One of American Samoa's best known musicians and recording artists, Aliimau Jr Scanlan, passed away in Seattle this morning.
American Samoa Photo: RNZI
His sister Mary Scanlan Anderson says Aliimau had been unwell for some time and had gone off island for treatment about a month ago.
Fagafaga Daniel Langkilde, a third cousin and a fellow musician, says Aliimau was one of the territory's musical greats.
"He was one of those entertainers that dared to be different from everyone else. While everyone was playing pop and rock and roll, Jr played country and western which earned him the nickname Polynesian Cowboy as everyone knows."
Fagafaga Daniel Langkilde.
