Panesi Afualo was the lead musician for the Islanders back in the day! He was an amazing guitarist and lead vocalist, wrote and arranged songs for us, and accompanied all of the dances with live music. He was a masterful emcee who always had guests roaring with laughter. He was a self-taught guitarist who started his musical career with a garage band in Santa Ana California, back in the 60’s. He went to BYU-Hawaii where he played volleyball and was voted MVP of the National Championship Tournament. To make ends meet, he worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center where he became the lead musician for the their famous night show. After graduation his sister, Susiana, hired him as the lead musician for her Islanders show, which kept him busy for the next 30 years. When we realized that customer's often didn't have the budget for a full band, he recorded all of the parts for his music, part by part, into his synthesizer, and he became a one-man band. Our kids affectionately called it the Pan Band. Panesi trained his children musically and often brought them along to back him up. He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, but continued performing for us for another 14 years while he battled the cancer. His last show was only a few weeks before he passed in the summer of 2015. He is a legend in our family and in our business.

As detailed in previous (see below) blog posts about the children of Luteru and Siasaga Afualo, their children used their talents to perform across Southern California beginning in the 70s. The music played at the shows was a mix of old-time island favorites and music they wrote themselves. The original set-up was done majoritively by the family with Panesi Afualo as lead singer & guitartist, harmony by Sone Afualo and on bass, with Tomasina on the drums, Susiana as vocals and ukulele. Other siblings and their own children were equally called upon to step in by playing the keyboard, the pake drum or perhaps pick up a ukulele.