Who Produces Hawaiian

Music?
Nick Consuegra & Alex
Adamson
AMCULT 103
 Bigger Questions:
• Who qualifies as a Native Hawai'ian?
• Do you have to be a Native Hawai'ian
to truly produce Hawai'ian music?
• Who should determine what
Hawai'ian music is or is not?
• What is the criteria for winning major
awards in Hawai'ian music?
• Should Daniel Ho’s albums be
scrutinized because he is no longer
living permanently in Hawai'i?
•
 Terminology
• For this presentation, we will be
considering a “Native Hawai’ian” to
be someone who was born in
Hawaii and still resides there
• The greatest dispute in Hawai’ian
culture is who is classified as a true
“Native Hawai’ian”– some believe
you must be of 100% decent,
some believe you must have been
born in Hawaii, and others expect
full time and lifelong residence on
the islands in order to be truly
 Criticism of Daniel Ho
Creations
• Daniel Ho Creations has
been under close watch
and regulation by
members of the Hawai'ian
music community, both
fans and industry insiders
alike, because he no
longer has permanent
residence in Hawai’i and
has collaborated with non
Native Hawai'iansto make
some of his music.
• In particular, his most recent
award winning albums
with Tia Carrere have
been criticized because
Tia is of Spanish, Chinese
and Filipino descent
despite being born in
 What are the Major Awards in
Hawai'ian Music?
• Grammy Award issued by the
National Academy of Recording Arts
and Sciences for the best Hawai'ian
music album: First award given in
2005
• Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts
(HARA) gives out 24 awards
• The Hawai'ian Music Awards gives
out 26 awards
•
 Hawai’i Academy of Recording
Arts
• HARA is celebrating their 30th year
anniversary as the leading non-profit
organization in Hawaiian music
• Founded in 1982, HARA’s stated goal is to
“Stimulate interest in the local
recording industry and the music of
Hawai'i.”
• The regulations for winning a HARA
Award are as follows:
 “Only entries created, produced, and/or
engineered; recorded by a local resident
artist, musician, or technician, released
during the eligible year; and primarily
distributed in Hawai'i are acceptable for
nomination (non-resident entries qualify
only in the genre categories, Hawaiian,
 HARA Nomination Form: Definition of
Eligibility
 “All Recordings created, produced,
engineered, and recorded by a Hawai’i
resident artist(s), musician(s), or
technician(s) released during the eligibility
year and primarily for distribution in
Hawai’i are eligible for inclusion on the
preliminary voting ballot.”


 “In the General, Technical, and

Adjudicated Categories, nominee (artist,
composer, producer, or technician) must
be a resident of the state of Hawai’i. A
resident is defined as one who lives in
 Definition of Eligibility: Continued
 “In the Genre
Categories,
resident and non-
resident
nominees are
eligible if the
work is recorded
in Hawai’i, or is
distributed by a
Hawai'i based
distributor for
general
distribution
 Requirements
General Category Requirements:
 “Nominee (artist, composer, or producer) must
be a resident of the State of Hawai’i.”
Genre Category Requirements:

 “Albums by non-resident artist(s) may also be

eligible in a Genre Category if the album is
recorded in Hawai'i, or is distributed by a Hawai'i
distributor intended for wide distribution in the
State of Hawai’i.”
Technical/Adjudicated Categories:

 “Nominee (artist or composer) must be a

resident of the State of Hawai’i.”

 HARA Summary
• HARA requires that their winners live
in Hawai’i at least 6 months of the
year in almost all of their
categories
• This means that in HARA’s opinion, to
qualify as a Native you must reside
in Hawai’i
• HARA is arguably one of the best
respected awards in Hawaiian
music due to the strict regulations
• In contrast, The Hawai’i Music
Awards are far less prestigious due
 Hawai’i Music Awards
• Hawai’i Music Awards started in 1995 to support
Hawai’i’s recording industry
• As an internet based awards program, they aimed
to take advantage of the international outreach
capabilities for marketing and promotional
support for the newly released recordings by
Hawai’i and Hawai’ian recording artist any
where in the world
• The Hawai’i Music Awards is essentially the first
‘People’s Choice Award’ in Hawai’ian music
because it is an interactive voting website open
to all
• Anyone can nominate themselves for an award
• Anyone can register to vote as long as they have
a valid e-mail address

 Hawai’i Music Awards
• The Hawai’i Music Awards is a far
less prestigious award in the genre
because there are no background
requirements for those who vote or
those who are voted on
• Although the requirements are less
intense, the Hawai’i music awards
still hold some significance in that
they allow people to vote on what
they enjoy listening to in the genre
• Music is made to entertain, so a
people’s choice award is still viable
despite the relaxed requirements
 Well-Known Names with
Daniel Ho
• Extremely well-known and well-
respected artists and producers in
the industry of Hawai’ian music
have worked with Daniel Ho
• This is an interesting idea because
Native Hawai’ians still seem to
have a problem with Daniel due to
his residence, while the actual
people in the industry don’t seem
to mind where he is from nor where
Award Winning Collaborators
with Daniel Ho
• Daniel Ho no longer
resides in Hawai’i
although many of his
long time
collaborators do
• As people begin to
ostracize Ho’s music
due to factors
outside of the music
itself, we begin to
wonder why such
great names in the
industry still respect
him and are willing
to work with him
despite popular
2005 Hawaiian Music Grammy
Award
• TITLE: Slack Key Guitar Volume II
• ARTISTS: John Cruz, John Keawe,
Sonny Lim, Randy Lorenzo, Keoki
Kahumoku, Jeff Peterson, Ken
Emerson, Charlie Recaido, Charles
Michael Brotman and Bryan Kessler
• PRODUCER: Charles Michael Brotman
• LABEL: Palm Records
• ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE: October
28, 2003
John Cruz
• Grew up in Palolo
Valley on Oahu
• Moved to the East
Coast in 1983 and
started to develop
his singing and
songwriting skills.
– “During his 12
years in the
Northeast, John
cut his musical
teeth in
subways,
coffeehouses
and bars in New
York's Greenwich
Village, as well
as in the clubs
 John Keawe
• John Keawe is a
songwriter and
slack-key guitarist.
• Was born on the Big
Island of Hawaii, in
the little town of
Hawi in North
Kohala.
• He grew up with rock
and roll music and
enjoyed listening to
singer/songwriters.
• He has released nine
recordings under
Homestead
Productions.
2006 Hawaiian Music Grammy
Award
• TITLE: Masters Of Hawaiian Slack Key
Guitar, Vol. 1
• ARTISTS: Ledward Kaapana, George
Kahumoku Jr, Cyril Pahinui, Ozzie
Kotani, Keoki Kahumoku, and Daniel
Ho
• LABEL: Daniel Ho Creations
• RELEASED: March 22, 2005
•
 Ledward Kaapana
• Born on the Big Island of
Hawaii
• Was nominated for a
Grammy in 2006, 2007,
and 2009.
• Has been entertaining
audiences for 40 years
all around the world.
• “Led Kaapana's mastery of
stringed instruments,
particularly slack key
guitar, and his
extraordinary baritone
George Kahumoku, Jr.
• From South Kona on the big
island of Hawaii.
• Went to the
KamehamehaSchool in
Oahu.
• Known as the Renaissance
Man
– “because he is one of the
few who still knows the
old ways-farming, fishing
and herbs-and can
survive on the land, and
yet gets up every
morning and works the
 Cyril Pahinui
• Cyril grew up in the
small town of
Waimanalo at the
foot of the Ko'olau
Mountains on
O'ahu's Windward
coast.
• “His father, Philip
"Gabby" Pahinui,
was Hawai'i's best
known and most
influential Slack
Key guitarist,
famous for his
beautiful and
innovative guitar
playing, his soulful
2007 Hawaiian Music Grammy
Award
• TITLE: Legends Of Hawaiian Slack
Key Guitar: Live From Maui
• ARTIST: Various Artists
• PRODUCERS: Daniel Ho, George
Kahumoku, Jr., Paul Konwiser and
Wayne Wong
• LABEL: Daniel Ho Creations
•
Daniel Ho
• Born in Kaimuku on
Oahu
• Attended the Grove
School of Music in
Los Angeles.
– Studied
composition
before returning
enrolling at the
University of
Hawaii.
• Returned to Los
Angeles to start a
Jazz group, Kilauea.
 2008 Grammy Award
• The winner of the 2008
Hawaiian Music
Grammy Award was the
album "Treasures of
Hawaiian Slack Key
Guitar", produced by
Daniel Ho, George
Kahumoku Jr, and
Wayne Wong.
• 2008 was the fourth year
in a row the Hawaiian
Music Grammy was
awarded to a slack key
guitar recording
• All artists on the CD are
highly decorated in the
industry and are
 2008 Artists
• Dennis Kamakahl- multiple Grammy winner and
multiple Na Hoku Hanohano winner (HARA), 2009
Inductee into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame,
Hawaiian slack key guitarist, recording artist, and
music composer
• Cyril Pahinui- played at Carnegie Hall, has contributed
to two Grammy Award-winning albums, received
several Hoku Hanohano Awards, and recorded on
more than 25 Hawaiian musical releases
• Richard Hoopii- Best known as one half of the popular
Maui duo, The Ho'opi'i Brothers, he has been
practicing the traditional Hawaiian art of leo ki'eki'e
(falsetto) for most of his life. He and his brother,
Solomon (his life-long singing partner) were
recipients of the prestigious National Endowment of
the Arts Folk Heritage Fellowship, America's highest
honor for traditional artists.
 2008 Artists Continued
• Owana Salazar- Throughout her years as a
performing artist, Owana often involves
herself with projects relating to Hawaiian
history, culture and sovereignty. As a
descendant of Hawaiian royalty, Owana
lives her life in commitment to upholding
the standards of a great cultural legacy.
• Bobby Ingano- for over a decade Bobby
Ingano has been recognized as one of
Hawaii's finest steel guitarists. He has
performed and recorded with many of
Hawaii's greatest recording artists including
Amy Gilliom, The Ka'a'u Crater Boys, The
Brothers Cazimero, Martin Pahinui, Willie K.,
The Ho'opii Brothers, Kekuhi Kanahele, and
others.
 2009 Grammy Award
• ‘Ikena’, the winning Grammy Album
in 2009, produced by Amy Stillman
and with the musical works of
Daniel Ho and Tia Carrere, has had
much controversy surrounding it.
• The issues stem from the concept
that none of the names on the
album, currently reside in Hawaii
 Tia Carrere
• Tia Carrere has become
a main target in the
controversy because
her entire career has
not been consumed
by Hawai’ian music
alone
• In 1993, her first solo
album, Dream, was
released, and went
platinum in Mexico.
• In June 2007 she
released a second
album ‘Hawaiiana’
with the help of Daniel
Ho and the album was
nominated for a
Grammy under the
category Best
Hawaiian Music Album
 Far Side Music
• Far Side Music is one of the world's
primary sources for music from
Japan, Okinawa, and other East
Asian countries
• Some of the music shown on the site
is of the Hawai’ian genre, although
it is not written, produced or sung
by Hawai’ian people.
• Some would argue that this music
therefore cannot be “Hawai’ian”,
but who’s to say what the
requirements are for being a
Hawai’ian Music producer?
 Reaction to Far Side Music
• We believe that Hawai’ian music
cannot be limited to only certain
people being able to write and
produce it
• As long as the music pays tribute to
Hawai’i, uses the traditional
instruments of the genre, and
speaks the language, it should be
classified as Hawai’ian music
 Mele.com: World’s Online
Source for Hawai’ian Music
Since 1995
• Mele.com started in 1995 as the first
independent online retailer of
Hawaiian music
• The stated mission of Mele.com is “to
send the music of Hawai`i out
beyond the islands”
• Mele.com is now widely known as
being a reliable source for the best
Hawai’ian music with over 1,300
available CDs for purchase, as well
 Mele.com: Question
To Whom It May Concern,
 My name is Alexandra Adamson and I am
currently a student at The University of Michigan.
I am doing a research project on Hawaiian music
producers and what constitutes as 'Hawaiian
Music'. I was wondering if your website had any
required criteria in order for an album to be
presented on your site. Does an artist or
producer need to be a native Hawaiian in
order for their work to be displayed? Do
they need to be a current resident of
Hawaii? I would greatly appreciate your input.
Thank you for your time.

 Mele.com Response:
Aloha Alexandra -
 We present music that might be of
interest to Hawaiians or Hawaiian
music lovers. This includes music
produced on the mainland in the
Hawaiian language, as well as titles
from the South Pacific.
Contemporary music in English by
Hawai`i-based groups are also
welcome.
 Aloha - Puna
 Conclusions on Mele.com
• Mele.com is not an exclusive site as
Puna stated in his e-mail
• They choose to sell music that they
believe represents the genre well
and is of interest to people who
enjoy listening to it
• This short conversation is a good
representation of how the world of
music cannot be limited to only
certain people and should not be
littered with regulations or
 Conclusions
 If the Hawai’ian music world limits
who can write, produce, and sing
Hawai’ianmusic, they limit the spread
of their culture and the appreciation
for the genre around the world. By
doing this, they actually hurt the
music more than protect it.

 Works Cited
• "2005 Hawaiian Music Grammy Award."
Hawaiian Music History. Web. 30 Mar.
2010.
<http://www.hawaiianmusichistory.com/a
wards/grammy-award-2005.htm>.
• "2006 Hawaiian Music Grammy Award."
Hawaiian Music History. Web. 30 Mar.
2010.
<http://www.hawaiianmusichistory.com/a
wards/grammy-award-2006.htm>.
• "2007 Hawaiian Music Grammy Award."
Hawaiian Music History. Web. 30 Mar.
2010.
<http://www.hawaiianmusichistory.com/a
wards/grammy-award-2007.htm>. 
 Works Cited #2
• Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts. Hawaii
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2010.
<http://www.nahokuhanohano.org/cms/in
dex.php>.
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MA/Introduction.html. Johnny Kai
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<http://web.me.com/thehawaiimusicawar
 Works Cited #3
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Cruz. Web. 23 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.johncruz.com/john_cru
z.php>.
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<http://johnkeawe.com/biography.h
tml>.
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<http://www.ledkaapana.com/bio.ht
 Works Cited #4
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<http://www.kahumoku.com/about_george.ht
m>.
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 Works Cited #5
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<http://www.denniskamakahiproductions.
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<http://www.slackkey.com/about_richard.
 Works Cited #6
• "Bio." Owanasalazar.com. Owana
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<http://www.owanasalazar.com/bio.
php>.
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<http://www.bobbyingano.com/bobby_in
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<http://www.tiacarrere.com/>.
 Works Cited #7
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<http://www.farsidemusic.com/acat
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• "About Us." Mele.com. Mele.com.
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<http://www.mele.com/aboutus.ht
ml>.
•