The last time 13-time Grammy Award winning musician Jerry Douglas was in Hawaii was a few years ago, when he and his wife took an anniversary trip to the Four Seasons resort on Maui. “Oh, man,” he said. “The scratch
The last time 13-time Grammy Award winning musician Jerry Douglas was in Hawaii was a few years ago, when he and his wife took an anniversary trip to the Four Seasons resort on Maui.
“Oh, man,” he said. “The scratch marks are still in the marble from when they had to drag me out of there. I didn’t want to leave.”
Fortunately for him — and certainly for Kauai — Douglas is back on the islands for a trio of performances, including one Saturday on Kauai during the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s 50th anniversary celebration.
The last time Douglas performed on Kauai was around 2000, when he and singer-songwriter Alison Krauss played at a private party. While here, Douglas remembers tallying a significant number of bogeys at the Poipu Bay Golf Course, just a few days before Tiger Woods flew in for a tournament.
“We hacked it up and put divots in it and everything,” he laughed, speaking by phone from Nashville. “We’ll give you something for your ball to land in.”
Although he won’t have time to hit the links this time around, Douglas is thrilled to be coming back to Kauai, and to be performing alongside a frenzy of local legends, including his good friend Ledward Kaapana.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” he said of the show. “Everyone loves the chance to go play music to paradise. This is as close as it gets. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time.”
“Musical Legends in the Garden” will also include performances by the Hawaiian Legends (Kaapana, Mike Kaawa and Nathan Aweau), The Nathan Aweau, Jeff Peterson and Benny Chong Trio and Kauai’s own The Hanalei Bay Trio, featuring Ken Emerson, Pancho Graham and Kirby Keough. Dennis Kamakahi was scheduled to appear with the Hawaiian Legends, but is unable due to health concerns.
Ken Levine, owner of Kuleana Music in Kalaheo, said the lineup features musicians he has been working to bring together for almost five years.
“All these musicians recognized their musical gift early in their lives and have grown that gift until they have the capacity to give extreme joy and pleasure to so many,” he said. “This is the commonality of the group we have brought together for this celebration of NTBG’s 50th anniversary.”
Douglas said his goal for Saturday is simple — make the show as fun as possible, because if he and the other performers aren’t having fun, the audience won’t either.
This one-of-a-kind, rain or shine concert celebration is from 1 to 5 p.m. in the beautiful open-air setting of NTBG’s Southshore Visitors Center in Poipu. Gates opening at 11:30 a.m. and food and beverages will be available for purchase.
General admission tickets cost $45.
Information: www.ntbg.org, 742-2433.
