Born: Waipi‘o Valley, Big Island of Hawai‘i
Hawaiian Steel Guitar - Master

"Now there are more steel guitar players in the Mainland and Japan than there are in Hawai‘i. So that’s what I’m trying to do...is to restore and maintain it in Hawai‘i."

Hawaiian steel guitar is a special Hawaiian contribution to the world of music. The sound of the steel guitar is created by sliding a metal bar along the strings. Placement of the bar produces many sounds. By the early 1900s, this new playing style had become an important part of Hawaiian musical groups. In the 1930s, Hawaiian music tours, recordings, movies and mail-order courses helped to popularize the steel guitar around the world. Soon the steel guitar found its way into other styles of music including jazz, blues, and especially country. Today the steel guitar remains an important instrument in Hawaiian music.