Interviews

1. Living in Hawaii after Pearl Harbor

2. Mother taught him how to play the ukulele

3. Inspired to play ukulele after hearing Eddie Kamae

4. How he got on the All-Navy show on Ed Sullivan

5. Friend convinced him to make a record

6. Number 1 Hit "Sushi"

7. Playing 3 shows a night in Waikiki

8. "Song for Anna"

9. Performing in Japan

Ohta,Herb

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

Friend convinced him to make a record

But when I came out of the Marine Corps, I realized that I played differently. You know, either I matured in my playing or because I didn’t play for a long time, just listening to music as you gradually, you know, came around…

my classmate, there was a classmate that went to St Lucy, he's gone already but, name was [Gailin Cam ?], you know, a local Chinese boy, really a exaggerating person, but he's a really happy guy and makes you feel happy, and he told me, "Herb, you played the ukulele all your life, all through school, you used to play for assemblies and all that, you know. Why don't you make a record?" And that's how it started.

So I said, "Who do I see?" He said, "Don't worry, I going to introduce you." You know. So he introduced me to [Dom McDermott?] (Hula Records) who's also the rep for Capitol Records at that time, and I played for him, and he said, "Okay. Any time. You tell me when you're ready and I'll record you."

Hawaii music musical instruments musicians ukulele United States

Date: August 2012

Location: Hawai`i, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

78-years-old, is known by ukulele fans in Japan and around the world as "Ohta-san." Ohta-san is a master ukulele player who learned to play the instrument from his mother in the pre-World War II era in Honolulu. He played a major role in popularizing the ukulele in the 1960s and 70s, expanding the repertoire of the instrument beyond Hawai`ian songs to include international pop and jazz. In his interview, Ohta-san vividly demonstrates his stylistic development by playing excerpts from songs that were significant to his career. (June 2014)