I am a country music fan...if for some unknown reason I end up living in Hawaii, will I still be able to get a fix of the Southern twang, via a country music station? Do you have them in Hawaii?

-- Randy Shaffer (rshaffer@efortress.com), January 16, 1999

Answers

There used to be one, then it got the axe. But just a few months ago, another one started. I think it's KDEO. FYI, there's several rodeos held on various islands throughout the year. Due to the military and the local paniolos (cowboys), there is a lot more interest in the white man's blues than you think ;)

-- Billy Bosnoda (bosnoda@lava.net), January 17, 1999.

Aloha, Randy! I discovered your inquiry recently and would like to give you some info. regarding Country Music in Hawaii. A little background about myself...I too am an avid Country Music fan. I go a step further by being a guitar picker and vocalist in one of Hwaii's few country bands.My band is called Full Circle and has been existence since 1994.I ahve been performing in Hawaii for almost 40 years in various live bands,playing mostly top 40 stuff. I have always loved the "twang" of Country Music singers, especially Buck Owens in the old days. The eagles made it even more palatible for me as a rock musician growing up in the 60-70's. Never thought I would actually be a Country performer till I visited Missouri and Nashville. I had to bring it back to Hawaii. For 8 years now, it has been an uphill battle with very little tolerance for our type of music. Most club owners stereotype Country and say their clientele wouldn't be up to it. The radio statiosn are the same way. They never fully promote the music to the Hwaiian community and expect things to happen by itself! It never happens that way. We have gone through another FM Country format again and it looks very slim that another will happen soon. I beleive in my heart that Country music is very similar to Hwaiian music because our island's music originated when the fisrt Spanish and Portuguese Cowboys came here with their guitars. The Hawaiians adapted the guitar and created "slack-key" to fit their liking.Country life-style is still prevalent on the outter islands, not so much where I live, on Oahu. Oahu is more city and less rural. There are rodeos on Maui and the Big Island. We also have them here on Oahu. But still, there is very little support for Country Music in general. People often say the military supports that kind of music. Problem is, the radio stations donot count the military in the Arbitron Surveys. The survey shows very little support because the military is left out! My band Full Circle is comprised of local musicians who have supported my efforts to perform Country Music in a climate with little support for it. We have played alomost every major venue ion Oahu, but with no staying power beacuse the bottom line is the priority. I'll get off of my soap box now and tell you that Hawaii is still a greta place to live in. Long live Country Music for its honesty and sincerity! Aloha! Russ "Full Circle" Please visit our page at HawaiiEntertainers.com

-- Russ Shiroma (cowboy@lava.net), April 28, 2002.