Teachers old and new

George Kahumoku has been described as Hawaii's Renaissance man because of his work with at-risk teens and his ability as a Hawaiian Slack key Guitar Master and Hawaiian cultural teacher for over 30 years. He has over 30 recorded CDs, cassttes, and LPs to date, and has been nominated and won Hawaii's coveted Na Hoku Hanohano awards several times within his music career.

George is also a multi-media artist and his bronze sculptures have been puchased by the Hawaii State Foundation of the arts. He has recently co-authored, released, and Illustrated a book of his Family Stories called "A Hawaiian Life." His recent CD recording on Dancing Cat records called "Hawaiian Love Songs" hit #7 on the Billboard World music Charts in Jan/Feb, 2001 and was recently nominated for a Grammy. He has headed The Annual Slack Key Workshop on Maui where he has Attracted 36 to 120 guitar players from all over the World for the past 5 years, where cultural, Hawaiian Language, exchanges, music, song-writing, food gathering, cooking, and sharing take place. He is currently on Leave from Lahainaluna High school on Maui for 1 year, and working on his Masters of Ed in Santa Cruz.

Cindy Kallet is a songwriter, singer and guitarist who performs solo, as a duo with Grey Larsen, and as part of the trio of Kallet, Epstein and Cicone. One of her favorite things to do in the world is teach - she does so by way of music camps, workshops, residencies, and private lessons.
Kallet has performed in coffeehouses and concert settings throughout the country, and has appeared on A Prairie Home Companion and National Public Radio's All Things Considered. Working on Wings to Fly was voted one of the "Top 100 Folk Albums of the Century" (the last century) by WUMB Boston radio listeners, and Kallet's Leave the Cake in the Mailbox - Songs for Parents and Kids Growing Up was chosen for a 2004 Parents' Choice Gold Award.
Scott Alarik of The Boston Globe calls Cindy "...one of folk music's most respected songwriters...a brilliant guitarist..."
Cindy sports five solo albums, three trio recordings (with Ellen Epstein and Michael Cicone) and duo CDs with both Gordon Bok and Grey Larsen. She and Larsen have just released a single, "Back When We Were All Machines." She has also published The Cindy Kallet Songbook, a collection of 32 original songs, complete with words, music, chords, and guitar tab.

Dead-on timing, a foolproof ear for chords, and buoyant energy are bass player Nancy Katz's musical hallmarks. Based in Seattle, she has played for contra, square, swing, and Cajun dances with such bands as Minnie Pearl Jam, Kancy Natz & the Noseeums, the Mudflat Ramblers, and countless others. She has also appeared several times on A Prairie Home Companion, with Ranch Romance and the Jo Miller-Laura Love Connection, and as a side person with Patsy Montana, Rose Maddox, John Reischman, Cathy Fink, and more. Nancy is also an excellent old-time banjo player.

Bill Keith is one of the living masters of bluegrass banjo and the inventor of the melodic picking technique widely referred to as "Keith Style." He has toured and recorded with top bluegrass bands (including Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys), as well as with artists such as Jonathan Edwards, Ian & Sylvia, Judy Collins, The Kweskin Jug Band, Muleskinner, David Grisman, and Richard Greene and The Grass is Greener. Bill has written several banjo tuition books, has recorded instructional tapes (for Homespun), and co- authored the Earl Scruggs instruction book and record. In addition, Bill owns and operates the Beacon Banjo Company in Woodstock, NY.

Robin Kessinger's guitar virtuosity has earned him the Winfield national flatpicking title, five state titles, and a reputation for creative, sensitive rendition of traditional tunes. Known for fun, he is one of the most beloved of Appalachian traditional guitar teachers and masters. Also an outstanding fingerpicker, he coordinates Guitar Week for the Augusta Heritage Center and teaches regularly at the Steve Kaufman Kamp and other camps. A member of a legendary Appalachian traditional music family, he has appeared on the cover of Acoustic Guitar Magazine and on more than two dozen CDs, including eight of his own. He performs with songwriter Kate Long and often teams with other guitar players.

Kitty King started playing in bands in 1973. Her journey through musical styles began on washtub bass with an old-timey group, then electric bass for bluegrass bands, and finally acoustic bass for swing music. Along the way, she picked up some singing and songwriting skills as well. She performed at Expo 86 and the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and had the pleasure of playing in the warm-up bands for Doc Watson and Stephane Grappelli.

Kitty has been attending PSGW since 1979 and is a devoted fan of the camp, the people, and the music.

The #1 single "She'll Leave You With A Smile" hit several milestones in one release: the first #1 for songwriters Jay Knowles and Odie Blackmon, and the 50th #1 for MCA superstar George Strait. The song, from Strait's The Road Less Traveled album, is published by Sony/ATV Tree and Big Yellow Dog Music and produced by Strait and Tony Brown. To mark the occasion, BMI Nashville hosted a breakfast for Knowles and the rest of the creative team. Among Knowles's other credits are the Montgomery Gentry single "Self Made Man" and cuts by Billy Ray Cyrus, Chris LeDoux, Cyndi Thomson and Trent Summar.

John Knowles got his start on a plastic ukulele, purchased with paper-route money. A few years later, he bought his first Chet Atkins records and began playing along. John has worked with Nashville's finest guitarists including Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed and Lenny Breau. His compositions and arrangements have been recorded by Chet, Jerry, the Romero Family, James Galway, Raffi and XUXA. His work has earned a Grammy and two Emmy nominations. In 1996, Chet Atkins awarded John an Honorary CGP (Certified Guitar Player) and recently, John was inducted into the National Thumb Pickers Hall of Fame for the second time. John currently publishes FingerStyle Quarterly. He teaches and performs around the world.