Slack key legend Ledward Kaapana not only nails the Dick Dale surfing standard, but he even breaks into "Ghost Riders in the Sky" for good measure.
Dancing Cat records has a great history of the genre, which developed from Hawaii's unique cowboy (paniolo) culture:
From the start, slack key guitar became a significant part of the music that the paniolo played after work or with families and friends at gatherings, and this paniolo tradition continues today on the Big Island and Maui. Many guitarists choose to play just for family and friends rather than playing professionally or recording. George Kuo, reflecting on his slack key mentors, points out, "Sometimes the older players would lock into a groove (keep the same tempo and feeling) and stay there all night." This can sometimes be heard in the playing of Ray Kane and Ni'ihau guitarist Malaki Kanahele.
It's really great instrumental music, but the lyrics of the traditional songs are also just fantastic, where they lament about standard cowboy stuff as well as local problems, like in "Kaula 'Ili," said to be about a paniolo on horseback falls into in a lava tube hidden by tall grass.
This is a nice compilation you can check out fee with Prime:
• Ledward Kaapana "Pipeline" (YouTube / Slack Key Show – Napili)
