Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Maui’s Awarding Winning George Kahumoku Jr.

George Kahumoku Jr. is a multiple Grammy Award & Hoku Award winning master slack key guitarist, songwriter, world-traveling performer and is well known throughout the state.He is also one of the heralds and preservers of traditional Hawaiian culture an artist, farmer, storyteller and teacher.

George was born in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, and after graduating from Kamehameha Schools in 1969, he traveled to the mainland to continue his studies at the College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California, where he earned a BFA in sculpture. Upon returning to Hawai‘i, he attended the Hawai‘i State Ag-Leadership program. Formerly an organic hog, coffee and mac nut farmer on the Big Island, he now lives on Maui where he plays music, teaches, farms and raises goats, chickens, and mini horses. “I have taught at Lahainaluna High School since 1992 ( eighteen years) and is on leave from LHS as of Jan 2010 to head & teach the Hawaii Music Institute at UH Maui in Kahului.”

As a musician George is best known for playing a 12 string slack key guitar, but his immersion in teaching and promoting the Hawaiian way of life extends far beyond his music. He was named Hawaii’s Renaissance Man by Aunty Nona Beamer, one of Hawaii’s greatest Hawaiian Cultural Kupuna or mentors.

Mr. Kahumoku received the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album for the compilation album Legends Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar — Live From Maui.

On Wednesdays at  7:30 pm George is the host of the“The Slackkey Show, Masters of Hawaiian Music” show at Napili Kai Beach Resort in Napili, where he features a new Hawaiian Master each week. From the recordings of the various artists from this show, they have been nominated for 5 Grammies & have been blessed to win & bring 4 Grammies for Best Hawaiian Music Home to Maui. George also had a cooking show on the Visitor Channel for over 15 years called Local Grinds where they logged in over 52 episodes . For the Wednesday 7:30 pm Napili Kai Beach Show  &  Sea House Restaurant Dinner dial 808-669-3858 or book online www.slackkey.com. You can also see George at his Slackkey Show to once a month at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center on Thursdays. Contact the MACC box office for tickets at 808-242- show.