He first came to Hawaii to lead the band at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in 1934. He was smitten with the music and studied the culture of the Islands, embraced it as his own and transcribed many ancient and 20th century Hawaiian songs that had never been written down before, much less orchestrated. He made the steel guitar an integral part of the new sound, which was as Hawaiian musicologist George Kanahele put it, "sweet, rhythmic, danceable and Hawaiian-ish." Through the years Owens became one of the great cheerleaders for Hawaii as he took his band and troupe (usually including Hilo Hattie) all over the mainland. They played regular engagements at the Coconut Grove in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, the Mural Room at the St. Francis in San Francisco and on television with a regular hour-long program all through the 1950s.
Some of his memorable tunes include "Aloha Oe," "Cocoanut Grove," "Down Where the Trade Winds Blow," "Hawaii Calls," "Hawaiian Paradise," "Sing Me a Song of the Islands" and "Sweet Leilani," turned into a worldwide hit by his friend Bing Crosby.
Owens published his autobiography, Sweet Leilani: The Story Behind the Song, in 1970.
Music Best Song 1937: WAIKIKI WEDDING "Sweet Leilani" - Music & Lyric
1 nomination, 1 Award