The title of his award-winning 1993 release, Ho'onanea ("To pass the time in peace and pleasure; to relax, absorbed and contented"), pretty well sums up John Keawe's old-style slack key guitar performances. Songwriter and master of the fingerpicking style developed in the 19th century by Hawai'ian cowboys who loosened, or "slacked" their guitar strings to produce a lingering sound and resonance, John takes the soft, sweet sound of traditional slack key and lends it his own playful personal touch. Born and raised on the big island of Hawai'i, in the town of North Kohala, John taught himself to play by watching the local masters; over the course of eight recordings (most recently last year's Aloha Kaikua'ana), John has developed his own distinct style and won widespread recognition for his artistry, including the Hawai'ian Hoku Award in 1994 for Best Instrumental Performance and the 1998 Hawai'i Music Award for Best Slack-Key Artist.