Art Works Podcast: Led Kaapana
This week's podcast is a conversation with 2011 National Heritage Fellow Led Kaapana, who is master of two instruments: the slack key guitar and the ukulele. He also possesses an extraordinary voice that can range from a soaring baritone to a yearning falsetto. Kaapana has been a renowned performer and recording artist for over 40 years, bringing the music of Hawaii to the mainland and around the world. Although he has performed with a wide range of musicians including Alison Krause, Dolly Parton, Wayne Henderson, and Chet Atkins, Kaapana is dedicated to perpetuating the traditional style and musical repertoire of his home village in Hawaii. You can hear Kaapana and the other National Heritage Fellows perform live at the NEA National Heritage Concert on Friday, September 23 at 8:00 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland. But if you can't make it to Maryland, fear not! We're webcasting it live! Click here for more information about this free concert and the live webcast. In the meanwhile, here is Kaapana answering the question, "What makes Hawaiian music 'Hawaiian music'"?