Hawaiian Music May Get Grammy Category

An interesting news item...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&ncid=529&e=5&u=/ap/20040529/ap_en_mu/hawaiian_grammy

By MATT SEDENSKY, Associated Press Writer

HONOLULU - Hawaiian music is doing swimmingly with listeners, and now it's is ready to catch the big one: the Grammy. The genre will have its own category for the first time next year if the National Academy of Arts & Sciences approves.

The academy's Board of Trustees already has given its OK for a Best Hawaiian Music Album category, according to a chorus of state officials, including Gov. Linda Lingle.

Calls to trustees, who were meeting on the Big Island, went unanswered Friday afternoon. An official with the recording academy said he expected an announcement next week.

Still, those who love the music of the islands already were celebrating.

"It's a remarkable day," said Jon de Mello, who has lobbied for the Hawaiian category for years as founder of Mountain Apple Company, one of the largest Hawaiian music labels. "It's going to let the public, for once, really see the depth that Hawaiian music really has."

The governor said the new recognition for Hawaiian music "will bring much deserved attention to our multitalented performers and help expand our local music industry."

Hawaiian albums already are eligible for Grammys (news - web sites), primarily through the traditional folk and contemporary folk awards. But an individual category would give it a new level of exposure.

The possibility of a new category is the result of more than 20 years of grass-roots efforts. The call for a Hawaiian category gained new momentum in the last few years, with members of the recording academy working with artists and record labels in Hawaii to help them organize their proposal.

The most debated aspect was the definition of what type of music the category would honor. Some members of the local music industry wanted the category to honor albums recorded entirely in the Hawaiian language. Others believed any releases from the islands should be considered.

The campaign to add a Hawaiian category followed the lead of a similar American Indian campaign. Recordings from the Native American genre earned their own category in 2000 after eight years of effort.

[ Edited by: PiPhiRho on 2004-05-29 12:42 ]

This year's nominees:

Best Hawaiian Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental)

'Ikena -- Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho
[Daniel Ho Creations]

'Aumakua -- Amy Hanaiali`i
[Ua Records/Concord]

Force Of Nature -- Led Kaapana & Mike Kaawa
[Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa]

Hawaiian Slack Key Kings Masters Series Vol. II -- (Various Artists)
Chris Lau & Milton Lau, producers
[Rhythm And Roots Records]

The Spirit Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar -- (Various Artists)
Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku, Jr., Dennis Kamakahi, Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers
[Daniel Ho Creations]

Right on! Mahalo for the bumping this thread to the top, arriano!

Good to see Tia Carrere making Hawaiian music again!

Well, it's ALWAYS good to see Tia Carrere, isn't it?