Music to Inspire: the HI Sessions

Years ago I was cutting across the central plaza in Lahaina when I heard this 2-part Hawaiian harmony of Linda Ronstadt's Still the One. I bought the CD on the spot and have been a huge fan ever since. It was the Ka'au Crater Boys and if you ever want to hear incredible lead Ukulele guitar playing look these guys up (they have since split up).  Later I was trying to learn another song on that CD, You Don't Write, but could only find one version of it on you-tube that wasn't working. As I read through the comments, some guy said he thought his roommate in college was writing a song just like this one and sure enough it was true -- it was John Cruz's version. (Funny enough a woman chimed in on that same comment to say that she had been his ex-girlfriend and it wasn't true that she never wrote! haha).

Sooooooo as these things go...down the rabbit hole I went looking for music by John Cruz aaaaaaaaand I ran across this treasure trove of Hawaiian music called the "HI Sessions". A local Hawaiian radio station has been recording the best and treasured artists on the Islands for several years now and the result is an astounding array of Hawaiian style and artistry. Check out the whole catalog but I'll list several of my favorites below starting with John Cruz . He comes to Ventura once in awhile so if you likey go hear him live...

• Hurricane (John Cruz)
• Make Me Say (Kimie)
• One Foot on Sand (Justin Young)
• Penniless (Mike Love)
• Valerie (Ashley Lilinoe)