Ohta, Herbert Ichirō

Herbert Ichirō Ohta

Herb Ohta; Ohta-San; ウクレレの神様, 1934–

Of Japanese descent, born in Hawaii. Pupil of Eddie Kamae. Since the age of 15, he made appearances as an ukulele artist. From 1953 to 1963, he worked as a translator for the US Army in Korea and Japan.

In addition to Hawaiian music, he also interpreted Jazz, rock, pop, latin and classical music. Since the second half of the 1980s, he triggered the Second Boom with his regular appearances in Japan where he was nicknamed ウクレレの神様 (ukurere no kamisama, „god of the ukulele“). His best-known piece is „Song for Anna“.

References

  • Daniel Dixon, Jayne McKay: Ukulele: The World's Friendliest Instrument. Layton: Gibbs Smith (2011), S. 85-87 (ISBN: 9781423618126)

Videos


History of the Ukulele - 'Apanhei-te Cavaquinho' (2012)


Song for Anna


Song for Anna (1973/remastered)


Herb Ohta, Yamaguchi Iwao: A Spy in Love (2011)



Life on Hawaii after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor


Learning ukulele from his mother


Encounter with Eddie Kamae


Performing with Ed Sullivan


First record


The origins of Sushi


Performances in Waikiki


Song for Anna


About performing in Japan