Roy Sakuma

Roy Sakuma (born Jan 22, 1947) is regarded as one of the most influential ukulele teachers ever, credited for sparking new generations of ukulele players and virtuosos like Jake Shimabukuro who got his start as a young student at Roy Sakuma Studios.

In the 1960's, as America latched onto the larger, louder, more swaggering guitar, Hawaii's little instrument was relegated to the attic.

The ukulele was in near oblivion.

Very few people were interested in the ukulele.

But Roy Sakuma knew the instrument's true worth and refused to forsake the ukulele.

After all, it had turned his young life around.

Roy grew up in a home with mental illness.

His mother suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, his brother suffered from the same illness and committed suicide.

By the age of 14, confused by his home life and the teasing by his peers about his congenital ear deformity, Roy dropped out of school.

Then he heard the hit song, “Sushi”, on the radio by ukulele virtuoso Herb “Ohta-San” Ohta, the most prolific ukulele recording artist of his time.

"Sushi" was the #1 song for two weeks in Hawaii and also featured on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.

Sakuma sought him out and became an avid student.

Under the guidance and mentorship of Ohta-San, a whole new world direction and discipline opened up to him.

Roy quickly proved himself a stellar student, practicing eight to ten hours a day and set out to become the best ukulele player in the world.

Then Ohta-San asked him to teach his classes while he went on a concert tour in Japan.

Sakuma discovered that his true calling was not in performing but in teaching and sharing the joy of the ukulele.

More than just a teacher, Roy Sakuma is a preserver of Hawaiian culture and music.

While working as a groundskeeper at Kapiolani Park for the City & Count of Honolulu, Sakuma would dream of showcasing the ukulele's versatility and virtuosity with a free concert in the park with the noble goal of ensuring the world would come to love the ukulele.

This was at a time when the ukulele was thought of as a toy and everyone wanted to play the guitar.

Under the guidance of mentor and friend, Moroni Medeiros at City Hall, Roy presented the world's first and original ukulele festival with the support of sponsors, local musicians, volunteers and friends.

The annual Ukulele Festival at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki became a summer tradition and grew into the largest ukulele festival in the world featuring ukulele players from around the world.

The highlight of the event is the ukulele orchestra of more than 800 - mostly children.

Notable ukulele artists that have participated are Eddie Kamae, Ohta San, Lyle Ritz, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, Troy Fernandez, and Jake Shimabukuro.

National celebrities include singer-songwriter James Ingram, Jack Johnson (musician), and jazz guitarist, Howard Roberts.

Today, there are ukulele festivals all over the world.

Sakuma launched what is considered to be the first major ukulele festival in 1971, an annual event in Honolulu that continued for 52 years.

He is well known in Hawaii for creating the Roy Sakuma Method, an alphabet-based ukulele instructional course that simplified how students read--and play--music.

The Roy Sakuma Ukulele Studios opened in 1974.

Since then, Roy and his wife, Kathy, have kept Hawaii's cultural mainstay alive by expanding their teaching studios to four locations with their staff of instructors of former students.

The Roy Sakuma Method of Ukulele Instruction has brought music to generations of ukulele players and has fostered amateur and professional players alike, many who have gone on to become well-known artists, including Paula Fuga, and Jake Shimabukuro.

As a producer of award-winning albums, Roy Sakuma has brought the versatility of the ukulele to a much wider audience.

The Roy Sakuma Productions record label is home to an eclectic, refreshing collection of musical styles connecting us to the heart and soul of Hawaii's rich musical heritage.

Award winning artists range from the island contemporary sounds of Ka'au Crater Boys, the ukulele virtuosity of Ohta San and Herb Ohta, Jr., the jazz compositions of drummer Noel Okimoto, and the traditional Hawaiian sounds of Holunape.

On October 24, 1976, Roy married Kathy Kawano.

Together they have dedicated their lives to spreading the joy of the ukulele, preserving interest in the ukulele, and sharing their message of laughter, love, and hope.

They see a need for students to not only know the music of the ukulele, but to be healed and whole as they face struggles in their lives.

Roy Sakuma volunteers his time speaking to school children, sharing candidly about his life experiences regarding mental illness, bullying, suicide, overcoming insecurity.

Ukulele Festival Hawaii celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020 with a television documentary hosted by Roy Sakuma and Jake Shimabukuro

After 52 years, Ukulele Festival Hawaii and founders Roy & Kathy Sakuma celebrated their final event in 2022.

Dream fulfilled!