The Seattle Slack Key Festival Celebrates the Legacy of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar & Music

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. George has been twice recognized with excellence in recording achievement by the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts; he has won Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, for Instrumental Album of the year in 1995 for Hawaiian Touch and 1996 for "Aloha No Na Kupuna – Love for the Elders". In 1986 Eddie Kamae asked George to join his group THE SONS OF HAWAII and in 2000 performed and recorded with Dennis & David Kamakahi & Martin Pahinui as the HUI ALOHA group. 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.

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 Na Hōkū 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 "Wahi Pana" is a full-length performance and documentary film and CD soundtrack. Born on the Island of Maui and raised on the slopes of Haleakala, Jeff was introduced to the rich heritage of Hawaiian music by his father, a "paniolo" (Hawaiian cowboy), on the Haleakala Ranch. Click on the photo to visit his website

Kawika Kahiapo has been on the professional music scene for over 40 years, having been on over 120 recording projects, including 6 of his own. He is a multi Na Hoku Hanohano Award recipient, Slack Key Master, and known for his “voice of velvet.” He was also a featured artist on Grammy®-winning CD, “Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key.”
Kawika’s passion for music started as a young boy, when his earliest mentors included his own father, and “Pops” Gabby Pahinui. Serving Ke Akua and others are a priority and is reflected in Kawika’s lifestyle and music. Love for the islands, its people, ‘ohana, and Ke Akua “Creator God”, are what inspires him, while staying committed to perpetuating Hawaiian music, the culture, and the art of ki ho’alu.

Regarded as one of the world’s foremost “ki ho’alu” or Hawaiian “slack key” guitar artists, Kimo's is a 2021 Grammy winner for his recent CD, More Guitar Stories, a 2019 Grammy nominee for Moku Maluhia-Peaceful Island, a 2008 Hawaii Music Award winner and 4x Na Hoku Hanohano (the Hawaiian ‘Grammy’) nominee. 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. Click on the photo to visit his website

Kenton Robert Lopaka Emerson is a San Francisco Bay area born and Hawaiian island bred guitarist who covers many musical genres and has played his special blend of Blues/Jazz Hawaiian guitar for 40 years and running. His original compositions and performances on 'Slack Key Guitar Vol 2' (Palm Records) helped bring in the first ever 2005 GRAMMY award for Hawaiian music. 

Nā Hōkū Hanohano finalist, Anthony has rapidly become a Maui favorite and recently released his third album, We Will Rise. Anthony performs Hawaiian, contemporary and island style music alongside his original compositions on the ‘ukulele and piano. He has been playing and singing for about eight years and has been involved in many events around the islands including the Concert for Our Lives at the MACC in 2018 as well as the Maui ‘Ukulele Festival, Fleetwood's, and at many of Maui's top resorts. In 2020 he made his debut appearance at the Southern California Slack Key Festival in L.A.

Born into a legacy, Pōmaika'i resonates a sound all too familiar in the traditional Hawaiian Music genre, that of her grandmother, Genoa Keawe and a repertoire that embraces a broad range from traditional ha‘i style melodies to romantic Hawaiian songs to contemporary Hawaiian music. Her daughter Mālie is a multitalented singer, hula dancer and musician who got her start playing steel guitar with Alan Akaka in 2013 and jumping onstage to join the Keawe ‘Ohana show at the Waikiki Marriott. Mālie now attends college and performs professionally with her mom and with a variety of Hawaiian entertainers.