Post #488242 by Kaiwaza on Wed, Oct 14, 2009 4:56 PM

As a kid living on the mainland listening to my grandfather's Hawaiian LPs, I was always confused by a Honolulu records company named "49th State Hawaii Records." I mean, HELLO, everyone knows Hawaii is the 50th state. Years later, living in Hawaii, I learned the story of this record company. Run by George Ching, it began production in 1948, pre-statehood, when EVERYONE thought Hawaii would be named the 49th state. Alaska snuck in by surprise just before Hawaii as there were still some concerns about admitting a state with a Caucasian minority population. Anway, 49th State Hawaii records was a non-union company employeeing many not very well rehearsed musicians recording in people's living rooms. Many of Genoa Keawe's earlier recordings are on the 49th label and although the company recorded for just 10 years their repackaged LPs and 45s were STILL selling in the 1980s. In fact, Cord International has re-issued a fair amount of 49th State material on CD. However, they DON'T have the FABULOUS photographs on ALL the 49th State records..they just SCREAM 1950s Hawaiiana and I couldn't help but post several of their dozens of LPS. They are just beautiful! In good condition, these LPS go for big bucks in the islands today.
BTW...For whatever reason, Cord Int'l has chosen NOT to reissue any of the beautiful steel guitar instrumentals that primarily feature Benjamin Rogers & The Harmony Isles Group that are on one side of most of these LPs. Their combination of steel guitar & vibes is THE iconoclassic Hawaiian sound of the 1950s and I don't know WHY they don't put together a CD. If you like that sound, I highly reccomend a more recent steel CD by Herbert Hanawahine that is a direct copy of this 1950s vibes/steel sound...same style as Benjamin Rogers Harmony Isle Group.