An effort to get the U.S. Postal Service to commemorate legendary Hawaiian entertainer Alfred Apaka’s birth centennial with a stamp has the visitor industry’s seal of approval, but it needs more support.

A group, led by Apaka’s son Jeff Apaka and other members of Hawaii’s visitor and entertainment industry, is seeking to get the stamp issued on March 19, 2019, which would have been Alfred Apaka’s 100th birthday.

Known as the “Golden Voice of Hawaii,” Apaka perfected a hapa-haole style of music, which weaved Polynesian themes into pop tunes with English lyrics.

Apaka was Hawaii’s foremost male vocalist from the end of World War II through his death from a heart attack in 1960, according to Honolulu Star-Advertiser reporter John Berger, author of “Hawaiian Music & Musicians.”

“Alfred Apaka is absolutely deserving of a stamp to commemorate his life and lasting influence on the music and culture of Hawaii,” said George Szigeti, Hawaii Tourism Authority president and CEO. “In the years before jet travel, his beautiful voice was heard on radio the world over on ‘Hawaii Calls’ and made people everywhere fall in love with the dream of coming to the Hawaiian Islands. This is an opportunity to honor a musical giant of Hawaii who left us far too soon but whose influence on Hawaii’s music and culture is everlasting.”

The Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association also supports the endeavor, said Mufi Hannemann, HLTA president and CEO.

“Before Don Ho there was Alfred Apaka, another living legend. He’s the guy who first introduced the world to Hawaii’s music,” Hannemann said.

Hannemann said the stamp would promote Hawaii tourism by plugging the music of the isles, which is one of the unique cultural attributes that distinguishes Hawaii from other sun, sand and surf destinations.

Ed Thompson, officer manager for state Rep. Burt Kobayashi (D, Diamond Head-Kaimuki-Kapahulu), said the politician supports the initiative.

“In our office we have a portrait of Alfred Apaka which is part of the state collection of culture and the arts,” Thompson said. “I previously worked for U.S. Sen. (Daniel) Akaka, so I am contacting congressional offices for letters of support. Our office is also brainstorming other options for moving this along. It’s quite a story. It needs to be shared.”

In his day Alfred Apaka entertained thousands of tourists. The Roosevelt High School graduate helped put the Hawaiian Room at the Lexington Hotel in New York on the map and created opportunities for local singers and dancers to support themselves through their art.

He performed at the Royal Hawaiian hotel and was a regular with the Moana Serenaders at the Moana Hotel, but it was at Don the Beachcomber at the former International Market Place in 1952 that he was discovered by Bob Hope. He also performed with Bing Crosby, Ed Sullivan and Dinah Shore and was a regular on “Hawaii Calls,” a syndicated radio program.

“He was magic,” said Lora Gallagher, Hilton Worldwide’s regional director of marketing for Hawaii. “Henry J. Kaiser, former Hilton Hawaiian Village owner, saw him performing at a local venue and said, ‘I’ve got to have this guy.’”

Apaka’s talent and his exotic good looks made him an irresistible star. He was of Chinese, Portuguese and Hawaiian ancestry.

“I remember my mother watching him on TV. He had those big melting eyes, and when you heard him you just wanted a mai tai. Nobody croons like that guy,” said Sandra Bonura, a researcher and Hawaiian-history author.

That charisma and talent is why Kaiser made him entertainment manager of the Hawaiian Village and watched gleefully as he filled up the property’s mammoth geodesic dome.

“Mr. Kaiser was a fantastic marketer, and he wanted to give customers the full Hawaiian experience with grass shacks and fantastic entertainment,” Gallagher said. “When he (Apaka) died it caused a panic. They went through almost every Hawaiian entertainer possible looking for someone that was as good as Alfred Apaka. There was nobody like him. He wasn’t just a Hawaiian singer; he could reach nations.”

Gallagher said Hilton erected a bronze statue of Apaka in 1997 to honor the singer. She said the entertainer also is prominently featured on the history wall that Hilton unveiled earlier this year.

But Bonura said there was more to Apaka than glam. His great-aunt Lydia Aholo was the hanai daughter of Queen Liliuokalani, another great Hawaiian musician, she said. Aholo, who studied music at Oberlin College, shared her knowledge with Apaka.

“There’s a tape where Lydia Aholo talked about her life with the queen. In it she says that nobody sings the queen’s compositions the way that they are supposed to be sung but her Alfred Apaka,” Bonura said. “Even today, when I’m giving a history lecture and I play his music, tears run down the faces of the older people. He strikes a chord. Let’s not forget him.”

If the stamp effort succeeds, Alfred Apaka would become the second Native Hawaiian to be recognized with a commemorative stamp by the U.S. Postal ­Service. Olympic gold medalist Duke Kahanamoku was honored with a stamp on the 112th anniversary of his birth in 2002. It took nearly two decades and three separate pushes from Kahana­moku stamp supporters, who formed a signature campaign dubbed “Do it for Duke,” to make their dream a reality.

The U.S. Postal Service has strict guidelines for commemorative stamps, which are usually issued to celebrate births, anniversaries and significant contributions, said Duke Gonzales, corporate communications specialist for the U.S. Postal Service in Hawaii.

According to the guidelines, the U.S. Postal Service looks for a balance of stamp topics, including timely, relevant and contemporary subjects that reflect the nation’s diverse population. While supporters say Apaka fits the bill, they are aware that it’s going to take widespread support to move the effort forward.

“I want to commemorate my father’s great voice,” Jeff Apaka said. “The USPS Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee wants a bundle of support letters now.”

Time is of the essence since the stamp committee likes to see submissions sent about three years ahead of the proposed date of issue, he said.

Gonzales said the process is extremely competitive.

“The CSAC receives upwards of 50,000 (nominations) every year. It is an uphill battle. But the committee does need to choose about 25 worthy candidates each year, so we welcome nominations,” Gonzales said. “Here in Hawaii our postal officials are always happy when we can dedicate a stamp that has a special connection to Hawaii.”