The group was originally formed in 1960 under the leadership of Gabby Pahinui with members Eddie Kamae, Joe Marshall and David "Feet" Rogers.
A few years after the group was formed they went their own separate ways until the middle to late 1960s when they reformed with the members Kamae, Marshall, Rogers, Atta Isaacs and Bobby Larson.
Burl Burlingame of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin describes this as: In 1973, Kamae brought the group back together, minus Pahinui, and added a young Hawaiian singer-songwriter named Dennis Kamakahi (Grammy Award-winning recording artist and music composer).
On November 16, 1985, Eddie Kamae and the Sons of Hawaii were featured on A Prairie Home Companion, along with the Kahelelani Serenaders, Taj Mahal with Carlos Andrade and his band, and the Kamehameha High School Glee Club, as well as Chet Atkins and Johnny Gimble plus the show regulars.
In 1989, the seventh and final incarnation of the Sons of Hawaii consisted of Kamae, Marshall, George Kuo, Braddah Smitty, Dennis Kamakahi; sometimes Gary Haleamau and steel player Paul Kim would join them.