ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kalani Pe‘a accepted the award for best regional roots music album for “E Walea” on Sunday in Los Angeles. Pe‘a delivered his acceptance speech by alternating speaking in English and Hawaiian. Behind him was his partner, Allan B. Cool.
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History was made Sunday as “E Walea,” the debut album by Hawaiian recording artist Kalani Pe‘a, was named the winner of the Grammy Award for best regional roots music album during the nontelevised portion of the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.
It’s the first time in the history of the category that the award has been won by a Native Hawaiian recording artist. It was also the first time since the category was created in 2011 that the award was not won by a Louisiana-based Cajun or zydeco album.
Pe‘a’s album contains seven of his own Hawaiian-language compositions, several of his favorite Hawaiian classics and remakes of two pop hits — “You Are So Beautiful” and “Always and Forever” — that he sings in English and Hawaiian.
In his acceptance speech, Pe‘a credited his mom for introducing him to music to help with his speech impediment. “Music saved my life,” Pe‘a said.
The Best Regional Roots Music category was created in 2011 as a catchall for Hawaiian, Native American, polka and Cajun and zydeco music. New Orleans-based “roots” artists have received a majority of the final nominations every year.
The other finalists in the category were Northern Cree, Barry Jean Ancelet and Sam Broussard, Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars, and producers Joshua Caffery and Joel Savoy for the compilation album, “I Wanna Sing Right: Rediscovering Lomax in the Evangeline Country.”
