Daisuke Inoue, a Japanese musician who couldn’t read music, invented a machine that would help teach the world to sing in perfect harmony
Back in his younger days, Daisuke Inoue (who’s now 78), was a musician who couldn’t read music. So, he came up with a truly inventive solution – which is to say Daisuke Inoue invented the karaoke machine.
“A regular jukebox is for listening; this would be a jukebox for singing,” he said.
He introduced his creation at bars across Japan in the early ’70s. Today, it’s estimated that one-third of the people in Japan sing karaoke.
“Usually in our lives we watch the stars through the media,” Inoue said. “All of us want to be stars ourselves. With a mic in your hand, YOU can be a star!”
Of course, karaoke (which translates as “empty orchestra”) is now a global phenomenon. And if you happen to live in Seattle, Washington, one of the biggest stars of karaoke is Joshua Baron, better known as the “Karaoke Baron.
