WHEREAS, the passion and vibrancy of the people, culture, and spirit of Hawaii is often captured in the art of music, elevating one's soul above the ills of society to poetically communicate to the world our love for this beautiful existence we so proudly proclaim as Paradise; and

WHEREAS, a native of Washington State, the exemplary music career of CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN was launched as a student of the violin at the age of eight, before being lured to the magic of the guitar on which he performed with various pop bands as a teenager; and

WHEREAS, after receiving undergraduate degrees in music at Cornish Institute and The Evergreen State College, CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN pursued higher education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa acquiring an M.A. degree in music, while sharing his knowledge and talent by teaching classical guitar for nine years and simultaneously performing in Waikiki showrooms, exhibiting the combination of his unique classical guitar style technique and his smooth jazz compositions, integrated with the musical influence of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, leaving academia in 1990 to launch a career as a composer/producer of CDs, film scores and commercials heard worldwide through radio, cable radio, film and television, CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN released his first two CDs: Mango Cooler and Pacific Rendezvous, which attracted critical acclaim and soared to the top ten recording charts on jazz radio in the U.S. and on Japanese music charts; and

WHEREAS, in 1990 CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN moved to the Big Island with his wife Joan, their daughters, and his sister Jody, with whom he co-founded Palm Records in 1997; became founder and leader of the acclaimed acoustic guitar trio "Kohala", a multi-Hoku award recipient and nominee; and owner of Lava Tracks Recording Studio in Kamuela, which was designed to provide an ideal environment to capture the natural quiet beauty of the acoustic and classical guitar; and

WHEREAS, acclaimed for his exceptional musical talent on acoustic and classical guitar, and for his carefully crafted arrangements recorded with, and produced for, many local musicians, CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN has been recognized and received myriad awards, bestowed by the Hawaii Music Foundation, NAMMY, Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts, BMI and radio charts; and

WHEREAS, in 2003, CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN tapped nine of his musician friends from the Big Island, Oahu, and Kauai to assemble a compilation album of tranquil, mood-evoking ki ho'alu, or "slack key", resulting in "Slack Key Guitar Volume 2" which was recorded in the Lava Tracks Studio in the heart of Paniolo country where the slack key style originated, and showcased the various styles of ten extraordinary slack key artists: Bryan Kessler, Sonny Lim, Randy Lorenzo, Jeff Peterson, Keoki Kahumoku, John Keawe, Charlie Recaido, John Cruz, Ken Emerson, and producer/guitarist CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN; and

WHEREAS, after 46 years, Hawaiian music was finally given the nod of recognition by the Grammy Awards with the introduction of the "Best Hawaiian Music Album" award category, with the final five nominees in the category being the top vote-getters on a first round ballot of 23 recordings, with "Slack Key Guitar Volume 2," produced by CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN among the final five, and the only all-instrumental compilation of the group; and

WHEREAS, on February 13, 2005, a historical moment occurred in Los Angeles, California at the 47^th Annual Grammy Awards Ceremony, when "Slack Key Guitar Volume 2," produced by CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN, was declared the first-ever winner of the coveted Grammy Award for the "Best Hawaiian Music Album," thereby exposing the magic of the islands worldwide, enhancing and preserving the Hawaiian culture through music, and sharing the spirit of aloha; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that this body hereby congratulates, thanks, and loudly applauds Producer CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN for being selected as the recipient of the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album, and extends to him and the Hawaiian music artists who contributed to "Slack Key Guitar Volume 2" its warmest aloha and best wishes in all their future endeavors.

Report Title:

CHARLES MICHAEL BROTMAN GRAMMY AWARD WINNER