David Kahanamoku Ka'ili was born in Lana'i December 23, 1897. His father was David Joseph Ka'ili, and his mother Benoita, was a cousin of Olympic champion swimmer Duke Kahanamoku. David joined Pale Lua playing mostly rhythm guitar, but also some steel guitar on several recordings. Ka'ili eventually formed his own band and from 1918-1920 they did Polynesian shows on the S.S.Sherman and other ships, stopping in Acapulco, the Bahamas, Montego Bay Jamaica, Brazil, France, England, Norway, Spain, and others. He returned to Hawaii when he was 20 years old and played with Harry Owens at the Royal Hawaiian during the time Harry wrote "Sweet Leilani" for his daughter. He later settled in Des Moines, IA where he married his wife, Helen, and worked at the Pepsi Cola plant.
According to a descendant of the artist, he survived to be 102. Throughout his long life he played for many dignitaries like Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, and Harding, and also for Dorothy Lamour, Bing Crosby, and Bob Hope.
Information from Ruymar, Lorene., & Jerry Byrd (Eds). (1996) The Hawaiian Steel Guitar and Its Great Hawaiian Musicians. Anaheim: CenterStream (p.93).