Ever since its grand opening in 1927, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel has been something special in the heart of Waikiki.

The Monarch Room became Waikiki's premier showroom, and a long list of celebrated Hawaiian and pop stars performed there. The list included Andy Bumatai, who headlined the Monarch Room early in his career with Loretta Ables as his partner in “;The Hawaiian Divorce Song.”;

And then came the long and unforgettable residency of the Brothers Cazimero. When they left the Royal in the mid-'90s it was the end of the Monarch Room as full-time Hawaiian music showroom. For the next decade or so, it was only utilized as a banquet facility; Bill Tapia was the last to perform before construction on the room commenced last year.

Next week Hawaiian music returns to the Royal on a regular basis with one of Waikiki's most popular slack key guitarists. The “;Curators of Hawaiian Music”; concert series opens next Thursday with Makana as the headliner through August 27. According to the hotel, Maunalua is signed up to perform in September and October, followed by legendary local duo Cecilio & Kapono in November and December.

“;I am honored to be the first musician to perform in this series,”; Makana said in the press release announcing the series. “;We've created a dynamic, theatrical performance that pays homage to the cultural heritage of Hawaii and promises to keep the music of these islands alive and thriving.”;