Welcome to the best source of Hawaiian Music Information on the Web. This page will help answer
your frequently asked questions (FAQ) about Hawaiian Music. This FAQ page will continually
grow over time as we receive more questions. If you do not find the answer to your question
feel free to contact us at
stevo@hawaii-music.com.
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Where can I purchase Hawaiian Music Tapes and CD's if I don't live in Hawaii? |
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There are a number of Hawaiian Music retailers that you can order music from no matter where you live in the world. Some of these allow direct ordering from their web site, while others will send you a complete catalog. The Sources of Tapes and CD's page at Stevo's Hawaiian Music Guide has a complete list of retailers, addresses, and prices. We recommend that you order your CD's from a retailer that specializes in Hawaiian Music rather than a national retailer. Hawaiian retailers will be able to answer your specific questions, have a much better selection, and often provide extra freebies like Hawaiian Music newsletters. You also get service with an Aloha spirit. |
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Are there different types of Hawaiian Music? |
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Many people that live outside of Hawaii think of Hawaiian Music as Don Ho favorites like
Tiny Bubbles and the soothing sounds of the steel guitar. If this is all you know
about Hawaiian Music, you are missing some great music. Hawaii probably has more musical
artists and entertainers per capita than most other states and countries.
Music is an integral part of the
Hawaiian culture and is expressed in many forms including:
Many artists combine these forms of music, sometimes even in the same song. |
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I am new to Hawaiian Music. Can you recommend some CD's? |
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Of course, everyone has their favorite CD's. Here's a list of some of our favorite ones.
Most of these made the list of the favorite Hawaiian CD's of all time in a poll conducted
by Stevo's Hawaiian Music Guide:
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I am throwing a Lu'au on the Mainland. Can you recommend some CD's? |
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Many people on the Mainland think of Hawaiian Music
as Hawaiian Steel Guitar, Don Ho, and Elvis's Blue Hawaii. If you want CD's with
the 'Hapa-Haole' Waikiki sounds, try the following:
If you want to include the music that's popular in Hawaii, add some of the CD's listed in the previous question (e.g. Keali'i Reichel - Kawaipunahele, or Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Facing Future). |
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What is the History of the Ukulele in Hawaii? |
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When the Portuguese arrived around 1879 to
work in the sugar cane fields, they brought the braguinha. The Hawaiians were
impressed at the speed of Joao Fernandes fingers as he played this instrument.
One story has it that the Hawaiians called the instrument 'ukulele', which means jumping flea in
English, the vision that they saw as his fingers jumped across the instrument.
Others say that it was the way that Edward Purvis, an English Army officer, jumped when
he played the braguinha.
There are many other stories about how the instrument got its name. The ukulele
quickly became popular among the Hawaiian people and became a central part to their
music. In the 1920's and 1930's the instrument was popular with the Waikiki beachboys.
To this day day, when most people think of the Ukulele, they think of Hawaiian Music.
For a complete history on the Ukulele, visit Brudda Bu's A Little Uke History.
If you want to listen to some great Ukulele music, pick up any CD by the following artists:
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What is Slack Key Guitar? |
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Slack Key or Ki Ho'alu has often been referred to as Hawaiian Soul Music. Slack Key is indigenous to Hawaii, and while it is the one of the most difficult styles to master, it is one of the most beautiful to listen to. Slack Key has a very interesting history. King Kamehameha III brought several Spanish Cowboys from California to Hawaii in the 1830's to help control the cattle on Hawaii. The Spanish Cowboys taught the Hawaiians the skills necessary to be cowboys, but also brought their Mexican Guitar music. It is believed that Hawaiians did not know how to tune their guitars, so each family experimented and developed their own unique tunings. They loosened or 'slacked' the strings creating a sound unique to Hawaii. The loosened chords allowed continuous bass on the bass strings accompanying the main melody which was finger-picked on the treble strings. The unique tunings were passed down through the generations. Only in the last 25-30 years have they been shared outside of the Hawaiian families that developed them. Gabby Pahinui, often thought of as the greatest slack key player of all time, played an important role in making Slack Key popular with his many recordings. Today, George Winston's Dancing Cat Records label spotlights the great masters of Slack Key including Cyril Pahinui, Keola Beamer, Cyril Pahinui, and several others. For more information on Slack Key, visit Keola Beamer's History of Slack Key Guitar web site. |
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I am going to Hawaii and want to find some good concerts. How do I find out who is playing? |
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Check out the Hawaiian Music Scene page which contains links to concert schedules for all the islands as well as who is appearing in which hotel or club. Also, when you arrive in Hawaii, pick up the free Island guides in the airports that list all the activities for each island (e.g. 'This Week' magazine is excellent). The island guides are in racks all over the airport and are also in a lot of the tourist shopping areas like Waikiki and Lahaina. You may also want to pick up a local paper the minute you arrive to see what's happening around the island you are staying on. |
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Is it possible to see live Hawaiian Music outside of Hawaii? |
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There are lots of concerts outside of Hawaii but the majority of them are in West Coast Cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Check out the Hawaiian Music Scene page for concert schedules. By far the best and most thorough Hawaiian concert guide is Auntie Maria's mele.com Hawaiian Concert Calendar. If there is a concert anywhere inside or outside of Hawaii, Auntie Maria probably has it listed. |
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Who is the big Hawaiian Guy with the incredible voice that got a lot of air play a few years ago on National Public Radio? |
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Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (aka 'Iz'). Iz is one of the most cherished performers of the last 20 years and has had several top selling CD's including Facing Future and N Dis Life. Sadly, Israel passed away recently after a long series of health problems. Fortunately his music lives on and there is a new video out where Israel performs live in concert. For more information about Iz, visit the Hawaiian Musical Artists page. |
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What are the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards? |
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The Na Hoku Hanohano Awards
are Hawaii's version of the Grammy Awards. The awards are held every spring
and honor Hawaiian Musical Artists and Producers in a variety of categories including
Male and Female Vocalist of the Year, Hawaiian Language Performance of the Year,
and Album of the Year. Some of the artists that have received the most awards over the years
include, among others, the Brothers Cazimero and the Makaha Sons.
For more information, check out the following sources:
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send a message to
stevo@hawaii-music.com.