Mountain Apple signs three new artists
Courtesy photo
The Mountain Apple Company isn’t slowing down in 2009, despite the current economic downturn and a challenging business model.
Instead of feeling sorry for themselves when Tower Records and other music retailers began to disappear on Oahu in recent years, they regrouped and brokered new deals to get albums sold at stores like Longs and Wal-Mart. They also pushed hard to establish a presence online, marketing aggressively to Hawaiian music fans outside of the state and expanding their reach to untapped regions around the world.
Now, it looks like the MAC folks are bolstering their stable of artists. Word came earlier this week that local icon Cyril Pahinui, former HAPA member Keli’i Kaneali’i and ukulele legend Troy Fernandez inked deals with the label in December.
The three new signings came about seven months after Mountain Apple signed Mailani Makainai (pictured above right, with Lei Melket as the duo Keahiwai) to a solo deal. When I spoke to MAC president Leah Bernstein last year, she said Makainai was the first artist to sign with them in quite a while.
This week, Bernstein reaffirmed another belief she shared with me back then.
“We are committed to recording beautiful Hawaiian music … fans of local music are loyal and continue to support the industry by purchasing quality recordings of their beloved local musicians,” she said. “In these difficult times for so many families, Hawaiian music is comforting them and a reason for everyone to get together and enjoy each others company.”
Personally, I’m ecstatic to see Fernandez getting back into the swing of recording and releasing new material. I really, really, REALLY hope he’ll find a way to get Ernie Cruz, Jr. into the studio to record some sort of Ka’au Crater Boys reunion track.
