...are THIS WEDNESDAY at the convention center people. The best of the best of the islands. Here are the nominees for the categories that I'm going for:
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* BREAKING TRADITION by Tony Gamble
* DIVIDE by Johnny Helm
* GREEN LIGHT GO by Green Light Go
* LIVE LOVE, LOVE LIFE by Darrell Aquino
* THE WILD HAWAIIAN by Henry Kapono
R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* 5:54 by Afatia
* GAME 7 by Bishop
* LOVE POTION CYANIDE by Creed Chameleon
* MANDI SEEKINGS by Mandi Seekings
* THE `O by Krystiles
* S.PACIFIK MUSIK by Mana Poly All-Stars
REGGAE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* GROWING UP by Kawika Regidor
* MYSTICAL FISH by Brother Noland
* ONE DROP by One Drop
* REVIVAL by Katchafire
* WAITING ON A DREAM by Kaipo
The REST:
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Best performance by a female artist; award to resident musician
* Leilani Rivera Bond for A KAUA`I CHRISTMAS
* Paula Fuga for LILIKOI
* Amy Hanaiali`i for GENERATION HAWAI`I
* Mahela for MY HEART
* Traci Toguchi for FEEL THE BREEZE
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Best performance by a male artist; award to resident musician
* Nathan Aweau for HAWAI`I CLASSIC SERIES VOL 2 - HULA
* Brother Noland for MYSTICAL FISH
* Henry Kapono for THE WILD HAWAIIAN
* Pekelo for HANA BY THE SEA
* Keali`i Reichel for MALUHIA
DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Best performance by a vocal duo or group; award to resident musician(s)
* Barefoot Natives for BAREFOOT NATIVES
* Brothers Cazimero for CAZ CHRISTMAS
* Kaukahi for LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS
* Na Palapalai for KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I
* Pali for PALI PRESENTS A TRIBUTE
MOST PROMISING ARTIST(S)
Most promising first-recorded effort as featured artist or group; award to resident musician(s)
* Ahumanu for THE GATHERING
* Danny Carvalho for SLACK KEY JOURNEY: ON MY WAY
* Paula Fuga for LILIKOI
* Manoa DNA for FOLLOW ME
* Bruce Shimabukuro for INCOGNITO
ANTHOLOGY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best album of previously released material; award to local producer(s)
* EDDIE KAMAE & FRIENDS -- Eddie & Myrna Kamae, producers
* THE 50 GREATEST HAWAI`I ALBUMS EVER - VOL 2 -- Honolulu Magazine, producer
* JUSTIN UNPLUGGED -- Bob St. John, producer
* KAPENA COLLECTION VOL III -- Leolani De Lima, producer
* THROUGH THE YEARS -- Cliff Carpenter & Donald P. "Flip" McDiarmid, producers
COMPILATION ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best performance of newly released material by a minimum of 3 distinct artists; award to resident producer(s)
* ALOHA FESTIVALS FALSETTO CONTEST WINNERS - VOL 7, William "Baba" Alimoot, Dr. Trey & Donald P. "Flip" McDiarmid III, producers
* HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY KINGS, Milton & Chris Lau, producers
* HOKULE`A: THE LEGACY, Kenneth Makukane, Alden Levi, Randie Kamuela Fong, Hiro Mihara and Lehua Heine, producersProducers
* IT'S A SLACK KEY WORLD, Hapa, producer
* LEGENDS OF HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY GUITAR: LIVE FROM MAUI, Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku, Jr., Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers
HAWAIIAN ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best performance of Hawaiian music
* GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i
* HANA BY THE SEA by Pekelo
* THE HAWAI`I CLASSIC SERIES VOL. II - HULA by Nathan Aweau
* KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai
* MAKUAKANE by Kenneth Makuakane
CONTEMPORARY HAWAIIAN ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best performance of the music of Hawai`i, in the contemporary style
* BAREFOOT NATIVES by Barefoot Natives
* GRANDMASTER SLACK KEY GUITAR by Ledward Kaapana
* LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
* MY HEART by Mahela
* WHERE I LIVE THERE ARE RAINBOWS by Na Leo
CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best performance of music in a contemporary style
* CHANGING by Keahiwai
* FOLLOW ME by Manoa DNA
* LILIKOI by Paula Fuga
* PALI PRESENTS A TRIBUTE by Pali
* RETURN TO ROMANCE by Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawai`i
INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* BRITTNI by Brittni Paiva
* GENTLY WEEPS by Jake Shimabukuro
* HAWAIIAN STEEL VOL. 4: THE ARTISTRY OF GREG SARDINHA by Greg Sardinha
* KA HIKINA O KA HAU by Keola Beamer
* THE SLACK KEY GUITAR ARTISTRY OF JEFF PETERSON by Jeff Peterson
CHRISTMAS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* CHRISTMAS ONCE MORE IN HAWAI`I NEI by Gail Mack
* CAZ CHRISTMAS by Brothers Cazimero
* CHRISTMAS WITH THE ROYAL HAWAIIAN BAND & FRIENDS by The Royal Hawaiian Band
* A KAUA`I CHRISTMAS by Leilani Rivera Bond
* MALUHIA by Keali`i Reichel
* MERRY CHRISTMAS by Keahiwai
RELIGIOUS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* A CALL TO THE NATIONS by Na Kahu
* GOT ALOHA? by 7 Simple Pieces
* KEONEMELE O KAUMAKAPILI by Kaumakapili Church Choir
* MISAKA by Misaki
* WATERS OF LOVE - GOSPEL LIVE by Michael Ruff
MUSIC DVD OF THE YEAR
* BEST OF NA MELE IV, Various Artists
* KCCN FM 100 BIRTHDAY BASH SWEET 16, Various Artists
* MAKAHA SONS LIVE AT THE HAWAI`I THEATRE, Makaha Sons
* HAPA MAUI. Hapa
* OVERDRIVE LIVE 3, Various Artists
SONG OF THE YEAR
Best achievement in creating a first-time recorded song; award to resident composer
* "Angels Bear Gifts" by Robert Cazimero from CAZ CHRISTMAS by Brothers Cazimero
* "Home Away From Home" by Willie Kahaiali`i from BAREFOOT NATIVES by Barefoot Natives
* "Ka Pua Hae Hawai`i" by Kuana Torres from KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai
* "Life in These Islands" by Kawika Kahiapo from LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
* "Napua" by Michael Ruff from GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i
HAKU MELE
Best achievement in creating a first-time recorded Hawaiian language composition; award to resident composer
* "`Aina Wehi O Ma`ili" by Eric Lee from KAMAKOLU by Na Kama
* "He Nani Moloka`i" by Kenneth Makuakane from MAKUAKANE by Kenneth Makuakane
* "He Wai Wai Nui" by Kawaikapuokalani Hewett & Kawika Kahiapo from LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
* "Ke`ei" by Kehau Tamure from KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai
* "Ku`u Pua Lovely" by Hailama Farden from KAMAKOLU) by Na Kama
* "Ke Au Maluhia" by Puakea Nogelmeier from MALUHIA by Keali`i Reichel
* "Lei Ho`okahi" by Julian K. Ako from LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
* "Nani Wale Manoa" by Eric Lee from KAMAKOLU by Na Kama
* "Ni`ihau" by Pekelo Cosma from HANA BY THE SEA by Pekelo
HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE PERFORMANCE
Best achievement in Hawaiian language performance; award to resident musician(s)
* Amy Hanaiali`i for GENERATION HAWAI`I
* Ho`omalie for ONLY YOU
* Na Kama for KAMAKOLU
* Na Palapalai for KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I
* `O Wai La for WEHIWEHI HAWAI`I
* Keali`i Reichel for MALUHIA
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best release of the year - award to local resident artist and producer
* BAREFOOT NATIVES by Barefoot Natives -- Willie Kahaiali`i, Eric Gilliom & Brian Kohne, producers
* BRITTNI by Brittni Paiva -- Brittni Paiva & Wendell Ching, producers
* EDDIE KAMAE & FRIENDS by Eddie Kamae -- Eddie & Myrna Kamae, producers
* GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i -- Michael Ruff & Hanaiali`i Records, producers
* KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai -- Shawn Pimental, producer
ENGINEERING
Best achievement in engineering; award to resident engineer
* Ron Pendragon & Michael Ruff for GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i
* Kenneth Makuakane, Tasha Tavares-Makuakane & Keola Donaghy for MAKUAKANE by Kenneth Makuakane
* Michael Ruff for MOONBOWS FOR CHRISTMAS by Various Artists
* D.J. Pratt for IT'S A SLACK KEY WORLD by Various Artists
* Dave Russell for WILD HAWAIIAN by Henry Kapono
LINER NOTES
Best achievement in album annotation
* Cindy Lance & Lynn Makalani Oakley for ALOHA FESTIVALS FALSETTO CONTEST WINNERS VOL. 7 by Various Artists
* Kahaunani Schornstein for KEONEMELE O KAUMAKAPILI by Kaumakapili Church Choir
* Puakea Nogelmeier, Fred Krauss & Keali`i Reichel for MALUHIA by Keali`i Reichel
* Ellen Pelissero for MY HEART by Mahela
* Clif Carpenter for THROUGH THE YEARS by Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club
GRAPHICS
Best achievement in album cover design; award to resident artist(s)
* Wailani Hipolito for THE GATHERING by Ahumanu
* Jon de Mello & Keith Usher for GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i
* Stacy Leong Design for KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai
* Wailani Hipolito & Scott Johnson for MALUHIA by Keali`i Reichel
* Chris Lau for LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
FAVORITE ENTERTAINER
By popular state-wide vote; award to resident musician
* Nathan Aweau -- HAWAI`I CLASSIC SERIES VOL 2 - HULA
* Barefoot Natives -- BAREFOOT NATIVES
* Brother Noland -- MYSTICAL FISH
* Brothers Cazimero -- CAZ CHRISTMAS
* Amy Hanaiali`i Gilliom -- GENERATION HAWAI`I
* Ledward Kaapana -- GRANDMASTER SLACK KEY
* Na Palapalai for KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I
* Pali -- PALI PRESENTS A TRIBUTE
* Keali`i Reichel -- MALUHIA
* Jake Shimabukuro -- GENTLY WEEPS