Hawiian Music on the main land

Once, long ago, Hawiian music was more popular in america than classical, rock or blues. hard to imagine slide guitar and ukelele in the top ten but it was so. It was a breif abberation in the late 40s that defies any explaination so far as I can tell.

Today you dont hear much of it outside Hawaii.

Last year 104.7 KAPU-LP decided that they wanted to play hawaiian music 24/7. If they were in hawii this would make perfect sense. But they're in Watonville, CA. So in response a group of residents in Watsonville, CA filed their own informal objection to the license grant for KAPU-LP, Watsonville. (apparently they wanted yet more spanish outlets in the Monterey market?)

They claim that licensee “Ohana de Watsonville” made a verbal commitment that the station’s programming would serve the city’s Hispanic community. Watsonville is about 80% Hispanic. (and less than 1% Hawaiian). But the FCC does not render judgments over programming and its renewal was granted post haste.

Interestingly enough "Kapu" is a hawiian word meaning "forbidden." In it's most common usage on road signs it means "no trespassing." To me, this story has foreshadowing....

At KAPU.org they continue to brag that they are the only all-Hawaiian station anywhere on the American mainland. Probably the entire continent... actualy I'd bet it's the only one off the island period.