Ernie Menehune, “Hawaii’s Suntanned Irishman”
Ernie Menehune, "Hawaii's Suntanned Irishman" has been a fixture of the tiki scene in the southwestern United States since the 1950s. Moving from Kauai to the mainland when he was 16, Menehune pumped gas in L.A. before moving to Phoenix, Arizona, where he got his first gig after singing with a local band at a Polynesian-themed club. As the years went by he toured extensively and played extended performances in Las Vegas and California.
Ernie is retired now, but plays occasional gigs and sometimes hosts luaus at his polynesian-themed home, which includes tikis that he carved himself.
- Information and discussion about Ernie at Tiki Central
- A collection of Ernie's album covers
- Phoenix News story
- Tucson Weekly story with biographical information
