It was two years ago today that Michael "musicguymic" Aratani passed away after a long struggle with health issues. Like many of my UU friends, I bought my first online 'ukulele (a Kala solid acacia tenor that now belongs to a friend) from his eBay store. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the Wine Country 'Ukulele Festival in September 2010, and I visited with him a few times after he closed his eBay store due to health issues and began working at Hawaiian Music Supply aka The Ukulele Site where, in October 2012, he sold me my treasured Kamaka 8-string baritone 'ukulele.
Those of you who are newer to UU and never met "MGM" either in person or in cyberspace should know that he was the heart and soul of, and the goodwill ambassador for, the 'ukulele community for many years before his passing. He was extremely helpful to and patient with people who, like me in 2009, wanted an 'ukulele but had no idea how to shop for one. He posted sample videos of most of the 'ukuleles he had access to on his YouTube channel, where he also posted infectiously fun "Aloha Friday" videos and video reports from 'ukulele festivals and from NAMM. I didn't know him very well, and I don't know that he would have thought of me as a friend, but he was such a big personality here on UU that I still miss him every day. I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the anniversary of his passing.
If you'd like to learn more about Michael, this thread, announcing his passing in 2013, is a good place to start.
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?87883-Just-lost-a-friend
If you'd like to remember, or meet, him through his videos, here's his YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/musicguymic
On the left, below, is Michael's UU avatar. On the right is a photo of Michael taken in September 2013 at the Wine Country Ukulele Festival in St. Helena. This is how I like to remember him, with a huge grin and radiating the spirit of Aloha.
Please take a moment today to keep Michael in your thoughts and prayers.
Those of you who are newer to UU and never met "MGM" either in person or in cyberspace should know that he was the heart and soul of, and the goodwill ambassador for, the 'ukulele community for many years before his passing. He was extremely helpful to and patient with people who, like me in 2009, wanted an 'ukulele but had no idea how to shop for one. He posted sample videos of most of the 'ukuleles he had access to on his YouTube channel, where he also posted infectiously fun "Aloha Friday" videos and video reports from 'ukulele festivals and from NAMM. I didn't know him very well, and I don't know that he would have thought of me as a friend, but he was such a big personality here on UU that I still miss him every day. I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the anniversary of his passing.
If you'd like to learn more about Michael, this thread, announcing his passing in 2013, is a good place to start.
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?87883-Just-lost-a-friend
If you'd like to remember, or meet, him through his videos, here's his YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/musicguymic
On the left, below, is Michael's UU avatar. On the right is a photo of Michael taken in September 2013 at the Wine Country Ukulele Festival in St. Helena. This is how I like to remember him, with a huge grin and radiating the spirit of Aloha.
Please take a moment today to keep Michael in your thoughts and prayers.
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