Aloha, ya’ll

You wouldn’t expect Don Ho to sing “Tiny Bubbles” at a good ole-fashioned country hoedown, but it’s not as far-fetched as it seems.

Close your eyes and think of Hawaii. That soothing sound sound you undoubtedly hear? Well, that’s the ocean. But that other sound floating on the breeze—that’s the steel guitar, an indigenous Hawaiian invention that has influenced country, blues, and rock music since the turn of the 20th century. This time on Sidedoor, we follow a familiar sound with an unexpected origin and learn how the steel guitar helped Hawaiians preserve their culture and change American popular music.

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