2009 - HSGA Waikiki Convention Photos

Don Kona Woods · From: Hawaiian Kama'aina

Queen Kapiolani Hotel where HSGA 2009 Convention was held.

The highlight of my visit to Hawaii to attend the 2009 HSGA Convention was meeting Ron Kanahele. He is a living Hawaiian Treasure. Not only is he continuing the tradition of the style of the Rogers ohana (family) himself, he is leaving a legacy by teaching the Hawaiian steel guitar to the young people of Hawaii. He has nine students presently. Ron is from the lineage of the famous Rogers ohana which include Benny and Feet Rogers, famous Hawaiian steel guitar players. Ron Kanahele can play the steel guitar both like Benny and Feet Rogers. By the way, he plays left handed with the strings inverted.

He played many old Hawaii songs, i.e. Moana Chimes, Kolopa

Ron tickling the strings and Kamaka Tom doing the hula.

Ron was very generous with his time over a two day period. We spent hours covering the Rogers’ techniques and talking story about the Rogers family. Here we are meeting together in my hotel room looking toward Diamond Head, Waikiki.

Here are some photos of various other Hawaiian Steel Guitarists at 2009 HSGA Waikiki Convention.

Pete Kahele, ukulele; Derrick Mau, ukulele; Isaac Akuna,
rhythm guitar, Wayne Shishido, steel guitar from Hawaii.

Derrick Mau from Hawaii with his all-star backup band. Bobby Ingano on uke,
Lion Kobayashi on bass,
and Ivan Reddinton on guitar.

Isaac Akuna on Hawaiian steel from Hawaii with L-R Pete Kahele, Derrick Mau on ukes,
Wayne Shishido, guitar; Kamaka Tom, bass.

An up and coming female star from Japan, Yumiko Takahashi, 22 years old on the left.
She is a student of Lion Kobayashi and was a smash hit every place she played.

YuYu Ikeda 12 years old, Los Angeles, CA.; her first public performance.
She played Hawaiian Shores and Hilo March, two difficult songs for a debut.
She is very talented and plays very well.

Kevin Sato, 13 years old, Los Angeles, CA. played his first public performance.

Don Kona Woods on 1934 Rickenbacher Frypan

My backup was Pete Kahele from L.A, and Kohei Makino and Mike Abe from Japan.

Don Keene on D8 Fender Stringmaster from California

A newcomer to the HSGA Waikiki Convention, Dave Kolars on Dobro from Illinois.

Tom Tohma of Japan accompanying Hawaiian vocalist, Gary Aiko.

For some of you who were taking photos may want to post more photos of the Convention. My photography was limited this year.

Aloha,
Don

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Good stuff, Don.
Any chance you got a shot of Kimo Delgado?

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Looks like it was a lot of fun, Don...I wish I could have been there! Smile

Don Kona Woods · From: Hawaiian Kama'aina

Ron,
I saw Kimo Delgado at the Convention, but he only attended and did not perform, so no picture. Sorry!

Aloha, Smile

Don

Todd Weger · From: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA

Thanks for posting those, Don. I love to see all the young people getting involved. Great thing to see, IMO.

Sigh... maybe next time...

TJW
_________________
Todd James Weger --
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, E13, A6); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Custom-made 25" aluminum cast "fry pan" with vintage Ricky p'up (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); 1953 Oahu Tonemaster; assorted ukuleles; upright bass

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

Mahalo Don...Very nice pics, (a bit small, nevertheless appreciated). There's sure some great talent coming out of Japan! Smile

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

The Fender Stringmaster is by far the most elegant looking steel guitar in these pictures.

Derrick Mau · From: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Don,

Here's some of my photo's.

Warren Slavin - Tom Ikehata

Ivan Reddington gets a new Hawaiian fish hook necklace

Lyon Kobayashi and steel guitar students

The crowd at Kapiolani Park

HSGA's Wally Pfeifer and wife Peg at Honey's Place

HSGA's Don Woods and wife at Honey's Place

The Group at Honey's: Albert Kaai and Friends

Don,

Didn't get a chance to get some of the names of people in above photo's. Maybe you or others could fill in.

Aloha,

D Very Happy

Don Kona Woods · From: Hawaiian Kama'aina

Responding to Derrick, the first(top picture) unidentified Steel Guitar player from Japan is Kuniharu Yamamoto.

With picture with Lion Kobayashi to his left, Ted Kuwabara, who formerly lived in Japan but now resides in Los Angeles. Ted plays steel guitar. To Lion's right is his prized student 22 year old Yumiko Takahashi. She was a whiz. Japan will be producing some outstanding Hawaiian steel guitarist and she is one of them.

The second unidentified steel guitar player is Kunihiko Anzawa from Japan. To his left is Kohei Makino on rythym guitar and Mike Abe on bass. The remaining person is an excellent falsetto singer, but I cannot remember his name.

In the picture taken of Me, it is apparent Derrick that your steel guitar playing put me in a trance. Shocked

Derrick, when we came to Honeys to see you, I asked Albert Kaai if he was related to the legendary Hawaiian steel guitar player, Bernie Kaai, and he said maybe, but was not sure. I enjoyed our time with you at Honeys. Cool

Aloha,

Don

Derrick Mau · From: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Aloha Don,

Thank's for the information on the pictures.
Glad you both had a great time at Honey's Place.

Don't think Albert is related to Bernie.
Wasn't Bernie's real last name Lewis?

Kaai may have been his middle name?

Hope to see you soon.

Aloha,

D Very Happy

Don Kona Woods · From: Hawaiian Kama'aina

Derrick,

Bernie Kaai last name was Lewis because it was an adopted name. The same is true for Benny and Feet Rogers. The Rogers name was an adopted name. The Rogers were pure Hawaiians, I believe.

Here is a little bio on Bernie Kaai for those interested.

BERNIE KAAI LEWIS (1921-1984)
His full name was Bernal Keoki Kalaauokalani Kaai. Lewis was a hanai (adopted) name from the laukea Lewis family of Kona, and Bernie has written of his birth and childhood at Hakalau near Hilo, on the Big Island. He was already composing music by the age of 14 and was educated at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, receiving his BA in 1939 and his MA in 1943 at UCLA. He became one of the youngest arrangers ever to work on the staff of HBC, San Francisco, and he composed a number of major works, "California Panorama", "Hawaiian Suite" and "Hawaiiana", which have been performed at the Hollywood Bowl. He has conducted and arranged for symphony orchestras as well as working with many of the leading West Coast Hawaiian musicians, as steel guitarist, guitarist or singer. During the 1940s he was involved with Ray Meany's publishing and recording organisation, and from 1950-1956 was arranger for Dorothy Lamour. In 1959, Bernie became a member of ASCAP and from 1973-1974 was musical arranger for the Flip Wilson TV show. He was also a long-time associate of bandleader/singer/composer Paul Rage, and for a number of years served as musical director for the Grammy Awards. ln the mid-1970s he was musical director for Don Thorup of Kolapa Productions, who put out a series of fine Hawaiian albums, several of which included Bernie. In 1978 he played in and arranged the band for the TV production of the Third Nani Awards, predecessor of today's "Ha Hoku Hanohano", the Hawaiian equivalent of the Grammies. Indeed an outstanding career which also covered fields other than Hawaiian. Bernie was a musical giant. His singing voice possessed an unusual vibrant and evocative quality, while his steel guitar playing had an extraordinary fluidity and originaliry. Sweet as honey it could swing HARD! "Steel Guitar Boogie", one of his many compositions, comes from what appears to be his very first recording session in 1946. The line-up includes Danny Kuaana on ukulele, Harry Baty and Freckles Lyons on guitar. Al Mclntire (brother of Dick and Lani) on bass, Mannie Klein on trumpet. Paul Page on celeste, and Frank Sabatella on piano. In this recording the steel guitar boogies happily with piano and trumpet.

Interest history, huh?

Aloha, Smile

Don

Derrick Mau · From: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Thanks again for the information.
Bernie was surely one of the steel guitar greats that never got the recognition he deserved, as was my favorite, Bobby Nichols.

Very Happy

Wally Pfeifer · From: Illinois, USA

Aloha Derrick
Thanks for the photo of us at Honey's. The two nights that we spent there were two of the best times we spent during our 3 1/2 weeks in Hawaii. Surrounded by the beautiful Ko'olau Mountains and some of the best Hawaiian music (with steel)that anyone could ever want,- we thought we were in heaven.
By the way,-we have a surprise planned for your birthday coming up very soon. And, Mahalo for being such a good friend.
Aloha,
Wally & Peg Cool

Tell our new friend, Jerry,-"HI"

Wally Pfeifer · From: Illinois, USA

Derrick
Let us know if band when the large box arrives at your place. Too bad we can't celebrate at Honey's next time you're there.
Happy Birthday,
Wally & Peg

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