Star-Bulletin
"Brudda Iz" tops this year's list of Hoku nominees.

Female Vocalist of the Year

Best performance by a female artist
Darlene Ahuna, Ku'u Lei Poina 'Ole (Hula Records)
Moana Chang, He Leo 'O Moana: The Voice From the Deep Ocean (Mountain Apple Co.)
Nohelani Cypriano, Blue Hawaiian Christmas (Cypriano Productions)
Kekuhi Kanahele, Hahani Mai (Punahele Productions)
Hulu Lindsey, Ku'u Makana Aloha (Kahulu Productions)

Male Vocalist of the Year

Best performance by a male artist
John Cruz, Acoustic Soul (Lilikoi Records)
Dennis Kamakahi, Pua 'Ena-Glow Brightly (Dancing Cat Records)
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, N Dis Life (Big Boy Records)
Moe Keale, Imagine (Pa'ani Records)
Dennis Pavao, Sweet Leilani (Pilialoha Productions)

Group of the Year

Best performance by a duo or group
Ehukai, Ehukai (Starline Records)
Ho'okena, Ho'okamaha'o (Ho'omau Inc.)
Ho'opi'i Brothers, Ho'omau -- To Perpetuate (Mountain Apple Co.)
Ka'au Crater Boys, Making Waves (Roy Sakuma Productions Inc.)
Makaha Sons, Kuikawa (Poki Records)

Most Promising Artists

Most promising first-recorded effort as a featured artist or group
'Ikaika Brown, Kalo Man (Pepeiao Productions)
John Cruz, Acoustic Soul (Lilikoi Records)
Ehukai, Ehukai (Starline Records)
Kekuhi Kanahele, Hahani Mai (Punahele Productions)
B.B. Shawn, Finding My Way (POI Records)

Anthology of the Year

Producer's award for best album of previously released material
Anthology I 1984-1996, Na Leo Pilimehana, (Na Leo Pilimehana), Na Leo Pilimehana and Kenneth Makuakane, producers
The Best of Emma, Emma Veary, (Mountain Apple Co.), Jack de Mello, producer
The Best of Jeff Rasmussen, Jeff Rasmussen, (Hala Records), Kenneth Makuakane, producer
The Best of Rap Too, Rap Reiplinger, (Paradise Record Productions), Rap Reiplinger, producer
Vintage Hawaiian Legends -- Vol. 1, Kalima Brothers & Richard Kauhi Quartet, (Hana Ola Records), Harry B. Soria Jr., producer

Hawaiian Album of the Year

Best performance of Hawaiian music
Hahani Mai, Kekuhi Kanahele (Punahele Productions)
Ho'omau -- To Perpetuate, Ho'opi'i Brothers (Mountain Apple Co.)
Kuikawa, Makaha Sons (Poki Records)
Ku'u Lei Poina 'Ole, Darlene Ahuna (Hula Records)
Sweet leilani, Dennis Pavao (Pilialoha Productions)

Island Contemporary Albumof the Year

Best performance of the music of Hawaii in the contemporary style
Days of Our Youth, Kamalamalama (Ko'onokio Music)
I'm Going Home, Randy Lorenzo (Panini Records)
Imagine, Moe Keale (Pa'ani Records)
Making Waves, Ka'au Crater Boys (Roy Sakuma Productions Inc.)
N Dis Life, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Big Boy Records)

Contemporary Album of the Year

Best performance of music in a contemporary style by local residents
Acoustic Soul, John Cruz (LilikOi Records)
Ehukai, Ehukai (Starline Records)
Finding My Way, B.B. Shawn (POI Records)
I'll Build You A Rainbow, Kapena (KDE)
When I Hold You In My Heart, Clay Mortensen (Pua Records)

Instrumental of the Year

Best instrumental performance
Aloha No Na Kupuna, Love For the Elders, George Kuo (Dancing Cat Records)
By Request, Jerry Byrd (Mountain Apple Co.)
E Lili'u, George Kahumoku Jr. (Kealia Farms Record Co.)
Kalo Man, 'Ikaika Brown (Pepeiao Productions)
Mana'olana, John Keawe (Homestead Productions)

Comedy Album of the Year

Best performance of comedy material
Caught In The Act, Gregg Hammer (Quiet Storm Records)
Mary Tunta, Frank DeLima (Pocholinga Productions)
So So Haolefied, Jimmy Da Geek (One Love Records)

Christmas Album of the Year

Best performance of music with a Christmas theme
Blue Hawaiian Christmas, Nohelani Cypriano (Cypriano Productions Inc.)
Christmas Is, John Keawe (Homestead Productions)
HiTown Family -- A Very Special Love, Various artists (HiTown Records)
Kiho'alu Christmas, Various artists (Dancing Cat Records)

Religious Album of the Year

Best performance of religious material
Drastic Measures, Jeff Schmidt (Looking Up Productions)
Praising Him Island Style, Various artists (Quiet Storm Records)
Reflect Him, Kevin and Yvonne Hopkins (KY4HYMN)
Stepping Stones, Roslyn (Mistral)
To God Be the Glory, Marvin A. Wright (Ancient of Days)

Single of the Year

Best performance on a single or extended play disc or cassette
"Daddy I Remember" Kimo Keli'iholokai (Kana Entertainment)
"Ka'ilialoha" Wailau (KKK Lilinoe Productions)
"Moloka'i Slide" Ehukai (Starline Records)
"Smile" Kelly Kaye (Cinnamon Red Records)
"We Are Only Human" Sunland (LavaLand Records)

Song of the Year

Composer's award for best achievement in a first-time recorded song
"Don't Cry 'Oe" Kaipo Frias and Kekuhi Kanahele, composers from Hahani Mai, Kekuhi Kanaheke (Punahele Productions)
"Island Style" John P. Cruz, composer from Acoustic Soul, John Cruz (LilikOi Records)
"Moloka'i Slide" Larry Helm, composer from Ehukai, Ehukai (Starline Records)
"My Hula Girl" Randy Lorenzo, composer from I'm Going Home, Randy Lorenzo (Panini Records)
"We Are Only Human" Henry and Peter Bergstrom, composers from the single by Sunland (Lavaland Records)

Album of the Year

Best LP, cassette or compact disc release of the year. Artist(s) and producer(s) award
Acoustic Soul, John Cruz (LilikOi Records) John Cruz, producer
Anthology I 1984-1996, Na Leo Pilimehana (Na Leo Pilimehana) Na Leo Pilimehana and Kenneth Makuakane, producers
Hahani Mai, Kekuhi Kanahele (Punahele Productions) Keali'i Reichel, Fred Krauss and Jim Linkner, producers
Kuikawa, Makaha Sons (Poki Records) Kata Makuli, producer
N Dis Life, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Big Boy Records) Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and Gaylord Holomalia, producers

Graphics

Best achievement in album cover design
Allison Foo for "Acoustic Soul," John Cruz (LilikOi Records)
Rob Hawes for "Hahani Mai," Kekuhi Kanahele (Punahele Records)
Elaine Iwamasa, Neal Izmumi and Janet Maduli for "Kuikawa," Makaha Sons (Poki Records)
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and Jon de Mello for "N Dis Life," Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Big Boy Records)
Nelson Makua for "Ki Ho'alu Christmas," Various artists (Dancing Cat Records)

Engineering

Best achievement in engineering
Kit Ebersbach and Milan Bertosa for "Ho'okamaha'o," Ho'okena (Ho'omau Inc.)
Tommy Hall for "Into the Mystic," Eric Gilliom (Mele Productions)
Gaylord Holomalia, Michael Grande, Jim Shafer and Rick Asher Keefer for "Acoustic Soul," John Cruz (LilikOi Records)
Gaylord Holomalia for "N Dis Life," Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Big Boy Records)
D.J. Pratt and Dave Tucciarone for "Kuikawa," Makaha Sons (Poki Records)

Liner Notes

Best achievement in album annotation
Frank Hewett and Teresa Bright for "Ka Pilina," Teresa Bright and Frank Kawaikapu Hewett (Generation Music)
J.W. Junker for "Ho'omau -- To Perpetuate," Ho'opi'i Brothers (Mountain Apple Co.)
Jay Junker for "Pua Ena-Glow Brightly," Dennis Kamakahi (Dancing Cat Records)
Lynn Martin and Nathan Napoka for "Clyde Halema'uma'u Sproat Sings . . ." Clyde Halema'uma'u Sproat (Pololu Productions)
Harry B. Soria Jr. for "Music of George Helm-A True Hawaiian," George Helm (Hana Ola Records)