Johnny Wade’s ukulele

This 1950 ukulele and case is notable for belonging to Johnny Wade, Australia's best-known performer of Hawaiian material. Wade appeared on around half of the Hawaiian records recorded and released in Australia. Hawaiian music became incredibly popular in Australia between the 1920s and 1950s, partly inspired by the tours of Ernest Ka’ai, regarded as Hawaii's greatest ukulele player. During his second visit in 1926, a young musician called Charles Wade learned the basics of Hawaiian music and ukulele while playing with Ka’ai and his band. Within a decade, he changed his name and the crooner Johnny Wade was born.