Los Angeles – Hana Hou for the Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert Series! At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, their CD, Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2, received the Grammy Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album. The five compilation CDs produced by the renowned weekly Maui show have now been honored with five nominations and four Grammy Awards. Today, CD producers Paul Konwiser and Wayne Wong, producer/artists Daniel Ho and George Kahumoku, Jr., and artist Jeff Peterson came up on stage to accept the award in Los Angeles. They are deeply honored to receive this award again. The pre-televised awards were streamed live today on the grammy.com site, and the presentation will be available for viewing for one month.
Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2is a compilation of live performances from weekly concerts (going on for seven years now) at the Napili Kai Beach Resort. Featured on the CD are master slack key artists George Kahumoku Jr., Dennis Kamakahi, Jeff Peterson, Owana Salazar, Sonny Lim, Keoki Kahumoku, Kawika Kahiapo, and Daniel Ho; with special guests falsetto legend, Richard Ho'opi'i, and lap steel great, Bobby Ingano. Also included are the young next-generation nephews and show regulars Peter DeAquino and Sterling Seaton.
On Friday, January 29th, prior to the awards, George Kahumoku, Jr. hosted an educational program with Los Angeles area high school students in the morning. Later that evening all of the Hawaiian Grammy nominees performed at the Grammy Museum.
From George Kahumoku Jr., to Maui Advertising Company from his IPhone on January 30th…
Yesterday was a full day of events. We had a special morning presentation with Leutzinger high school from the LA area at the Grammy Museum on Figuora St in downtown LA. Dean Pitchford, a 1968 St Louis HS grad shared a DVD video presentation that included songs he wrote the lyrics to, such as Footloose, Bambi, Lady & the Tramp & many many others. Then I came on with Daniel Ho and did my original song called Ho'okupu about Pele & Kamapua'a from our Grammy nominated CD Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Vol 2, and we had the whole roomful of high schoolers singing and grunting & making pig noises. We then did Aunty Edith Kanakaole's Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai (the Seaweed Limu) song which was danced by 19 year old Puanani Edgar, one of my hanai nieces from Ventura CA. Then Daniel Ho & I did a version of my mosquito song that brought the house down! Next up were Tia Carrere and Daniel Ho with Amy Stillwell, and they did 3 songs from their Grammy Nominated Album, He Nani! The event ended with everyone joining hands & singing Hawaii Aloha.
We then broke for lunch, waited in line with Beyonce's personal assistant for our Grammy tickets & then Paul Konwiser, Sandy Wales, and I had lunch at the Farm of Beverly Hills with Javier Cano who was the CEO heading the Grammy LA District's newest Ritz-Carlton skyscraper building project. Mr. Cano was the GM @ the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua where the Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert Series started over 7 years ago!
The evening event at the Grammy Museum featured all Four Hawaiian category Grammy nominees, myself, George Kahumoku, Jr & Daniel Ho, and Jeff Peterson performed from our Grammy Nominated Masters of Hawaiian Slack key Guitar Vol 2. Then Daniel Ho & Tia Carrere showcased their CD, He Nani. Manu Boyd and Glen Smith from Ho'okena performed as a Duet, and Amy Gilliom finished the night off with her brother Eric, & John Cruz, taking turns singing duets backed by her guitarists Chino Madera and Jeff Peterson. – George Kahumoku Jr
