If you haven’t heard Hawaiian slack key guitar, here’s your chance to listen to legendary Maui musician George Kahumoku Jr., his son Keoki Kahumoku with Richard Ho’opi’i play at the lovely Fox Theater on February 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Hawaii’s Renaissance Man, George Kahumoku Jr, is a multiple Grammy & Hoku Award winning master slack key guitar and vocalist, songwriter, performer, teacher, artist and sculptor, story-teller and writer, farmer and entrepreneur.George is known for playing slack key on a jumbo12-string guitar because he loves the full sound and the lower bass tones of this guitar.

Go to the Fox website (click here) for tickets, starting at $20. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

George Kahumoku Junior’s website: http://www.slackkeyshow.com/

Fox Tucson Theater is at 17 W. Congress St. (between Stone Ave. and Church Ave.)

And if you want to hear Hawaiian music (and George’s) tune in tomorrow to the Mele O Hawai’i radio show by John Putnam on KXCI Community Radio 91.3 FM, Saturday mornings from 6 to 8 a.m. John’s a “local haole” from Honolulu who loves Hawaiian music and plays a wide variety of “all kine stuff” on his show. I’ve called a few times to request my favorite songs, 520-622-5924.

If you really want to get in the Hawaiian mood, eat authentic “grinds”/dinner first at Lani’s Luau, 2532 S. Harrison Rd. (NW Corner of Golf Links and Harrison) out east. They’re open till 8 p.m. Tuesday to Thursdays, 9 p.m. on Friday & Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. Lani is from Kona on the Big Island and cooks food that is indeed “some ono” (delicious). Both the owners Zane and Leilani (Lani) know George and have a photo of him with them during his last visit to Tucson.

More on Mexican-American civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesar_Chavez, who was born on March 31, 1927. He would have been 85 years old on March 31, 2012, but died at age 66. Additional info below on a March 30 special program on Chavez on KXCI radio.

And if you want to learn more about Chavez listen to KXCI radio:

Tune in to 91.3 KXCI Community Radio on Friday, March 30th from 7am to 6pm as we commemorate the life and legacy of labor and civil rights leader César Chávez.

Throughout the day, we’ll feature the voices of local educators, community leaders and activists who continue to be inspired by César E. Chávez. The historic struggles of César Chávez are still relevant today and many people in our border community are motivated by his work.

Arizona born César E. Chávez was a second generation American born in Yuma on March 31, 1927. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Mother Teresa, Chávez and Dolores Huerta organized farm workers throughout California. They fought for better working conditions, better wages and for just treatment of workers by striking, boycotting and marching for the United Farm Workers Union. César E. Chávez died peacefully in his sleep on April 23, 1993 in in San Luis, Arizona.

Amanda Shauger
Community Engagement Director
Producer 30 Minutes
KXCI Tucson
220 4th Ave
Tucson, AZ 85701
520-623-1000 ext 17 office
520-990-3623 cell
amandas1@mindspring.com