[2] Upon graduation from McKinley High School where he played in the band, Kalama hooked up with Leonard "Red" Hawk[3] and the Waikikians.

[5] Kalama worked with the Don McDiarmid Sr band at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the Kewalo Inn and La Hula Rhumba on Lulalilo Street.

[7] During this period of his career, Kalama worked with Alfred Apaka, George Kainapau, Alvin Isaacs Sr and Tommy Castro.

On radio, Kalama was a director and arranger on KGU's Voice of Hawaii[5] program prior to bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Until before his death, Kalama played at the Halekulani's House Without a Key nightclub with Alan Akaka and Walter Moʻokini's Islanders,[1] and also as part of the stage band for the annual Steel Guitar Hoʻolauleʻa.