Don Kona Woods
Big Kahuna
I Love Hawaiian Steel Guitar & My Hawaiian Family
Posts: 794
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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.
Derrick Mau with his all-star backup band. Bobby Ingano on uke, Lion Kobayashi on bass, and Ivan Reddinton on guitar.
Isaac Akuna on Hawaiian steel 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 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
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2009 - HSGA Waikiki Convention Photos (Read 220 times)
