Arthur Nakane's American journey can be described as a series of accidents, failures and a little bit of luck.
"I'm really not that talented. I've just worked at it for a long time."
Spend an afternoon in Downtown's Little Tokyo Mall, and you'll be able to see the 76-year-old one-man band for yourself.
Nakane was sent by his father 50 years ago from Japan to Canada by his dad to attend college. Several immigration and education issues landed Nakane in a job washing dishes at a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles. One night, Nakane said the owner of the restaurant asked if he would like to sing in the dining room.
Not long after, Nakane was singing professionally and trying to put a band together. He found it difficult to work and depend on the other members of the group so he decided to put together his one man band in the 70's.
In the 80's, Nakane played his music wherever he could. His favorite part of being a street performer in California was meeting people, and it's still his favorite part today.
"I'm not here to perform for myself because I've been doing it for the last 50 years," he said.
"I'm here to inspire young people like you."
Nakane has opened for the band Everclear, was on George Hamilton's television show, was on Jimmy Kimmel Live and even America's Got Talent. He has played various concerts, including one in Vegas and one in Monument Valley to celebrate becoming a United States Citizen. A documentary called Secret Asian Man was made about him and was debuted at Sundance Film Festival.
The life of a musician isn't always glamorous, though. While Nakane devoted himself to music, he gave up his other day jobs of teaching and translating. He did translation work with Japanese speakers in the courts and at insurance companies to make ends meet. He nearly made it into a Francis Coppola film and spent 15 years playing in a pizza shop in Glendale. He's also been separated from his wife for more than 30 years.
Nakane often had to fight for his right to play music in public spaces. He has been hit with regulations and had several run-ins with the Santa Monica authorities over the volume of his music on the Third Street Promenade.
Then came his ultimate obstacle- the fall.
"Two years ago, I slipped and broke my neck," he explained.
"Now I only have two fingers that I am able to play with, but I make the best of what i have."