52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

[Frankie's Market]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

When Amy was here in concert last week, she commented on her (fourth) Grammy nomination, and said she wondered if this would be the year that the award "came home to Hawai`i." I understand her issue, but that's not really fair to the Hawai`i-based artists whose work has been celebrated with past awards, especially George Kahumoku, Jr.

So those rumors I heard about you actually being Lee Cataluna aren't true?????

[Leo Lakio]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

So those rumors I heard about you actually being Lee Cataluna aren't true?????

Nah, nah, nah --- that was Frank De Lima!

[anapuni808]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

and there was absolutely NO SURPRISE when the winner of this category was announced!

[LikaNui]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

The show is over, and there was no mention of the Hawaiian Grammy.
When you read the Advertiser article, also read the comments from readers. Eric's claim on Facebook turned out to be totally false, but clearly the readers don't know that.
Eric also restarted the issue after the award, writing this: "And the Grammy Goes to .... You guessed it Daniel Ho...... That's 4 years in a row he has "beat out" the biggest talents in Hawaii... He's not winning on the merits of his music but his connections to voters... We need voters, people.
Daniel Ho winning again this year is a profound dissappintment to the music community of Hawaii, it is time to make a change and that can only happen if those who are eligible join and vote, Hawaii artist UNITE!!"
What an idiot.
Also saw he and Amy opening for Jamie Foxx. All five seconds of it.

[tutusue]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

[...]
What an idiot.
Also saw he and Amy opening for Jamie Foxx. All five seconds of it.

Sounds like you and Eric are Facebook friends. You can always unfriend him. Seems kinda counterproductive for one to be friends with someone one considers an idiot. Just a thought...

[anapuni808]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

when this discussion first started I suggested that the award needs to be split into both vocal & instrumental categories. (see post #3). I got shouted down quite agressively by some of you. I think my point was proved tonite - most of the voters only recognize the slack key style of Hawaiian music so that is what they vote for. IF the voting members even listen to the entries in the first place!

[anapuni808]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

(sorry - duplicate posting here)

[Frankie's Market]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

when this discussion first started I suggested that the award needs to be split into both vocal & instrumental categories. (see post #3). I got shouted down quite agressively by some of you.

Who aggressively "shouted" you down? Looking back at the beginning of the thread, there was certainly some diversity of opinions offered. But if you ask me, the tone of the discussion was fairly respectful.

[scrivener]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

What an idiot.

Word. Bad-mouthing the winner is no way to bring about any kind of change here. Daniel Ho, whatever you might think of the albums his name is on, didn't do anything to anyone except produce records people have voted for. It is the height of arrogance to (a) dis the winner, (b) dis the voters, and (c) imply that the winner isn't a "Hawaii artist" or part of the local music community. He's also practically invalidating any future award his sister might win.

[scrivener]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

I would like to add a few more thoughts about what seems to be an annual debate.

First, Alison Krauss has won 27 Grammys in different categories, tied for second all-time (with Quincy Jones). Does this mean that of bluegrass musicians, Krauss has the most connections within the industry, or is it conceivable that's she's just that talented? Yes, I know that the voting body tends to vote for names it recognizes, but that name-recognition doesn't invalidate the award, does it? Krauss has probably won a few awards someone else should have taken home, but others have probably gone home with awards that should have had her name on them. I think also of Meryl Streep, who has probably won fewer awards than she was due, just because she's already won what many voters consider her fair share. It isn't right to win just because she's Meryl Streep; neither is it right for her to LOSE just because she's Meryl Streep.

Look: it's not like those Daniel Ho albums stink, as has been pointed out by others over these past few years. The academy isn't voting for crap just because it's got Daniel Ho's name on it, and it's not voting for crap just because it's ki hoalu. You might wish Amy would get some national recognition (I do too!), but it's not like she's losing out to some awful music. She's losing out to very worthy recipients.

Second, it doesn't make sense to me to complain about the awards that win in this category. The NARAS is an organization that existed for a long time without giving a Hawaiian Music award. When it finally did, everyone was happy that local music was getting its due. Now that the body has given the award in a manner that some people think is single-minded, people are complaining, and I don't get it. People wanted to know what THIS body of voters thought. Now that it has, they want to condemn the body for thinking that way. The voters can only vote according to their tastes: That's what the awards are all about. I, too, have a preference for ki hoalu, and if I were a voting member, I confess that my leanings would be toward the albums that featured it. Don't ask for a body's opinion and then dismiss that same opinion because you don't agree with that body's tastes.

Finally, I hope we can agree that Eric's response is probably uncalled for. Whatever our stances on this (still young!) award, I hope we can continue to disagree with the results (and with each other) without tearing down the winners. Even if the only thing accomplished by three of the past four awards is that national attention is brought to ki hoalu, you've got to admit that's not a bad thing. I would be much more annoyed if (and don't think it won't happen someday) some mainlander with no ties to Hawaii learned to play the uke from some old Tiny Tim records and somehow managed to catch some popular success with it and win this award because he sang "Tiny Bubbles" or "Aloha Oe." I'm sure there are some blues, jazz, and even gospel musicians who've lost out in situations like that! Ki hoalu is a special music from a special place; it's got a long, colorful, beautiful history, and I'm happy it's getting some exposure.

[LikaNui]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

Sounds like you and Eric are Facebook friends. You can always unfriend him. Seems kinda counterproductive for one to be friends with someone one considers an idiot. Just a thought...

I only "friended" him a few days ago when all this brouhaha started, and I did it only so I could see what kind of nonsense he was writing. Such as his newest:
"Willie K, Barry Flanagan, Nathan Aweau, Bros. Cazimero, Makaha Sons, C&K, Amy, Aunty Genoa, John Cruz, Kealii Reichel, Olomana, Cyril Pahinui, Fiji, Kalapana
Combined Grammys? 0
Daniel Ho? 5 Grammys.
He's not even humble enough to acknowledge the weight, Value & importance of stepping aside for the... true Icons that have defined Hawaiis music for decades.
Daniel Ho clearly does not care that Hawaii has lost interest in the Hawaiian Grammy because of his behavior, each time he wins we loose more and more people. Bad for us good for him."



I don't know what Daniel ever did to Eric to draw such wrath (and I doubt that he did anything at all to Eric), but Eric is sure putting a black eye on Hawaiian music, and not making himself any friends in the process. I feel kinda sorry for Amy.
And I agree completely with Scriv's posts.

[scrivener]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

Someone should tell Eric that Cyril's on Masters of Hawaiian Slack-Key Guitar, Vol. 1, the Grammy-winner in 2006.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

That's 4 years in a row he has "beat out" the biggest talents in Hawaii... He's not winning on the merits of his music but his connections to voters...

Well, that is a rather idiotic statement considering the CD is full of Hawaii's top talent, just not him or Amy. Sour grapes.

Hawaiian steel guitar get's another shot of exposure via the win, hooray for Bobby Ingano!

[Frankie's Market]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

He's not even humble enough to acknowledge the weight, Value & importance of stepping aside for the... true Icons that have defined Hawaiis music for decades.
Daniel Ho clearly does not care that Hawaii has lost interest in the Hawaiian Grammy because of his behavior, each time he wins we loose more and more people. Bad for us good for him."

If Eric Gilliom wants to criticize the system that is set up for Grammy voting, that's one thing. But to take shots at the winner, that's just petty and he comes off as a sore loser.

And what does he mean about the importance of Daniel Ho "stepping aside?" Is he publically calling for a fellow artist to withhold submitting their work so as to win a Grammy by default? Good grief! Can anyone tell Eric how pathetic that sounds.

It's sad when any artist ends up taking shots at the winner when things don't go their way. It says a lot more about them than their targets, exposing their insecurities and the desperation to have their work validated by others.

[anapuni808]

Re: 52nd Grammy Awards - Hawaiian Music nominees

Who aggressively "shouted" you down? Looking back at the beginning of the thread, there was certainly some diversity of opinions offered. But if you ask me, the tone of the discussion was fairly respectful.

since you weren't the recipient of the statements, I'm sure they did seem "fairly" respectful. As the recipient - they were not so much. but, that is all water under the bridge now. I was merely bringing up what I had said a few months ago.