Now in his 41st year as a professional musician, Led Kaapana's great skill and easygoing attitude have made him one of Hawaii's most beloved traditional artists. A master of slack key guitar (so named for the alternate tuning, or slacking, of the strings), Led is also accomplished on ukulele, autoharp, bass, and steel guitar. He is an extraordinary baritone and falsetto singer as well. Perhaps most importantly, the man known affectionately as lima wela (hot hand) blends his effortless virtuosity with an infectious joy in performing, a generous spirit, and a rascally sense of humor.

Born in 1948, Led grew up in a musical family in the tiny village of Kalapana on the Big Island of Hawaii. Encouraged by his elders and inspired by his mother, singer Tina Kaapana, and his uncle, legendary slack key player Fred Punahoa, he developed a seemingly inexhaustible ability to improvise. He also absorbed the influences of country, jazz, latin, and rock that he would incorporate into his music. Led is now one of Hawaii's foremost musical ambassadors with his solo work, outings with his legendary trio, Hui 'Ohana, and collaborations with artists such as Jerry Douglas, Ricky Skaggs, and Alison Krauss. One of the featured artists on the 2006 Grammy Award-winning Masters Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Vol. 1, Led was also nominated for a 2007 Grammy for his most recent CD, Grandmaster Slack Key Guitar (Rhythm & Roots).

Joining Led is Hawaii's finest 12-string guitarist, Mike Kawaa