Nearly 10 years ago, I interviewed ukulele player Bill Tapia at his Southern California home for the first issue of the Ukulele Occasional. It was an afternoon filled with priceless stories of fellow musicians, Hollywood celebrities, the early history of the uke and so much more. Here was someone who played the iconic Royal Hawaiian Hotel in 1927, for the famed establishment’s opening night celebration. Even though he was over 90 years old, Tapia was as sharp as a tack and was still a musical virtuoso.

Today, I heard the news that Bill Tapia has passed away at 103. I’m both sad and happy. 103 is a long life and Tapia lived it to the fullest. Next week, I’m going to do my best to republish that interview from the UO on this site (it exists on an ancient hard drive that may require some coaxing). In the meantime, I just want to raise a glass to a life well lived and to one of the ukulele world’s classiest individuals. Rest in peace, Bill.