Ukulele manufacturers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Jake Shimabukuro.

It’s not that many years ago that the little uke was really only seen in old movies (think Elvis Presley in the 1961 film “Blue Hawaii”) and at luaus. Sure musicians including the Beatles’ George Harrison loved it, but you wouldn’t see many people aspiring to play it. Now you can’t go to a music festival, certainly not an Americana one, anyway, and not stumble upon at least a vendor or two selling all manners of ukes. That all changed when Shimabukuro broke loose after years of playing.

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