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Check out this list of Big Island Hawaiian Music Events

My wife Shirley and I at Keauhou, HI.

I can't imagine life without music. Some people find their instrument at an early age. Others go through life assuming they were meant to play the stereo. I fall into the category of folks who find out that they really are a musician after years of half-hearted attempts at various instruments.

I fell in love with the Hawaiian steel guitar in 1998, at the age of 45, three years after moving to the Big Island of Hawaii. I woke up very early one morning and recalled that I had been playing a steel guitar in my dreams. My mother-in-law, living in Colorado, had a 1953 Supro electric steel stored away (it had been my father-in-law's), and offered to bring it to me on an upcoming visit. I struggled to learn how to play it, and might have given up, had it not been for a chance meeting with Ken Emerson, a world class musician. Though he told me at the outset that he was not a teacher, he inspired me to continue my efforts, and also to stick to the Taro Patch (D-G-D-G-B-D) tuning until I had mastered it.

Ken also introduced me to the acoustic Hawaiian steel guitar, father of the dobro and electric lap steel, and grandfather of the pedal steel guitar used in country music. He plays a National Tri-cone from the 1920's, which has a very distinct sound. Finally, Ken sold me a guitar which has become very dear to me. This style of guitar (the "Weissenborn") was developed in the early 1900's by inventor, Hermann Weissenborn, and it is making a small comeback due in part to the efforts of guitarist Bob Brozman. It has a sweet acoustic sound, which made it very popular in the early 1900's.

Further adventures from the bottom of the Taro Patch:
One day, while playing steel with Lenard Kaniho, I was introduced to one of his friends who plays a "pakini" bass, a Hawaiian version of the proverbial "broomstick on a bucket". I got to thinking about making one of these, but being a steel guitarist, I decided on putting several strings on it, and tuning it to an open G (Taro Patch) tuning. The Kona Walkingbass© was born. I play it with one finger on my left hand, using my finger like a bar to move up and down the neck. At right, I am backing up some of the kupuna at Keauhou. They have graciously taught me the ropes and the old favorites of the Big Island's local culture.

Meanwhile, my first love is still taro patch steel.

Check out the tunes below:

• My mini-steel - Open C tuned, which I use for casual travel, playing on the beach, etc.
• The "Mother" Superior - tuned to open G. My performing instrument, generally. Tuned D-G-G-G-B-D.
• My Po Mahina Single Cone - tuned to open G. Originally a Johnson round neck, it is now a thing of beauty, thanks to Dennis Lake's koa neck addition.
• My baritone 'ukulele size Hawaiian lap steel →
  Made by me... under the watchful eye of Dennis Lake (smiling as always). Dennis is one of the Big Island's finest craftsman. This koa guitar is easy to travel with, & a real delight to play. It is tuned to a 'Reenntrant" G6th. E-G-D-G-B-D

I finished two new beautiful electric lap steels in the fall of 2010. I just love them! 7 string Benedetto bar magnets are doing the honors and the scale length of 25" provides plenty of shimmer and sparkle to the sound.
Here is Aloha In Motion, live at Keauhou performing: Among the Golden Sands of Waikiki with me on one of these steels. Vocals by Robert Koanui, and Bass by Rupert Adarme. We perform every Saturday morning from 8 to 9 AM.


Kevin Zimmermann just happened to be visiting the island in September, 2010, and we met in a parking lot and recorded some steel tracks for his joyful little Coqui Frog tune. Kevin is playing 'ukulele bass, piano & keyboard. Jim Ohlschmidt did the 6-string. The Coqui hails from the botanical gardens in Onomea and the background singers (environmental in the beginning/middle) was from Thurston Lava Tube. Strangely enough, the coqui featured in this song was singing in a perfect "C". Further proof that it is indeed the people's key!

While trying to fall asleep on night, these lyrics came to me. I taught them to Alan Hale, and he sang them for the kanikapila group to learn.

Here are the lyrics, should you care to croak along!

Uncle Dona, Bruddah George (on my Walkingbass), and myself
(on my baritone uke size lap steel),
playing at the Vista Restaurant in Keauhou, Big Island of HI.

I really enjoy Hawaiian music, but Hapa Haole music is so much fun to play... all those jazzy chords, rich melodies, and often a great swing style. Uncle Donna asked me to gig with them, and I brought the Mini Steel that night.

• Poi Dog Waltz
  One of the first tunes I figured out on the steel. This slow waltz sounds suspiciously like David Grisman's 'Dawg Waltz', done Hawaiian style. I am playing steel on 2 tracks and bass on the third.
   
• Waikiki
  A great vintage Hawaiian tune by Andy Cummings. Art Akina and I recorded it in my living room. What a voice that guy has!
   
• Kialiali Ipo © 2002 - Konabob Stoffer
  I wrote this for my wife, Shirley. Auntie Leilehua Yuen gave her the Hawaiian name Kialiali because she has beautiful shining white hair. I wrote the lyrics after a trip Shirley and I took to Waikiki.
   
• Kona Inn
  Written by George Kahumoku. He and Ledward Ka'apana asked me to join them with my bass at a free concert at the Kona Public Library.
   
• Ironwood Moon © 2002 - Konabob Stoffer
  This was the first taro patch steel song I ever wrote. It was inspired by the pines that shade the beach in Waipio. Story has it that on full moon nights you can hear voices from both the past and the future in the soft whisperings of the wind passing through these pines.
   
• He Aloha No 'O Honolulu
  Written by Lot Kauwe. A bouncy slack key standard.
   
• Parker © 2004 - Konabob Stoffer
  John Palmer Parker was both a cowboy and a sailor. Above all, he was a man who was always looking for the next "somewhere" in his life. This song tells a story that is based on someone like Parker. It starts with his life as a lad of 13 in Boston and later as he is still looking for paradise as an aging man in Hawaii. My wife often accompanies me on the violin - it creates a haunting backdrop which sounds like rolling waves.
   
• Medley
  Two beautiful Hawaiian waltzes. He Punahele No 'Oe is song from a father to his daughter. Pua Lilia is a song from a man to his wife. Since I have both a wife and a daughter, I like to play them together.
   
• Somewhere
  Yes, "Over the Rainbow"... I have loved this song since the early sixties when I heard Judy Garland sing it in The Wizard of Oz. I love the way Iz sings it too. It still conveys our desire to fly free.
   
• Jam-Da-Island
  Based loosly on my experiences of playing bluegrass on the beach with the Voggy Mountain Ramblers, I took Hank Williams tune "Jambalaya" and created "Jam-da-Island", which is often requested at kanikapilas. Only two chords! Here are the lyrics. I am play electric steel guitar with a fun trio called "Aloha In Motion".
   

Learn to play the steel guitar!
I have created a 13 page booklet in PDF format which is an introduction to playing Acoustic Hawaiian Lap Steel in the "Taro Patch" open G tuning. You can download it here.

In November 2005, I found a small kids' guitar for sale at our local Walmart. It was made reasonably well - for a $30 import from China! I removed the plastic saddle, and replaced it with a piece of 3/16" stainless steel rod. I also put a short length of 1/8" stainless rod next to the nut. This raised the strings, and allows me to play Hawaiian steel in B flat ( F - Bb - F - Bb - D - F ) tuning, using the strings that come with the guitar. I have since, changed the string set and play in open G using this set of strings. Here is a photo of the details, and Kalena Kai, a short mp3 played on this guitar.

Shirley and I run KONAWEB, a web site about the Big Island of Hawaii.
My thanks to all of the people I have had the pleasure to meet through this virtual community.

Email Konabob, Call (808) 322-4714,
or Post Something on the Taro Patch