Jake Shimabukuro
Occupation: Professional musician
What school you grad? Kaimukī High School ‘94
Location: Kaimukī, Oahu
Jake Shimabukuro, a world-renowned ‘ukulele virtuoso, began his musical journey at the age of 4, learning to play from his mother. Over the years, he has garnered international acclaim, earning more than a dozen Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards as a solo artist and as a member of the group Pure Heart. With over 20 albums to his name, Shimabukuro has collaborated with celebrated artists such as Jack Johnson, Paula Fuga, Willie Nelson and Mick Fleetwood. In recognition of his contributions to the arts, President Joe Biden nominated him in 2021 to serve on the National Council on the Arts. In August, he returned to Washington Middle School, his alma mater, to perform for students and unveil a newly renovated bandroom with the support of the Good Tidings Foundation. Shimabukuro shared that the bandroom played a pivotal role in shaping him as both a musician and a student, making the moment especially meaningful.
Q: Briefly describe your journey after high school.
A: I’ve been a professional musician since I was in my late teens, early 20s. It’s always been my passion. I feel very grateful that I’ve been able to continue doing it for a long time now.
Q: What are you up to these days?
A: I’m still touring and doing music. I don’t get to play as much in Hawai‘i, but we do tour around the country, around Japan. We go to Asia a lot. And every other year we do a tour in Europe so it’s been very nice because the ‘ukulele has become so popular all over the world. That’s opened up many opportunities for people like myself who play the instrument, to go and travel, and bring this music to other communities.
Q: What makes you #PublicSchoolProud?
A: A school is a school. But what makes the school special are the teachers and the faculty and the people who curate the school and who believe in the students and believe in what they do. They have a passion for teaching. That’s why when I think of Washington (Middle School) and my experience here, I don’t just think of the hallways or the bandroom, but I think of very specific teachers and moments where they sat down with me and took the time to share something with me or to listen to me or to help me with something.
Q: Why did you choose this career path and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: I never had any dreams of being a professional musician. I always loved (music) but it just kind of evolved into a career because I think when I was younger, I just never had the confidence that I was good enough. I just loved it so much so I would just play all the time. When an opportunity would come up, I would just be, ‘Sure, I’d be honored to play it.’ I found that I really had a passion for performing in front of people because it connected me with people in a way that was very different from just trying to go out and meet people.
Q: What makes you #PublicSchoolProud?
A: A school is a school. But what makes the school special are the teachers and the faculty and the people who curate the school and who believe in the students and believe in what they do. They have a passion for teaching. That’s why when I think of Washington (Middle School) and my experience here, I don’t just think of the hallways or the bandroom, but I think of very specific teachers and moments where they sat down with me and took the time to share something with me or to listen to me or to help me with something.
Q: What type of extracurricular activities were you involved in?
A: Band and student government at Washington Middle and Kaimukī High School.
Q: Name of a teacher or mentor you’d like to thank?
에이: Diana Tajiri. I got to speak with her on the phone recently. She’s 81 now. She was my English teacher (at Washington Middle) and she really made a big impact in my life. John Inferrera, my former Washington P.E. teacher, I have a lot of fun memories from his class. Stephen Hamm, my former Washington band director — that’s where it all started for me. This school, for me, really opened the doors.
Q: What advice do you have for students?
A: I always talk about being humble, being grateful, being kind and finding their passion. Find your passion, whatever it is, and don’t be afraid to put in the work, to put in the time, even through the struggles and challenges. My last message, always to the kids, is to be drug free. I’m very grateful that I’ve been drug free my whole life. I just want to encourage kids, just want to remind them that you don’t need drugs in your life.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add or share?
A: To all the musicians out there: my favorite piece of advice is you need to be a good person first, and a good musician second.
