In 1959 his family moved to Honolulu on Oahu Island. 　　He had Polio when he was about 7 or 8 years old. 　　He spent much of the next 10 years in the hospital. 　　His first instrument was the ukulele. 　　As a teen he loved playing blues and was in his high school band. 　　He works at Tamashiro's Market.