Herb Ohta
A retrospective of the accomplishments of Herb Ohta reads like a thesaurus entry for superlatives: the first, the most, the best. No one in the last half of the Twentieth Century did more to explore the musical possibilities of the ʻukulele — or expanded our vision of what those possibilities are — than Ohta-san. In a performing, recording, and teaching career spanning five decades he has created an unprecedented body of work and has arguably inspired and influenced more players than any other living ʻukulele virtuoso. His devotion as a kumu ʻukulele has had — and continues to have — an incalculable impact on the stature of the instrument worldwide and ultimately, as his students introduce new generations of players to the ʻukulele and its music, this may be his greatest legacy.
Herb Ohta is a name known around the world. He is certainly the most prolific ʻukulele recording artist of the 20th century, having recorded more ʻukulele music than any other person in history. His life's work has touched nearly every ʻukulele player of the last six decades.
After retiring from the Marines in the mid-1960s, Ohta was introduced to Don McDiarmid Jr., president of Hula Records. In his Hawaii debut, Ohta recorded the single "Sushi" as Ohta-San, a name selected by McDiarmid. The song became a #1 hit in Hawaii within weeks, and Ohta's recording career began.
In a 2006 interview for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Ohta estimated that he made about 10 albums for Hula Records, another 10 for the Poki recording company in Hawaii, another 30 in Japan, and a variety of recordings for Decca, Flea Market Music, and some European labels.
Ohta has won four Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, for his instrumental arrangements of "E Kuʻu Morning Dew" and "Honolulu City Lights," and for his 1981 album "Island Favorites" and his 1987 album "Ohta-San," one of the first released by Roy Sakuma's label.
His "Song for Anna," recorded in the 1970s, is Ohta's biggest international hit and one of the biggest-selling ʻukulele songs of all time. He revisited this hit as a guest player on a 2006 album recorded by his son, Herb Ohta Jr., and Daniel Ho.
Ohta received three honors in 2006: the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award as an ʻukulele virtuoso, the ʻUkulele Guild of Hawaii award as an ʻukulele treasure, and the ʻUkulele Hall of Fame induction.
Herb Ohta has a couple of interesting ties to the ʻUkulele Hall of Fame. The "Ohta-San model" ʻukulele is manufactured by the Kamaka family, who continue the ʻukulele-making tradition of Sam Kamaka Sr., 2000 Inductee to the Hall of Fame. In addition, Herb Ohta's mentor, the great Eddie Kamae, is a 2001 Inductee.