Mountain Apple Company Artists Top the List of Nominees for Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) April 20, 2011 -- HONOLULU – The Mountain Apple Company Hawai’i continues its legacy with another year of unprecedented nominations for the 2011 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, presented by the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts (HARA). Four of the six nominees for Album of the Year – Na Palapalai, Amy Hanaiali‘i and the Slack Key Masters of Hawai’i, Keola Beamer and Raiatea and Kainani Kahaunaele – are Mountain Apple distributed artists.

With nominees in nearly every category, three of the six nominees for Island Music Album of the Year include Amy Hanaiali’i and the Slack Key Masters of Hawai’i, “Ka Mahina” by CJ Helekahi and “Keola Beamer & Raiatea.” The Favorite Entertainer of the Year is dominated by Mountain Apple affiliated artists Amy Hanaiali‘i, Jeff Peterson, Dennis Kamakahi, Cyril Pahinui, Sonny Lim and Chino Montero, Willie K, Troy Fernandez, Kainani Kahaunaele, and Keola Beamer & Raiatea.

Mountain Apple, which has a long history of nurturing Hawaiian artists and building audiences for traditional Hawaiian music in Hawai’i and around the world, is also honored that CJ Helekahi is nominated for Most Promising Artist, Kainani Kahaunaele for Female Vocalist of the Year and perennial favorite, Willie K, in the Male Vocalist of the Year category.

There are two MAC distributed albums nominated in Christmas Album of the Year category. “An Island Christmas with Sistah Robi,” by Robi Kahakalau and “An Ukulele Christmas,” by various artists including Herb Ohta, Jr., Taimane Gardner, and Troy Fernandez.

Spanning all musical genres, Mountain Apple recently acquired distribution rights for national recording artist, Donavon Frankenreiter, who is nominated for "Revisited" in the Rock Album category and has adopted Hawai’i as his home. Ata Damasco is nominated for Religious Album of the Year for "Somewhere Up Ahead: Gospel Hymns of Hawai’i, Volume II."

Mountain Apple President Jon de Mello also received a nomination for Anthology of the Year for “Island Love” and Ululoa Productions is nominated for its compilation, "Wahine." The awards will be announced at the 34th Annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards at the Kalakaua Ballroom at the Hawai’i Convention Center on Sunday, May 29, 2011.

Visit www.mountainapplecompany.com to learn more.

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