Solomon Hoʻopiʻi Kaʻaiʻai, known professionally as Sol Hoʻopiʻi, was a pioneering Native Hawaiian lap steel guitarist born in 1902 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was the 21st child in a large family, and his musical talents were evident from a young age, as he was playing the ukulele by age three. By his teenage years, he had chosen the Hawaiian steel guitar as his primary instrument.

At 17, Sol and two friends stowed away on a ship to San Francisco, where their musical performances charmed passengers into paying their fares. After some club engagements, Sol moved to Los Angeles in 1924, forming the Sol Hoʻopiʻi Trio with Glenwood Leslie and Lani McIntyre. The trio became popular in Polynesian-themed night venues and recorded extensively, with Sol's work from 1933 to 1938 being particularly notable. His recordings on Decca and Brunswick Records included hits like "Hula Girl" and "Ten Tiny Toes," and he was known for his jazzy improvisations and innovative use of the electric lap steel guitar.

In 1938, Sol gave up his secular career to join evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, focusing on gospel music. Despite losing his vision later in life, he continued to play and teach gospel music until his death on November 16, 1953, in Seattle, Washington. Sol Hoʻopiʻi was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1979, remembered for his complex and sophisticated style that influenced both Hawaiian and Western musicians.