharrison at gmail.com
*