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From Alan Akaka... Ax Handles(reprinted from the HSGA Quarterly) Aloha Folks, There's much for you to be excited about HSGA's growth and progress, this past year. From where I sit, I predict that HSGA's 1997-98 year, starting now, is going to have even more "zip and zest" in it for players and lovers of Hawaiian steel guitar. We also had some sadness. Everybody's good friend, and one of our most loyal and giving members, Clay Savage, passed away in May; he had been unable to come to convention. Shortly before that, long-time Hawaiian steel player Alika Herring died in California, as did Arnold Jones of British Columbia. Scotty's son, DeWitt, also died this past spring. Our prayers and condolences go out to all of the families and friends of these members. On the bright side, our Honolulu convention last May was the best ever! We had well over 100 participants, and I don't think anyone had more fun and enjoyed the great steel playing more than I did. This issue covers the surface, but can hardly communicate the camaraderie among both old and new HSGA members. A number of brand new members were in Honolulu from New Zealand, Japan, Canada, mainland U.S. and even South Africa. We missed some good friends who planned to be here, but were taken ill; happily, Dirk Vogel and James Cathro are recovering. "Hot Lix" Hawaiian Style, our new format for our free Hawaiian Steel Guitar Ho`olaule`a was a major success. We're still hearing compliments and "wow's" from both attendees and concert sponsors about the variety of performances offered in our continuous four-hour show-- everything from Ken Emerson playing "old style" Hawaiian on a National acoustic steel to our "Superkids" combo: 17 year-old Al Greene, Jr. on steel, recording artist, 14 year-old Ikaika Brown on slack key and 13 year-old Imua Garza showing awesome skill on `ukulele. Then there was that "get down" jam with George Kuo and the Rev. Dennis Kamakahi on slack key with Bobby Ingano doing his "natural thing" with steel sound. The hit of our annual HSGA steel show, however, was a last minute program change. It rained, so the audience was invited to come up under cover of the Kapi`olani Bandstand shell for the final jam session. Over 100 people crowded around the six steel players on stage while the hottest jam we ever played went on for almost ten minutes. They all joined in to sing the wrap up chorus of "May Day is Lei Day in Hawai`i." Will we do this again at HSGA's next "Hot Lix", May 3 in Honolulu? You can count on it. Also in our upcoming Sept. 13-20 "Aloha Festival" week gig. HSGA * HAWAIIAN
STEEL GUITAR ASSOCIATION Homepage URL: www.hsga.org (hsga@lava.net) Last updated: 07/23/02 by Gerald Ross (gbross@umich.edu) |