Celebrating the Legacy of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar & Music

---

10-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner, 2-time Grammy Award nominee and 4th generation Kumu Hula, Natalie Ai Kamauu grew up singing and dancing with her family hālau, Hālau Hula ʻOlana, on the island of Oʻahu. In 1990 she was awarded the prestigious title “Miss Aloha Hula” at the Merrie Monarch hula Festival, the world’s preeminent hula competition. In 2005, Natalie established her own independent record label, Keko Records, her unique vocal style immediately capturing the attention of the international music world. Her husband Iolani accompanies her on guitar and background vocals. 

George Kuo is known as one of Hawaii’s premier Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar artists playing in the traditional nahenahe (sweet, soothing) style, bridging today’s generation with the older generations. In 1986 George was invited by Eddie Kamae's to join The Sons Of Hawaii and in 2000 he performed and recorded with Dennis & David Kamakahi & Martin Pahinui as the Hui Aloha. Highlights of George’s performing career include playing on the Garrison Keillor Prairie Home Companion Show with Chet Atkins and Johnny Gimble in 1993 and performing at the Hollywood Bowl with the Honolulu Symphony in 1997. 

A member of Hawai`i’s famous musical Lim Family, Sonny Lim was born and raised in the heart of Hawaiian cowboy country on Hawai`i Island. Sonny's professional career began as a teenager when he was invited to perform with the Makaha Sons of Ni`ihau. His first solo album in 2006, Slack Key Guitar: The Artistry of Sonny Lim, was a 48th GRAMMY® nominee in the Hawaiian Music category; one year prior, he performed with 6 other solo artists on Hawai`i’s first GRAMMY® award-winning CD, Slack Key Volume 2. Sonny helped accept this inaugural Hawaiian GRAMMY® award on stage, his speech marked the first time the Hawaiian language had ever been spoken on the GRAMMY® stage.

Recognized as one of Hawaii’s most versatile musicians, Jeff Peterson is at the heart of the Hawaiian music scene today, having contributed to two Grammy Award-winning recordings and winner of eight Nā Hōku Hanohano Awards in Hawaii including Slack Key Album of the Year for "Maui on My Mind" in 2010, "Slack Key Travels" in 2014 and "O’ahu" in 2016 which also earned him Instrumental Song of the Year for the song "Old Pali". His latest release "Paniolo Son" won Hawaiian Slack Key Album Of The Year at the 2024 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards

Dr. Kamuela Kimokeo is the Director of the Music Program and Hawaii Music institute at Windward Community College teaching Slack Key, Ukulele, Music Theory and Music History. He is a member of the Nā Hōku Hanohano award winning group Hiʻikua and tours with the likes of Hawaiian music Hall-of-Famer Jerry Santos, Amy Hanaiali’i, and Raiatea Helm. As a recording artist he was part of the Grammy Nominated and Hōkū award winning guitar album Slack Key Kings Vol. II. 

Regarded as one of the world’s foremost Hawaiian slack key guitar artists, Kimo West is a 2021 Grammy winner for More Guitar Stories, a 2019 Grammy nominee for Moku Maluhia-Peaceful Island, a 2008 Hawaii Music Award winner and 4x Nā Hōku Hanohano (the Hawaiian ‘Grammy’) nominee. He is also a two-time winner of the LA Treasures Award for his efforts in keeping this important acoustic guitar tradition alive. For his work as long-time guitarist with “Weird Al”, he has earned four Grammy’s and a Billboard #1 CD debut for 2015’s Mandatory Fun.