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All About Zion Thompson
This Eastside O?ahu native is an award-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter whose easy going ways and wicked onstage riffs have made him a staple in Hawai?i’s reggae scene for decades. A founding member of The Green, Zion and his crew gig hard, tour hard, play hard and love their fans hard as one of the most well-travelled Hawai?i bands to date. You can’t miss him: his iconic dreads, soulful voice and bare feet have graced stages all across the US and internationally in Japan, New Zealand and beyond.
Zion has recently become a daddy (congratulations, Brother!) and shares his quips on love, life and music on his Explicit Aloha podcast. Be ready for hilarity, musings, grumblings and a few F bombs every Aloha Friday.
Accomplishments & Accolades
“The Green was formed in 2009 with Caleb Keolanui (lead and backing vocals), Ikaika Antone (keyboards, lead and backing vocals), JP Kennedy (lead and backing vocals, guitar), Zion Thompson (lead and backing vocals, guitar) and Brad Watanabe (backing vocals, bass, keyboards, guitar, drums). Drummer Jordan Espinoza joined in 2011, replacing Leslie Ludiazo, who remains the band’s musical director. The Green’s self-titled debut was recognized by iTunes as the Best Reggae Album of 2010. In 2014, the band received three prestigious N? H?k? Hanohano awards (considered Hawaii's equivalent of the Grammys): Group of the Year, Reggae Album of the Year and Entertainer of the Year. They’ve also had three albums released via Easy Star Records that topped the Billboard Reggae Album chart, 2011’s Ways and Means (which spent four weeks at number one), 2013's Hawaii 13, and 2017’s Marching Orders, which stayed in the top 10 for 18 consecutive weeks, regaining the no. 1 spot three separate times. Marching Orders was distinguished as the Best Reggae Album at the 2018 N? H?k? Hanohano awards. In 2019, The Green released an acoustic set of their greatest hits, Black & White, the same year they were named Group of the Year at Hawaii’s Island Music Awards.” (From the official website of The Green)
Brand New Eyes, the band’s six and latest studio album, was released November 2021 with a major tour follow up in 2022. Topping charts worldwide, one can find their music easily on all streaming platforms and in hard copy via The Green’s website. Keep an eye out for more from Zion and his new KSR Super Tenor and The Green!
