Modern" Hawaiian Music

Blake Hawkins · Post by **Blake Hawkins** » 12 Mar 2001 1:12 pm

Recently the Dish Network added a Hawaiian Music channel to it's line up.
I was prepared to spend hours listening to the hawaiian steel players we all know and love.
But ALAS! There is little or no steel guitar. In three weeks of visiting the site,
I've heard only one electric steel,and just a few acoustic ones.
Lots of 6 string work, plenty of ukleles and vocals.
Is it that the hawaiian groups are no longer using steel guitar in their recordings?
Blake

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 12 Mar 2001 7:57 pm

Sad, Blake. I love Hawaiian music too and that is what started me on steel guitar in the 30's.
I hear tales now that you can go in a lot of clubs in Hawaii and not ever see a steel guitar.!!!!Amazing!!!.....al

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 12 Mar 2001 9:54 pm

I really doubt the "Golden Years" of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar (1930's-1950's) will ever return. However, you can still hear plenty of steel if you know where to look especially in Waikiki. But there is no denying, the Slack-Key is definitely the favored instrument with young Hawaiians and this is the instrument you will hear in predominance in Hawaiian music today. Actually, the Slack Key was there long before the Steel Guitar made its appearance, so it is small wonder it is still the preferred instrument amongst Hawaiians. You'd be surprised to learn how many young Hawaiians mistakenly think of the steel guitar as being a Nashville invention! Thank God we have JB over there educating Hawaiians in the realization that the Steel Guitar is the "Signature Sound of Hawai'i" throughout the world. It may never regain the huge popularity it enjoyed back in the 30-50's era, but I am sure it will always be an integral part of Hawaiian music. If you want to hear Hawaiian Steel Guitar in abundance, go to Japan...literally hundreds of groups use steel !

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 13 Mar 2001 12:46 am

(see my post under the "Music" topic on "Hawaiian music...with no steel?")

Gary Slabaugh · Post by **Gary Slabaugh** » 13 Mar 2001 8:32 pm

A recent company trip to Honolulu gave me a chance to seek out players of my renewed interest..steel. There were a lot of hotels offering Hawaian shows, many a base, rthym guitar, and uk (giving on my spelling). It took a lot of searching to find a steel player. Finally found 3 different ones, each one better than the last. The a 6 foot plus white hair guy about 80 had the best skill. I also enjoyed a group of seniors on a sidewalk in Wikiki, a lap steeler was accompaning several lady Ukele players, he was the steel stud.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 14 Mar 2001 8:55 am

In the words of Tony Soprano "What are ya gonna do?".

It's all over the place in the media. I see an advertisement for a show about a type of music I'm interested in, or a promise of a "Tribute to" a musician or music style and I'm invariably disappointed.

The media goes for new.

How many times do you see or hear Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong or the Temptations on BET - Black Entertainment Television?

How often do you see or hear Flatt & Scruggs, Faron Young or Stringbean on the Nashville Network?

It bothers me too. The Steel Guitar is the signature sound of Hawaiian music.

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Gerald Ross
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 14 March 2001 at 08:58 AM.]</p></FONT>

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 14 Mar 2001 11:12 am

The steel guitar is ALSO the signature sound of country music! Anyone who ever heard the Grand Ole Opry of Red Foley days, will never forget the impact of Billy Robinson kicking off Red's newest Decca Record as the opening to the show. Last weeks Opry with John Hughey kicking off the opening number was easily as impressive! I'm disappointed in todays' hot shot singers that refuse to stand up and be counted and for not demanding steel guitar in their bands.
When Spade Cooley had his 20 plus piece western swing band complete with harp, Joaquin Murphy was still featured, many times playing the entire song and not just some little insignificant noise way off in the background somewhere.
Don't give up on the steel guitar!

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 17 Mar 2001 3:45 pm

When I processed through Hawaii in the Army in 1951 I bought some vinyl's recorded at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel,then known around the world for the "Hawaii Calling" radio show.

When I play them today, they sound "awful" compared to Byrd and other Hawaiian music being played today.

Just being "old" or "original" does not necessarily make it better!
www.genejones.com

Blake Hawkins · Post by **Blake Hawkins** » 18 Mar 2001 8:19 am

Gene, I have some of the old "Hawaii Calls"
records too. The ones I have are Capitol records and made in a studio. Not the original broadcast recordings.

Some of the cuts have Jules Ah See
and some have Barney Issacs with some pretty nice steel playing in modern tunings.
Very different technique from Jerry Byrd and also different from Hal Aloma.

Blake

Richard Gonzales · Post by **Richard Gonzales** » 19 Mar 2001 1:13 pm

Excited to hear PBS was airing a salute to music of Hawaii this weekend. Waited two hours until the end to hear bits of the steel guitar playing Aloha Oe ! What a bummer
to say the least!!

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 20 Mar 2001 9:07 pm

Hawai'i Calls (of olde) sounds "awful" ? Ah come on ! Listen to them again and hear the genius of David Keli'i ... how can anyone term his playing, (or any of his successors on Hawai'i Calls), as "awful" ? IMHO, there are no awful players (except rank amateurs). Each player is distinctive in their own way and interesting. Ya just gotta listen a little closer.