Jesse Kalima

Jesse Kaleihia Andre Kalima was born in Honolulu on October 31, 1920, at a time when the ukulele was just becoming recognized for its capability to be played as a solo instrument. At age 15, Kalima burst into the public music scene, and established himself as the man credited with accelerating the development of the solo ukulele, when he won the Hawaii amateur ukulele championship by playing the march "Stars and Stripes Forever". Hawaii's ukulele virtuoso, Jesse Kalima, left the gift of a lifetime devoted to the uke when he died on July 13, 1980.

The Hawaii House of Representatives passed a House Resolution in 1981 honoring his memory and artistic achievements.

References

• Herb Ohta Jr, Appreciation of History, 2011