Real name: Alice Ku'uleialohapoina'ole Kanakaoluna (Namakelua)

Alice Namakelua was born on August 12, 1892 to Carolina Swain. Swain gave birth to the child in the home of her brother and his wife. Swain gave the child to her brother in what is called hanai, an old Hawaiian tradition where one gives up a child for adoption but without the existence of paperwork or the legalities. Thus she was given the last name of Kanakaoluna. Her middle name, Ku'uleialohapoina'ole, means "my beloved, unforgettable lei".

She married her second husband, Solomon Namakelua, after World War I. She did a number of jobs, including that as a radio DJ, teacher, and entertainer, which lead her to songwriting.

Namakelua died in April 1987, a few months from her 95th birthday.