What started as a passion has turned into a full-blown career for professional ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro.
Growing up in Hawaii, Shimabukuro's mother taught him how to play the rare instrument as a young boy.
In 2005 his life changed after a Youtube clip of him playing George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" went viral and turned him into an international star.
SOUNDBITE: Jake Shimabukuro, musician, saying, (English):
"I mean all of this has been unexpected - when I was growing up there was no such thing as a solo touring ukulele player, so it's very new to me."
The ukulele is not a very common instrument outside of Hawaii, but Shimabukuro says that's part of what attracted him to the strings.
SOUNDBITE: Jake Shimabukuro, musician, saying, (English):
"I tell people all the time that the best thing about being a ukulele player or a touring ukulele player is that audiences all over the world have such low expectations of the music. And I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. Especially for me, a lot less pressure being on stage, not like being a classical violinist or something there."
And although the native Hawaiian has attracted worldwide fame, he says recognition will never measure up to the serenity he gets from playing the ukulele.
SOUNDBITE: Jake Shimabukuro, musician, saying, (English):
"I tell people sometimes that the ukulele is the instrument of peace and if everyone played it the world would be a better place."
Alicia Powell, Reuters.
