Arthur Nakane

Arthur Asao Nakane (born on February 19, 1937, in Japan) is a Los Angeles-based musician, songwriter, and screenwriter best known for being the subject of the 2000 documentary film Secret Asian Man and also being a star on the 2010 TV show America's Got Talent.

He is a modern-age one-man band with traditional (all live) style, utilizing electronic equipment, but without using any programmed, prerecorded or computer-generated music.

Nakane's trademark is not a particular song, or even his unique sound, but his playing style that provides a complete musical entertainment, with comic flair, which has impressed many well-known people including Jack Black, Roseanne Barr and Andrae Crouch.

He strikes two cymbals with a drumstick attached at the end of his guitar to accentuate the set beat of a drum machine, which is the only thing that is automatic.

Also that year he finally graduated from California State University at Los Angeles and became a high school teacher.

But his dismal salary as a math and shop teacher made him continue performing on weekends to support his wife Rosemarie and six children.

In 1995 he started to perform on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica for wider exposure and was scouted to appear for the first time on national TV, "George (Hamilton) & Alana (Stuart)".

His popularity at this three-day concert led to his participation of the Everclear's national tour (26 major cities) in 1996, receiving rave reviews.

[3][4] In 2010, Nakane auditioned for the popular TV show "America's Got Talent (season 5)" with his one-man band act.