COURTESY PHOTO Daniel Ho won the adult contemporary HMA award.

Hawaii music winners
can party early

The show is six weeks away, but Johnny Kai is giving the winners of his 8th Annual Hawaii Music Awards a head start on preparing their acceptance speeches.

8th annual Hawaii Music Awards Presented by Johnny Kai and the Music Foundation of Hawaii: Where: Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Ballroom When: 5 p.m. April 3 Cost: Show and dinner, $60; show only, seating from 5:45 p.m., $25 Call: 951-6699 or 271-5853

Kai announced the winners in 29 categories Wednesday. They'll receive their trophies April 3, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Ballroom.

Email voters from around the world selected winners in categories that include "Paniolo Album," Folk" and "Polynesian." Although the winners in many categories are from relatively obscure "do-it-yourself" record labels, and most of Hawaii's major labels choose not to participate, Kai and his Music Foundation are challenging the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts by having separate categories for ukulele, steel guitar and slack key, and by also having a separate category for DVDs. HARA has a single category for instrumental albums of all types, and no DVD prize. The HMA also has a category for CD-singles that HARA does not.

This year's noteworthy winners include James Ingram (single record), Daniel Ho (adult contemporary album), Vaihi (Polynesian album), Scott Katsura (pop album), Battle Royale (punk/ska album), Fiji (reggae album), Jake Shimabukuro (ukulele album) and JROQ (rhythm & blues album). Additional "recognition awards" will be announced at the event.

A total of 593,622 "hits" were recorded on the voting Web site between Jan. 29 and Feb. 21. Voting is open to anyone who has an email address, but the likelihood of "stuff-the-ballet-box" campaigns juicing the outcome has been reduced by limiting voters to one vote per email address. (Voting in most categories of the HARA Awards is restricted to its members).

List of winners

Adult Contemporary Album of the Year
"Simple as a Sunrise" by Daniel Ho

Anthology Album
"The Very Best of Justin" by Justin

Children's Music Album
"The Story of Hula" by Noelani K. Mahoe & Allison Chu

Classical Album
"Mozartime" by Lisa Nakamichi

Comedy Album
"Tita Out!" by Kathy Collins

Compilation Album
"Aloha Joe's A Place Called Hawaii 3" by various artists

Contemporary Hawaiian Album
"In Harmony" by Pali

DVD
"All in the Ohana" by Andy Bumatai

Folk Album
"Vito Truglio" by Vito Truglio

Hip Hop Album
"Futuristo -- The New Born Experiment" by Kaleo Futuristo

Inspirational Album
"A Few More Drops" by Wendell Warrington

Island Contemporary Album
"Back to the Valley" by Ekolu

Jazz Album
"Timeless" by Greg and Junko MacDonald

New Age Album
"Moe Uhane" by El Lopez

Paniolo Album
"Paniolo Ghostriders" by Bradda Francis

Polynesian Album
"Vaihitian" by Vaihi

Pop Album
"Aloha Miles Away" by Scott Katsura

Punk/SKA Album
"God, the Devil, and the World" by Battle Royale

Rhythm & Blues Album
"JROQ vs. Dr. Trey" by JROQ

Rap Album
"Creationism Single" by Gefilthy

Reggae Album
"Independence Day" by Fiji

Rock Album
"Under A Native Moon" by SUGahDADDY

Seasonal Album
"Hawaiian Style Christmas" by various

Single Record
"Come and Join Us" by James Ingram

Slack Key Album
"Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Vol. 1" by various

Steel Guitar Album
"Hawaiian Steel Vol. 3: Byrd's Nest" by Alan Akaka, Casey Olsen, Greg Sardinha, Paul Kim

Traditional Hawaiian Album
"Ke 'Ala Beauty" by Na Palapalai

Ukulele Album
"Walking Down Rainhill" by Jake Shi-mabukuro

World Music Album
"Special Moments with Emile Simon" by Pierre Grill & L'Escargot