CINDY COMBS BIO 2013
Born into a musical family in San Diego, California and raised in Hawaii, Cindy Combs fell in love with Hawaiian music when introduced to the 'ukulele at the age of 10. At 12, she took up the guitar and began playing folk music, began songwritng at 15, and then took up Hawaiian Slack Key guitar at 18. In 1971 she began her career as a guitarist, vocalist, composer, recording artist, and teacher.

Cindy has 4 solo recordings. Her debut release, 'Land of the Endless Summer', produced by Berry Andelin, features her vocal style and blend of jazz with slack key. Her first recording with Dancing Cat Records, produced by George Winston, is called 'Slack Key Lady'. It features her arrangements for slack key guitar including 4 vocal selections and 2 of her original compositions. Her second Dancing Cat project, 'Sunny Rain Guitar Solos', produced by Cindy and George Winston, is a blend of traditional and contemporary slack key styles. It features Cindy's original music along with tunes popularized in Hawaii and is the only full length instrumental solo recording of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar by a female artist. http://www.dancingcat.com. Her latest release. 'Kiss Those Blues Goodbye' is on her own Pulelehua Music label and features eight of her original compositions in various styles and two cover tunes. All of her songs on the record were composed in Hawaii but none of the music is 'Hawaiian'. It is available for digital download at several web stores and http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cindycombs2 http://www.facebook.com/slackjazzblues
Cindy is an award winning song writer and has had her compositions recorded by well known Hawaii artists such as Olomana, Jerry Santos, and the Ka'au Crater Boys. She was the overall winner of the 1993 Kauai Composers Contest and has been nominated for 2 Na Hoku Hanohano awards. 'Sunny Rain' was a preliminary Grammy nominee for 2008. She has toured with Grammy winners Dennis Kamakahi, Cyril Pahinui, and Owana Salazar.

Cindy resides on the 'Garden Island' of Kauai, home of the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. She performs regularly in her home town of Hanapepe and at various venues throughout the land of Hawaii.


DISCOGRAPHY
Recordings:
KISS THOSE BLUES GOODBYE (Pulelehua Music) PULE2012 – Solo guitar & vocal.
SUNNY RAIN (88697-09883-2) Traditional & contemporary Slack Key Guitar solos.
SLACK KEY LADY (Dancing Cat Records 38041)
LAND OF THE ENDLESS SUMMER (Moonrise Music) – Solo and with ensemble – vocals & instrumentals – 1997
Compilations:
LIVE KI HO'ALU AT KO'ELE (Jazzalleytv.com) – 2 songs from the 1st Annual Lana'i Slack Key Festval 2011 – 2012
HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY CHRISTMAS (Dancing Cat 38044) – Cindy performs a solo slack key version of Winter Wonderland – 2000
KI HO'ALU CHRISTMAS (Dancing Cat 38037) – Cindy performs a solo slack key medley of Kanaka Waiwai/Iesu No Ke Kahuhipa – 1996
THE SOUNDS OF HAWAII (Orange Tree Productions 31127) – Compilation of nature sounds and music performed by Cindy Combs, George Kahumoku, Dennis Pavao, Grant Geissman, Tim Heintz, Whale, Water, Birds and Bugs. Cindy performs 5 solo slack key instrumentals: I Love Kaua'i, Pulelehua, E Ku'u Sweet Lei Poina 'Ole, Ka Makani Ka'ili Aloha and Kalena Kai – 1996
As a Backup Musician:
NA PO MAKOLE – THE NIGHT RAINBOW ('Aumakua Records AR002) Slack Key Guitar and 'Ukulele with Stephen Inglis (Slack Key Guitar ) and Shawn Livingston Moseley (Piano)
Anela Lauren: MELE FROM THE HARP - guitar
ALTAR NATIVE – (Jai Ma Music 109) Millicent - guitar
Norman Kaawa Solomon: song 'I Love Kaua'i' (Cindy's composition) backing vocal
Olomana: LIKE A SEABIRD IN THE WIND (Seabird Sound 1001) – Cindy plays slack key guitar on O Malia and So Free, the latter of which she also composed – 1976
Jerry Santos: EXPECTING FRIENDS (Better Days Records 001) – Includes Cindy's composition I Love Kaua'i, Na Hoku Hanohano Awards Finalist "Song Of The Year" 1989 – 1989
Ka'au Crater Boys: MAKING WAVES – (Roy Sakuma Productions 4535) – Includes Cindy's composition So Free – 1996
Michael Barretto: SOMETIMES I GO (Freeborn Records) – Cindy performs 'ukulele and backup vocals – 2000