Celebrated Hawaii musician to perform at this weekend’s Maui Ukulele Festival

This Sunday will welcome the 7th Annual Maui Ukulele Festival at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului on Maui’s North shore. At this free annual event, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., festivalgoers are invited to roll out a blanket and set up some chairs for an afternoon full of ukulele music. There will also be food booths and door prizes.

This year’s fest will showcase some of Hawaii’s rising stars as well as top ukulele players, such as world-famous Herb Ohta, Sr. (pictured, right). Also known as Ohta-San, Ohta is touted in ukulele circles as “the first, the most, the best” among ukulele musicians. Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum states that no one has done more to explore and expand ukulele music during the second half of the 20th century. In addition to his hall-of-fame induction in 2006, Ohta has won four Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawaii music industry’s equivalent to the Grammys). The awards were for his 1981 Island Favorites album and a 1987 album titled Ohta-San. Also, Ohta  is a recipient of the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii award.

For more information about the 7th Annual Maui Ukulele Festival click here.