I used to have a page on my website, but the site is down for the time being.
Here is a photo of him with the Sakura Serenaders. He's the smiling man on the left:
He served during World War II, was stationed in Vienna, Austria, met a lady, fell in love, and thus the creation of ma dukes. My grandfather always loved music, and even when he was stationed in Vienna, he played:
He's the one on the bass. Outside of guitar and bass, he also played 'ukulele and a bit of steel guitar. When he moved back home, he had a job at Pearl Harbor (he eventually became a foreman) but like a lot of people, he played music to make ends meet. He would eventually join The Sakura Serenaders, who would play in Japan in the early 1950's and from what he told me, they released a few 78's. I'm still looking for a lead to that.
He loved music, he loved ladies, and that would cause some tension in the household, and in time he and my "Omama" would separate and live separate lives. But he was a hard ass, and I had that "fear of grandpa". Very hard worker, very healthy up until his last few years. Every Saturday, he would drive around to find some huli-huli chicken, and every Sunday he would play his records, or turn on the radio to hear KCCN. It was his ritual. Safe to say that with all of that music around, it had a very big influence on me.
He was very secretive, so unfortunately what I know of him is what he told his kids, and he didn't tell them much either. He simply wanted better for his kids, even when his kids did things he disagreed with, maybe wanting all of them to not have to deal with the bullshit he had to deal with as a kid and an adult.
Comments
Here is a photo of him with the Sakura Serenaders. He's the smiling man on the left:
He served during World War II, was stationed in Vienna, Austria, met a lady, fell in love, and thus the creation of ma dukes. My grandfather always loved music, and even when he was stationed in Vienna, he played:
http://img313.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grandpabandvienna4lz.jpg
He's the one on the bass. Outside of guitar and bass, he also played 'ukulele and a bit of steel guitar. When he moved back home, he had a job at Pearl Harbor (he eventually became a foreman) but like a lot of people, he played music to make ends meet. He would eventually join The Sakura Serenaders, who would play in Japan in the early 1950's and from what he told me, they released a few 78's. I'm still looking for a lead to that.
He loved music, he loved ladies, and that would cause some tension in the household, and in time he and my "Omama" would separate and live separate lives. But he was a hard ass, and I had that "fear of grandpa". Very hard worker, very healthy up until his last few years. Every Saturday, he would drive around to find some huli-huli chicken, and every Sunday he would play his records, or turn on the radio to hear KCCN. It was his ritual. Safe to say that with all of that music around, it had a very big influence on me.
He was very secretive, so unfortunately what I know of him is what he told his kids, and he didn't tell them much either. He simply wanted better for his kids, even when his kids did things he disagreed with, maybe wanting all of them to not have to deal with the bullshit he had to deal with as a kid and an adult.