MAUI, HAWAII (April 12, 2023) – Pacific Biodiesel founders Bob and Kelly King along with Mana‘o Radio 91.7FM KMNO today announced that multi-platinum music producer, artist manager and event producer Kerry Brown, headliner for the Sunflower Farm Music Fest, will record the all-day live music event and produce a limited edition vinyl LP. Each person who purchases a ticket to the event will receive a copy of the vinyl record compliments of Licorice Pizza Records. The Sunflower Farm Music Fest, which will raise funds to support Hawaii’s food hubs to help farmers expand local food production, will take place in a blooming field of sunflowers at the Kings’ family farm in Maui’s Central Valley on Saturday, April 22 (Earth Day) from 9AM to 5PM.

“This has never been done before – a live concert event recorded in a blooming sunflower field on Maui. It’s a rare experience we’re creating that people can come enjoy and take part in as we support Hawaii’s farmers and help move the needle on local food production,” Brown said. “I’m honored that Licorice Pizza Records can support this important local cause in this way.” The vinyl records will be pressed at Brown’s Licorice Pizza Records – an independent label, record store and vinyl pressing plant in Studio City, CA. Images from local photographers and artists at the event will tell the story of the day and be featured in the original design for the record sleeve.

Brown will headline the Sunflower Farm Music Fest with his “Licorice Pizza Jam Session” with special guest bandmates including singer/songwriter Julia Gargano and others to be announced – adding another exciting aspect to the day-long event. “A jam session is where new music is born, where the seeds of song ideas are formed,” he said. “Playing at this farm surrounded by blooming sunflowers – I’m sure a new song or two will emerge. You’ll have to come see who shows up to jam with us. We’ll play until the sunflowers tell us to go home!”

Brown, who owns a home in Haiku, was drawn to this Earth Day event to help support food security in Hawaii. “Coming together, collaborating and standing up for causes we believe in – that’s what music culture is all about. And that’s what our Maui community is about,” Brown said. “The way our paths came together to collaborate on this event is also very “Maui” – it was a series of serendipitous connections with people who all care about Maui, local farmers and this important cause.”

In addition to the event’s headliner “Licorice Pizza Jam Session with Kerry Brown and Friends,” other Maui musicians scheduled to perform at this event include George Kahumoku Jr, Drew Martin, Sting Kong, Soul Kitchen, Brown Chicken Brown Cow String Band, The Lonely Hearts – Beatles and Beyond, and Marty Dread with Gretchen Rhodes & The House Shakers. Benny Uyetake, who was previously scheduled for a solo performance at the event, will now perform in Brown’s highly anticipated jam session headliner set.

Award winning music and event producer Kerry Brown will headline the Sunflower Farm Music Fest on Earth Day with his "Licorice Pizza Jam Session." Photo courtesy of Kerry Brown; Photo by Kristin Burns

Four-time Grammy-winning musician, master slack key guitarist and Nā Hōkū Hanohano (Hawaiian Grammy) Lifetime Achievement Award winner "Uncle" George Kahumoku Jr. has just written an original sunflower-themed song inspired by the cause that he will perform live at the event. His song, written in English and Hawaiian, will be performed as a singalong with the audience; the recording will be featured on the vinyl record of the event. "I've written 3,000 songs and chants in my career. We are now preparing to move to the mainland to be closer to my grandchildren so I wanted to write this song to leave as my legacy for Maui. My background is in visual arts and writing, but my heart and soul has always been in farming. I've always enjoyed gardening, and growing food for the homeless. Now I’m looking forward to this next chapter when I will have more time to draw and write," said Kahumoku Jr.

“This recording by Kerry Brown gives our event a whole new dimension. It’s going to be a visual and sonic snapshot of our Maui community, the people who care about local farmers, local musicians and the food security cause. A record will historically memorialize this day for all of us; it’s really special,” said Justin Morris, a Maui musician and sound engineer whose band Brown Chicken Brown Cow String Band will perform at the event. “This vinyl record will be something my daughter can hold and listen to 10 years from now to learn the story of what we did together on this day.”

This all-day fundraiser event will benefit Hawaii Food Hub Hui’s 14 food hubs around the state that help local farmers grow more and earn more for their efforts as they produce healthy local food for Hawaii's families. Hawaii Food Hub Hui has a goal to triple the output of Hawaii’s food hubs by 2025. This daylong festival will directly support the Hawaii Food Hub Hui’s 2023 target to raise $3 million to fund high priority needs for Hawaii’s food hubs, including supply chain logistics such as refrigerated delivery trucks, construction of walk-in freezers and other storage at food hub warehouses, and processing equipment for value-added food products that help farmers expand their revenue and minimize food waste. The event will also raise funds for non-profit Mana‘o Radio, Maui’s only independent, commercial-free, all-volunteer radio station celebrating its 21st anniversary this year.

During this zero-waste event, attendees will be able to view and photograph the sunflowers, take part in farm tours, visit the on-site Farm Stand and enjoy unique food experiences that showcase the food hub model.

Parking is a $5/car cash donation at the gate and will benefit the American Red Cross, whose Maui chapter volunteers will help staff the event and medic tent. A complimentary cut sunflower bloom will be given for each parking donation.

Manaʻo Radio Board President Michael Elam stands with Kelly and Bob King, Pacific Biodiesel's founders, in a blooming sunflower field at the Kings' farm in Maui's Central Valley, where this benefit concert will be held on April 22. Photo Credit: Mike Sidney Photography

Tickets are on sale now for $100 – and 100% of ticket proceeds and donations will benefit the cause thanks to the generosity of event sponsors: Roland, Michael & Deborah Rybak, Hawaiian Electric, Maui Tropical Plantation, Fairmont Kea Lani, King Power, Pacific Current, Gay & Robinson and Maui Screen Printing.

Seating is limited and tickets must be purchased online in advance. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.Biodiesel.com or www.ManaoRadio.com or call 808.866.5101.

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ABOUT HAWAII FOOD HUB HUI

A working group of the non-profit Hawaii Good Food Alliance, the Hawai‘i Food Hub Hui (HFHH) was established in 2017 and today encompasses 14 food hubs around the state that provide vital support to small- and medium-sized local farms by working to aggregate, store, process and distribute locally grown, culturally preferred foods to Hawaii’s residents. The nation’s only food hub group of its kind, HFHH aims to raise capacity of Hawaii’s food hubs systemically by fundraising, coordinating market opportunity, advocating for policy and legislative change, and providing technical assistance to food hubs. To realize that vision, HFHH works to grow and expand connections between local farmers and food hubs, coordinate access to wholesale markets and institutions, and solve infrastructure needs of food hubs to fill gaps along the local supply chain. With further investment, food hubs alone will have the capacity to increase in-state food production by at least 10% over the next 10 years – supporting other food security initiatives underway statewide. Within the next five years, HFHH’s aim is to raise $50 million to grow food hub revenue to $300 million by 2030. Learn more at https://hawaiigoodfoodalliance.org/projects/food-hub-hui/

ABOUT MAIDEN HAWAII NATURALS, LLC

Maiden Hawaii Naturals, LLC was created by Bob and Kelly King, founders of Maui-based Pacific Biodiesel. The Kings are sustainably farming sunflowers, hemp and other crops in Maui’s central valley, demonstrating a diversified agriculture and renewable energy model that supports greater energy security and food security in Hawaii. Their farming operation is free of pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs, and is the state’s only farm powered entirely by 100% biodiesel. Maiden Hawaii Naturals produces natural culinary-grade oils made from locally grown ingredients; the company also manufactures and distributes Kuleana® beauty products and cosmetic ingredients, including Full Spectrum Hemp Extract. Learn more at www.MaidenHawaiiNaturals.com and www.KuleanaCBD.com.

ABOUT KERRY BROWN

Award-winning multi-platinum music producer, artist manager, and event producer Kerry Brown is involved in the marketing and production of over 50 million records sold. A musician, Brown began his career as a drummer and performed with The Smashing Pumpkins. Throughout his career, he has worked with hundreds of music partners and collaborated with iconic superstars such as Miley Cyrus, Ziggy Marley, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, Courtney Love, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode and Jason Mraz among many others.

He has produced, executive produced and consulted on numerous high-level entertainment projects. His knowledge of emerging digital trends is also extensive and was used in his production of the live multimedia show for Pepsi’s 2014 Superbowl’s celebration #PEPCITY as well as in the #808 & #909 day for Roland. Kerry also produced Santa Barbara’s legendary Starry Nites Festival, and ONE LOVE MALIBU that featured Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani, Rita Ora, Joe Walsh, Robin Thicke, Rick Springfield, Alanis Morissette, Macy Gray, and more which raised $1 million+ for the recovery of the Malibu fire areas. Brown has also partnered with The Art of Elysium to bring their gala "HEAVEN IS ROCK AND ROLL” to life at the Hollywood Palladium, reuniting the surviving members of Nirvana (Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear) with St. Vincent, Beck and Violet Grohl as well as L7 and Cheap Trick.

Additionally, Brown’s Rolling Live Studios, founded in 2020, has produced more than 150 live virtual events. In the past year alone, Brown has been at the forefront of producing live virtual events in partnership with The Recording Academy, MusiCares, National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), Chrysalis, The Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation, The Motion Picture Television Fund, Los Angeles City College Foundation, Save the Children to name a few. Kerry’s most illustrious partnership has been with WME’s Partner Richard Weitz and Demi Weitz in helping produce RWQuarantunes which has help raised over $30 million for various charities benefiting different causes which included Cedars-Sinai, Broadway Cares, MusiCares, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Girls Inc., The Pad Project, Saban Community Clinic, & Make-A-Wish Foundation.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Joy Galatro

Marketing Director

Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, LLC

jgalatro@biodiesel.com

808.866.5104