Herb Ohta

Background

Ohta was a boy when he was taught his first three chords on the ukulele by his mother.

Career

He is also known as "Ohta-San" in Japan and other Asian countries, which is a title of respect for the musician. Three years later he met Eddie Kamae on the beach, at the time considered the best ukulele player in the world, and became his student. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served ten years.

While stationed in Japan as an interpreter, Ohta made his first recordings and played a number of events.

He was a guest on the Editor Sullivan Show in 1955. In 1964 he succeeded in having a hit song with the single Sushi and signed a five-year contract with Decca Records.

Among Ohta-san"s students was Roy Sakuma, who founded the Annual Hawaiian Ukulele Festival. Recognized by many as the world"s most diversified Ukulele player.

Recording music that is categorized as People’s Music, Romantic Music, Jazz, Traditional Hawaiian music and with orchestras.

He was inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame in 2006. The first collaboration for Herb Ohta and Andre Popp was released in the United States by Agricultural and Mechanical Records. The album titled "Song Foreign Anna", was released in 1973 and sold more than 6 million copies internationally.

The ukulele became a blended and solo voice with the orchestrations that appealed to the romantic side of music

The album was followed by another titled "Feelings" in 1975. He has recorded numerous albums from traditional Hawaiian to Classical, People’s and other genres.

In 2001, Herb Ohta joined forces with Lyle Ritz and released an album titled Night of Ukulele Jazz Live at McCabe"son The two were considered top performers, but had managed to miss each other for decades, though both were familiar with the other"s works.

Both played Martin Ukuleles for the recording, Ohta playing a standard size, and Ritz a tenor, which he switched off with a tenor Ko"olau.

Herb"s son, Herb Ohta, Junior., carries on the ukulele tradition.

Achievements

• He entered an amateur contest at age 9 and won the $10 first prize.