Award-winning Hawaii recording artist, dies at age 64
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Award-winning Hawaii Recording Artist Teresa Bright passed away Sunday at the age of 64.
Bright, who was of Samoan descent, grew up on the Windward side of Oahu on Kaneohe Bay and attended the University of Hawaii.
She won her first Na Hoku Hanohano award with Steve Mai’i for the song “Uwehe, Ami & Slide” in 1988.
Bright’s “Self-Portrait” album in 1990 was her first as a solo artist, which won her six Na Hoku Hanohano Awards — five for Bright and one for Kata Maduli as a producer.
The Hawaii star was also named Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1991 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.
Bright was also popular in Japan, working with Japanese businesses like Toyota, Sapporo Beer, Max Factor, NTT Japan and Japan Airlines.
Her 2007 release “Hawaiinawa” featured popular Okinawan songs with lyrics translated into ‘Olelo Hawaii.
She was honored as a recipient of the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
Details on her services are pending.