Tau Savea Moe, a steel guitarist who played Hawaiian music all over the world, died on July 1 of natural causes. He was 95.
Born in American Samoa and raised on Oahu, Hawaii, Moe learned to play the steel guitar in 1915. As a teenager, he joined a troupe of musicians known as Madame Riviere's Hawaiians and toured extensively in Asia. Moe met his wife, Rose, in 1927 when she joined the group as a singer. They had a son, Lani, who showed an early interest in music. By the time he was five, Lani could sing and play the ukulele. When Madame Riviere's Hawaiians broke up in 1934, Moe, his wife and son formed a trio. A few years after their daughter Dorian was born, she joined the act as a singer and guitarist.
The Tau Moe Family spent 54 years circling the globe and recording hundreds of records. They performed for several international figures such as Winston Churchill and Mahatma Gandhi. At a 1938 fundraiser for German orphans, the Moes even entertained Adolf Hitler, Hermann Goering and Joseph Goebbels. They defied the Nazi regime, however, by using their passports and stage costumes to help dozens of Jewish musicians escape from Germany.
The family returned to Hawaii in the late 1970s, but released one final album, "Remembering the Songs of Our Youth" (Ho'omana'o I Na Mele O Ka Wa U'i) in 1989 with guitarist Bob Brozman. In January, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii named Moe a "Living Treasure."
• Listen to an MP3 of "Mai Kai No Kauai"
Posted on August 5, 2004 11:12 PMI'm very sorry to hear about the death of Tau Moe.
I don't know much about him, but the music he and his family made was beautifull and touching.
I hoped to meet him one day and hear him play.
Posted by peter on October 9, 2004 12:18 PMi am sorry to hear the death of tau moe, a treasure of not only hawaiian and samoan music but the music of polynesia. i can say that i was fortunate to have met and have been to his house and talk with tau many times. we even made faalifu ulu (breadfruit and flavored coconut milk)and ate tuna and corn beef.
he was kind enough to share with me his life as a musician in europe and of the many people he befriended like ghandi, and onasis. he even mentioned to me a picture of him and his family taken with adolph hitler in the palace.
i have worked with and befriended him, his wife rose, son, lani, and dorian at the polynesian cultural center.
tau moe is a true ambassador of our island music. we should be thankful for his talent and his mission here on this earch, that is spreading the alofa or aloha spirit in far away lands.
manuia lau malaga
your friend
siuai
Iam proud that there has been a man, that has learned me so much about life and music,showing me the way to respect others and showing them the way of life.
your son Lanni Tau Moe
A tribute to Tau Moe from his grandchildren in Skandiavia (Denmark) We are all proud to be and be a part of the family. we love you forever
Posted by lanni Tau Moe on April 21, 2005 12:45 PMTau Moe (wenn ich die richtige Geschichte/und eine Übereinstimmung der Person vorliegt)hat in seiner Zeit (Ende der Der 30iger Jahre-Deutschland-Kristallpalastauftritte)ein uneheliches Kind hinterlassen.Der Mann heißt heut Gerd Meister
Rosa-Luxemburgstraße 28
16303 Schwedt (oder)
Germany
-bitte Kontakr aufnehmen wenn möglich-
dem Mann kann seine Familie zurückgegeben werden,
vielleicht????????
My deepest condolences to Dorian and Lanni on the passing of your Father. I was fortune enough to meet him once, and for that I am grateful. My thought are with you. love, Andrew Moe
Posted by Andrew Moe on August 6, 2005 11:00 AMayy dats my great unlcle my name is lotu caleb moe son of talalotu moe!!!!!!!! sorry to hear dat
Posted by LOTU BOYY on April 17, 2006 2:47 PM