Congratulations to all Hoku award winners!

Congratulations to all the winners at last night's 32nd Na Hoku Hanohano awards - special shout out to my good friend slack key guitarist Jeff Peterson who won for Instrumental album ("Haleakala," with Riley Lee) and who is also a regular band member for Amy Hanaiali'i who took home the award for Contemporary album ("Aumakua") which many people felt should have won the GRAMMY for best Hawaiian recording earlier this year.

Was really pulling for my good friend Jim "Kimo" West to win the Hoku for his slack key Christmas CD but congratulations to Na Kama for their win - they're a wonderful sounding group who has been up to SoCal to perform a couple of times.

Group: Holunape, "Ahea? Ano!" (Roy Sakuma)
Female vocalist: Natalie Ai Kamauu, "I"
Male vocalist: Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole, "Kaumakaiwa" (Mountain Apple)
Most promising artist: Kuipaoa, "Pili O Ke Ao" (Kupaoa)
Song of the year: "Island Days," Pali T.W. Kaaihue from " … With Aloha" (PK)
Album of the year: " … With Aloha," Pali (PK); D.J. Pratt, Pali Kaaihue, producers
Compilation album: "Hawaiian Slack Key Kings Master Series Vol. II," various artists (Rhythm and Roots); Chris Lau, Milton Lau, producers
Religious album: "All For One," Del Beazley (Mountain Apple)
Anthology: "Unforgettable," Israel Kamakawiwoole and the Makaha Sons of Niihau (Poki); Tim Mathre, Kata Maduli, Lea Uyehara, producers
R&B/Hip Hop album: "Reborn," A Touch of Gold (Golden Boy)
Island music album: " … With Aloha," Pali (PK)
Hawaiian album: Holunape, "Ahea? Ano!" (Roy Sakuma)
Christmas album: "E Ola Ke Alii: The Na Kama Christmas Collection, Volume 1," Na Kama (Makani)
Jazz album: "Tropic Rhapsody, " Teresa Bright (Teresa Bright)
Rock album: "Many Classics, Kalapana Plays Their Best," Kalapana (OTB)
Hawaiian language performance: Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole for "Kaumakiwa"
Haku Mele: "Joseph Brian Badis and Kellen Paik for "Uluwehikalunaokaala" from "Pili O Ke Ao" by Kupaoa
Music video DVD: "Kamehameha Schools 2008 Song Contest," Kamehameha Schools (Mountain Apple)

Lifetime achievement: Cecilio and Kapono, The Sons of Hawaii, Keola and Kapono Beamer, the late John Piilani Watkins and the late George Jarrett Helm