Hawaiian Music Legend ‘Willie K’ Dead At 59

MAUI COUNTY, HI. (THECOUNT) — Hawaii man, William Awihilima Kahaiali’i, better known as musician “Willie K,” has passed away it was announced Tuesday morning. He was 59.

Kahaiali’i, a famed Hawaiian singer and guitarist, died in his Wailuku home after a prolonged illness, say Tuesday reports.

According to family members, Kahaiali’i died peacefully late Monday night at his home in Wailuku after a long battle with lung cancer.

Via Facebook:

“Thank you to EVERYONE for all the love, support and prayers you have given,” his loved ones said in a post on his Facebook early Tuesday morning. “Although he was in positive spirits and doing okay, he was looking forward to performing again. He then suddenly turned for the worse and lost his battle.”

Kahaiali’i was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2018.

Further details were not immediately made available.

DEVELOPING::

Geo quick facts: Maui County, officially the County of Maui, is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Maui, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, and Molokini. The latter two are uninhabited. As of the 2010 census, the population was 154,834. The county seat is Wailuku – Wikipedia.