The 2014 Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts lifetime achievement awards were presented Saturday at the Ala Moana Hotel in a luncheon program filled with music, warmth, lei and love. It was a tremendous honor for me to receive the award along with outstanding performers Cyril Pahinui, the late Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole, the late Iwalani Kahalewai, brothers Gary and the late Sam Aiko, and the Polynesian Cultural Center, which marked its 50th year.

Before the recipients were called to the stage by emcee Kimo Kahoano to say a few words, Marlene Sai presented each of us with a congratulatory resolution from the state Senate. After my remarks, Jimmy Borges sang "Fly Me to the Moon" for me. I cut a rug to the Sinatra arrangement, swinging it with Drea Kia. Jimmy followed with a version of "Hello Dolly" that started with: "Hello Benny, well hello Benny. It’s so nice to see you here where you belong. So many girls, Benny, all around, Benny, hormones raging, you’re not aging, you’re still going strong," and went on. The audience loved it; so did this 82-year-old geezer.

During my speech I talked about my newspaper career. It began with selling the Star-Bulletin on Honolulu streets during World War II when I was 11 and continues today with my column in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Don "Mac" McDiarmid, former bandleader at The Royal Hawaiian and founder of Hula Records, was my band teacher at Stevenson Intermediate and Roosevelt High. His grandson, Hula Records prez Don "Flip" McDiarmid, was in the audience. I reached second chair in the University of Hawaii’s trumpet section and became band librarian, replacing Shigeru Hotoke when he graduated and became a teacher at Kailua High where he formed the famous Kailua Madrigals. I talked about watching "Hawaii Calls" at the Moana Hotel from the beach as a teen. After four years at UH, I worked at the Bulletin for four months before the Army called. I was in Germany 10 years working for Stars & Stripes European Edition, two years as a soldier and eight as a civilian. During that time, I listened to Nina Kealiiwahamana and other Hawaiian stars when "Hawaii Calls" was broadcast on Armed Forces Radio every Sunday.

After returning home, I worked on the Star-Bulletin copy desk. Managing Editor Hobe Duncan had me cover Waikiki entertainment on overtime. Editor Bud Smyser named me entertainment editor in 1967. It was a grand time to have that position, which I held for 71⁄2 years. The Hawaiian Renaissance was taking place, spearheaded by island music. The stars included Gabby Pahinui, Sonny Chillingworth and Eddie Kamae and his Sons of Hawai‘i. (Eddie was in the audience Saturday.)

Waikiki was jumping in those good old days. Kalakaua was a two-way street and parking was free, no meters. You could smell beautiful lei sold from the street stands. Don Ho and the Aliis were packing ’em in at Duke Kahanamoku’s at the International Market Place. Sterling Mossman and his Barefoot Bar gang, Puka Puka Otea and later Kui Lee were big at Queen’s Surf. Danny Kaleikini was at the Kahala Hilton for decades, Ed Kenney was at The Royal Hawaiian, Hilo Hattie at the Halekulani and Al Harrington at Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Jack de Mello, father of Mountain Apple Records’ boss Jon de Mello, was producing exceptional records by Kealiiwahamana and my classmate Emma Veary. (Jon was in the audience Saturday.) The Outrigger Hotel had a string of big stars including Tommy Sands, John Rowles and the Society of Seven. Peter Moon and the Sunday Manoa with Roland and Robert Cazimero were strong. Bob Hampton‘s Territorial Tavern and a club under the Ilikai featured local stars. I covered Jack and Cha Thompson‘s first Tihati show; it was at Duke Kahanamoku’s and Cha said the cast was made up of family and friends. They now have some 1,000 performers in their Tihati stable. Dick Jensen performed at Duke’s and the Chinese floating restaurant in Honolulu Harbor. Iva Kinimaka and Nephi Hannemann also had gigs in clubs. Palani Vaughan was cutting albums.

Also enjoyable in my career were the Kahauanu Lake Trio with hula dancer Mapuana Baldwin Schneider at the Kaimana Hotel and later the Royal Hawaiian Surf Room, and Irmgard Aluli and Puamana at the Willows. The Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman groups were hot. Buddy Fo and the Invitations drew well at a spot on Kalakaua. Kit Samson and his Sound Advice always showcased talented singers in the Kahala Hilton’s Maile Lounge. Jazz and pop singer Borges and the Betty Loo Taylor Trio knocked out audiences at Keone’s and Trappers at the Hyatt for decades. Alice Fredlund and the Halekulani Girls and later various trios with fab hula dancer Kanoe Miller made the Halekulani’s House Without a Key a most enjoyable place to be at sunset. It still is.

I covered Carole Kai when she first started out as a young woman playing piano at the Pagoda and watched her grow into a fine singer. She, Loyal Garner, Nohelani Cypriano and Melveen Leed formed the Divas, a hot foursome. Anita Hall and Kristian Lei are more of my favorites, as are Amy Hanaiali‘i and Willie K.

After talking about the entertainers I covered, I told the audience a few of my favorite stories: Ho and I played football against each other in high school, and we both graduated in 1949 although he was a year and a half older than I was. He scored two touchdowns and kicked three extra points against our Roosevelt team, which I quarterbacked, to win the championship for Kamehameha, 21-0. In later years, he always called me the best QB on his team. I called him an overaged Kam School bully.

One day while I was entertainment editor at the Bulletin, we got an Associated Press photo of a Hawaii singer named Jimmy Borges who was to perform on Jonathan Winters‘ TV show. Jimmy who? I never heard of him so I got his contact info from AP. He said he and his family had moved to the Bay Area when he was a youngster. So I wrote a story introducing him to islanders. We met two years later when he came back to Hawaii. We golfed together and became great pals.

Another dear friend, Melveen "Mel" Leed, was just 19 when she started singing with Bernie Hal-Mann‘s group at Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Garden Bar. The former Miss Molokai impressed me and I have been following her career ever since. Mel sang at my wedding at Kawaiaha‘o in 1974. Shortly before walking down the aisle, she went into the room where my bride-to-be, Brita, and her bridesmaids were waiting and told them, "Ben requested three songs: ‘E Maliu Mai,’ ‘Pua Carnation’ and "‘Please Release Me (Let Me Go)!’" The girls went crazy.

Mahalo to everyone who made it possible for me to receive this incredible award. It is the honor of my lifetime. …

Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.