Ledward!

Slack-key master Ledward Kaapana
celebrates his 60th

Age is nothing but a number. That's Ledward Kaapana's outlook as he counts down the days to his 60th birthday.

THOUGHTS ON LED "He's perhaps the greatest guitarist in the world. He can play anything the others can play, but they can't play everything he can. He's an absolute genius on guitar, ukulele, steel guitar, autoharp ... and he is still a humble giant, a wonderful example to younger musicians." — Keith Haugen "He's by far as best as it gets when speaking about his musical prowess." — Aaron Mahi

"I feel the same (as ever). I'm always thinking young, so it's nothing different," Kaapana chuckled during lunch with a small group of friends on Monday. Born Aug. 25, 1948, Kaapana will be celebrating with several hundred of his closest friends and fans this Saturday at Kona Brewing Co. at the Koko Marina Shopping Center. The party is invitation-only; anyone who hasn't already RSVP'd is out of luck. There will also be no extra tag-alongs admitted to what is certain to be one of the biggest parties of the year in the Hawaiian music community. (Kaapana will begin a regular Sunday gig from 6 to 8 p.m. starting next month at Kona Brewing Co.)

Kaapana's accomplishments as a slack-key master and Hawaiian falsetto vocalist are matters of public record for musical scholars and loyal "Led-heads" alike. Raised in an area so rural that there was no electricity, Kaapana grew up playing music with other members of the family.

"That's where I started playing music and that's where all my music started from -- 'cause of my dad, my mom, grandpas and grandmas, they all played music ... so music was always around me, but I never thought that the music was going to be my professional life."

After graduating from high school, he formed Hui Ohana with his brother, Nedward, and cousin Dennis Pavao. The trio was one of the hot acts in Hawaiian music for much of the 1970s.

THOUGHTS ON LED "I always look forward to the opportunity to hear him play and if I am so lucky, the honor to play with him!" — Daniel Ho "He is a HUGE inspiration to me musically and also spiritually. Not only has he been the supreme slack-key master of the guitar but also the 'go-to' guy ... never holding back answering any questions I would have about the tunings (or) how to play songs." — "Uncle Bobby" Moderow Jr., member of Maunalua

Hui Ohana broke up in 1978 and Kaapana continued on as a solo artist and the leader of his own group, I Kona. He won his first Na Hoku Hanohano Award in 1984 as a solo artist, won a second in 1986 with I Kona, and a third in 1988 after Tom Moffatt brokered a Hui Ohana reunion that resulted in a Hoku-winning single, "Pua Carnation."

"Led is the consummate professional," Moffatt says. A solo album Kaapana recorded for Moffatt won a him a second Hoku Award as a solo artist in 1989.

Kaapana was also one of the first signed by George Winston for his Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters Series, and he continues to be a hugely popular act wherever people enjoy slack key.

"There is nothing more exciting than witnessing Led jamming with a musician from another part of the world, with another musical discipline," says Harry B. Soria Jr. of Territorial Airwaves. "One soon realizes that Led can imitate anything, note for note, and then add something to take it to the next level, all done while playing by ear."

Looking forward, Kaapana says that he has yet to play in China, and would like to sit in sometime with B.B. King.

"I met Chet Atkins back in 1989 when I was doing a solo tour for the Smithsonian and went to Nashville, and the next time I went there I played with Chet. The next guy I want to meet is B.B. King."