Joseph Gannon

You can't talk about Joe Gannon without talking about how big he was. He's inseparable from his big laugh, big stories, bright clothes & eyewear, wet kisses, and his deep love for friends, kids, and the biggest love of all, his partner in everything, his wife Beverly.

Joe liked to tell his kids, "If you are going to be a plumber, be the best f-ing plumber you can be." They were 8,10,13,&15 years old respectively. While none of them were considering potential career paths at the time, the message was clear; it doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do it with passion.

So it should surprise no one that a scrappy South Philly kid talked his way onto a stage to perform with The Kingston Quartet despite not really being able to play the stand-up bass. His days as a musician were short, but that started a long career in the music business - Band Manager, Stage Manager, Road Manager, and Lighting Designer - where he shined. It is hard to imagine a time when Rock and Roll Concerts were not spectacles with outrageous lights and stage pieces, pyrotechnics, and theatrics. But it was the creatives in the 70's, like Joe Gannon, who were the cutting-edge innovators. The entire list of artists he worked with is to long so here are the highlights: Kingston Trio - Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass - Jack Benny - Smothers Brothers - Neil Diamond - Alice Cooper - Kiss - Liza Minelli - Kansas - Linda Rondstat - Earth, Wind, and Fire - Teddy Pendergrass - Blondie - Luther Vandross - Barry Manilow - Julio Iglesias, to name a few.

Joe met his future wife Bev in 1973, 7 years before they started dating, when Bev was Liza Minnelli's Road Manager, and Joe was Liza's Production Manager on her "Liza with a Z" Tour. After meeting Joe, Bev remembers saying "That guy is crazy!" When they ran into each other 7 years later, Joe was as crazy as ever, but the attraction was overwhelming and Joe and Bev fell in love and left Hollywood for the quiet life on Maui. But where Joe and Bev go, big things happen. So when they decided to open a gourmet take-out food shop in an old pineapple company store, Haliimaile General Store was born and it quickly became a full-service & restaurant with the best food on Maui. A James Beard nomination later they opened Joe's Bar & Grill, and Gannon's. Joe would tell you his greatest attribute was his ability to spotlight talent, and in this case, the talent was Bev, who helped pioneer a new culinary category Hawai'i Regional Cuisine (HRC Chefs). Joe, a dedicated gourmand and everyone's favorite front-of-house man, made you feel at home. It was the combination of his unique aloha spirit and her delicious food that made visiting their restaurants the homecoming you didn't even know you needed.

Joe has either literally traveled the world with many of you, or figuratively taken you on a trip with him through his stories, Just know this; if he ever told you "I never liked you anyway" or "You are the worst personal person," then Joe has told you I love you, and he did, he truly loved you.

Joe Gannon is survived by his wife Beverly, his children Cathy, Cheech, and Jana, grandsons Tyler, Will, and Joe, Sons-in law Chris, Jeff, and Brandt. Patrick, son, (deceased Oct 22).

Joe's last hurrah will be held in the fall of 2024. in lieu of flowers please donate to Hospice Maui, or Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui.