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In June, The Seattle Times featured an article about The Ventures receiving recognition from the Emperor of Japan. What shocked me was this: one source estimated that there are more than 600 Ventures tribute bands in Japan. Astounding...

Below is a snippet from the original article.

When you've been Big in Japan for the past half-century — and are one of America's most durable, influential and well-liked exports to that country — you get a historic medal from the emperor.

On Monday night, The Ventures, the Tacoma instrumental rock band started in 1958 by a couple of construction guys who bought $15 pawnshop guitars, were guests of honor at the Queen Anne mansion of Japan Consul General Kiyokazu Ota in Seattle.

The group's list of accomplishments in Japan really is quite astounding.

When the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, that organization called The Ventures "the most successful instrumental combo" in rock history.

The band estimates that since 1960, it has released 280 to 300 albums (an estimate because there are so many compilations) and sold 105 million LPs and CDs worldwide, with its two biggest singles being "Walk, Don't Run" and the "Hawaii Five-O" theme.

Of those 105 million records, 40 million were sold in Japan.

These days, one estimate is that there are 600 Japanese tribute Ventures bands.

When the band arrived for its first tour as a complete band in 1964, remembers Don Wilson, who plays rhythm guitar and is co-founder of the group, "We were a guitar group, with no language barrier."

Back in 1964, says Wilson, 3,000 to 5,000 fans greeted the band's arrival at the Tokyo airport.