Hawaiian music albums by Ho‘okena and Josh Tatofi were named finalists Tuesday in the regional roots category in the 60th Grammy Awards.
The list of Grammy nominees announced by The Recording Academy include music featuring Hawaii-born stars Bruno Mars and Bette Midler, and Auli‘i Cravalho, who voiced the title character of Disney’s animated film “Moana.”
The winners will be revealed at the Grammy Awards show Jan. 28, broadcast on CBS from Madison Square Garden in New York.
Tatofi said Tuesday he was “stoked” to be a Grammy finalist for his second album, “Pua Kiele.”
“Words can’t explain, of course, what it means to be in this position, but it’s just one of those great things that we feel blessed to have happen,” he said. “I’m glad that the music is being heard and being shared. That’s the most important thing.”
Tatofi won 2017 Na Hoku Hanohano awards for male vocalist of the year and island music album.
In contrast to relative newcomer Tatofi, Ho‘okena has been performing for three decades and has two prior Grammy nominations in the now-defunct Hawaiian music album category. The trio was nominated this year for “Ho‘okena 3.0.”
Founding member Horace Dudoit III expressed excitement about the Grammy nod and the chance to visit New York for the first time. “It’s awesome to be on the final ballot even the third time,” Dudoit said.
Ho‘okena’s other members are Chris Kamaka and Glen Smith.
“For 31 years we’ve been playing the music we love to play. That’s why we do it; it’s music we love,” Dudoit said.
In February, Kalani Pe‘a of Maui became the first
Hawaii-resident recording artist to win a Grammy in the regional roots category, which includes Native American, zydeco and Cajun music. The Hawaiian music album category was eliminated in 2011 as part of an effort to consolidate some of the smaller genre categories.
The other three regional roots finalists announced Tuesday are “Top of the Mountain,” by Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers; “Kalenda,” by the Lost Bayou Ramblers; and “Miyo Kekisepa, Make a Stand (Live),” by Northern Cree.
Mars, whose first broadcast television special, “Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo,” airs at
9 p.m. today on CBS, received six nominations, including album of the year for “24K Magic.”
Midler is the principal soloist featured on the Broadway cast recording of “Hello, Dolly!” that is up for best musical theater album.
While Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote “How Far I’ll Go,” nominated for best song written for visual media, it’s Cravalho who’s heard singing on the track. She’s also prominently featured throughout the album “Moana: The Songs,” which is nominated for best compilation for visual media.
Two mainland reggae acts with strong Hawaii followings, J Boog and Common Kings, are in the running for best reggae album, as is recent Hawaii visitor Damian Marley.