Daniel Ho's audiences have lately been gravitating toward one particular song on his new 'Ikena music CD.

"It's 'The Spam Song' and it really is all about Spam," said Amy Stillman, who wrote the songs and worked with Ho to produce the Hawaiian language CD. "It's about Spam and our memories of food experiences growing up. Spam and eggs in the morning. Spam musubi for lunch ... it's a song audiences respond to."

Apparently, so do Grammy voters.

Ho, who collaborated with Stillman and actress/singer Tia Carrere on last year's Grammy-winning Best Hawaiian Music Album, teamed up again to lead the list of nominees announced yesterday for this year's award. Artists from all five album nominees announced yesterday have been nominated in previous years.

Ho, however, is the only nominee to have had a hand in winning the first three Grammy Awards in the category, now in its fourth year. It includes both vocals and instrumentals.

This year's nominees for best album are:

• " 'Ikena," Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho (Daniel Ho Creations);

• " 'Aumakua," Amy Hanaiali'i (Ua Records/Concord);

• "Force Of Nature," Led Kaapana & Mike Kaawa (Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa);

• "Hawaiian Slack Key Kings Masters Series Vol. II," various artists, Chris Lau & Milton Lau, producers (Rhythm And Roots Records);

• And "The Spirit Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar," various artists, Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku Jr., Dennis Kamakahi, Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers (Daniel Ho Creations).

Winners will be announced in February.

Also nominated for a Grammy yesterday was Saint Louis High School graduate Dean Pitchford. Pitchford was nominated in the Best Spoken Word Album For Children for "The Big One-Oh."

The list of Grammy nominees for Hawaiian music didn't seem to surprise people in the Hawaiian music industry when it was released yesterday.

"The only surprises may be the big names missing — Brothers Cazimero, Eddie Kamae and the Sons of Hawaii, Na Leo Pilimehana — since they too have been well-promoted on the Mainland," said Alan Yamamoto of Cox Radio. "Amy Hanaiali'i may be interesting to watch this year because she's also on the Concord Records label on the Mainland. Some of it comes down to exposure to Grammy voters. Maybe that will help her."

Stillman believes all of this year's nominees have one common bond in that they all took risks.

"Our CD is all in Hawaiian language and that's the first time Daniel has ever done that," she said. "Amy (Hanaiali'i) took chances on this album and they paid off. She has such an unbelievable voice and the way they put this together is incredible."

Hanaiali'i, who will be performing Saturday at the Honolulu City Lights festival, was on a plane back from Japan yesterday when she learned of her nomination.

"It means a lot," she said. "I have a new manager now and I'm trying to expand myself more. Aumakua is a very, very powerful thing to Hawaiians. It's the embodiment of spirit, a protector or guardian. I did this album half in English, half in Hawaiian so that people can learn from it."

Of all the songs on Aumakua, Hanaiali'i is most proud of her revision of the John Fogerty classic "Have You Ever Seen the Rain." Matt Catingub and the Honolulu Symphony perform for all the songs on Aumakua.

"When you hear that song it has a whole new meaning to when John sang it," she said. "It means so much to me. Rain has always been a big part of my life and it comes out in this song. Hawaiian music has been around for so long I'm just glad we have this category and a chance to share it with everyone."

This is Hanaiali'i's third nomination. Should she win, she'll be the first vocalist to earn the award, something many followers of Hawaiian music believe is long overdue.

Leah Bernstein, president of Mountain Apple Company, said she was disappointed that slack key performers continue to dominate the category.

"What I'm disappointed in is I don't think the committee that chooses the final five is well-versed in Hawaiian music," Bernstein said. "If you're looking at the final list compared to initial compilations (submitted to be nominated, about 28 this year), there are a lot of people who do as good of work as the repeat nominees. I don't want to disparage any of them, I just want to know how they reach the voters."

Stillman believes it's a matter of time before a vocalist picks up the award.

"Two years ago four of five nominees were slack key related," she said. "This year there are two that have nothing to do with slack key. There's a growing recognition of Hawaiian music."

Ho and Carrere are helping with that recognition.

Carrere, who was in Hollywood when she learned of this year's nomination, said by phone that she was honored to be nominated but passed the credit to Ho and Stillman, who worked with her long distance on Hawaiian language.

"I'm honored to be the first to give my voice to their songs," she said. "I'm glad to be there with them."

Carrere also posted a note on her Web site that she just completed writing the Rell Sun life story and will be playing the legendary queen of Makaha in the film.

Ho, meanwhile, called the Grammy wins three of the "highest points in my career.

"It's a wonderful feeling for someone who works independently to be recognized in a national way," the 1986 St. Louis High School graduate said. "It's a big surprise and I'm honored, flattered. It's an incredible list of nominees."