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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 12:30 p.m., Thursday, February 14, 2008

Hear some of top 20 love songs at Hawaii festival

Advertiser Staff

It's official. "At Last" is a romantic song. In fact, it's officially one of the 20 most romantic songs, according to a vote by more than 150 music industry heavy hitters.

The top-20 list, released today, includes a few swoony classics that drip romance like "I've Got a Crush on You," "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "The Very Thought of You," a couple of upbeat east-on-the-schmaltz tunes like "I Say a Little Prayer" and a few picks that could also be anthems for platonic affection like "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "What A Wonderful World."

The lovey-dovey song list will be performed by various visiting artists during the second annual Hawaii Romance Festival, scheduled for May 2 through 11.

The 10-day event, which was founded by Honolulu Symphony Pops conductor Matt Cattingub, will feature a series of concerts and other events dedicated to all things romantic.

Celebrity parents Nick and Nina Clooney (George is their son) will host two concerts featuring songs from the list sung by Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes-Mitchell and local musical guests. The concerts will be held May 7 and 8 at the Hawaii Theatre. Tickets range from $25 to $90 and are available through the Hawaii Theatre box office and online at hawaiitheatre.com.

More than 150 music industry experts including songwriters, music publishers, singers, music historians and journalists selected the first set of 20 most romantic songs in 2006. Each year, through 2011, 20 songs will be added to the list to create a master list of the 100 most romantic songs ever written.

For a complete list of this year's picks for the most romantic songs ever written, visit http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com/sceneit.php/2008/02/14/the_soundtrack_of_love.