▁names ▁such ▁as ▁B ing ▁C ros by , ▁Louis ▁Arm strong , ▁El vis ▁Pres ley ▁and ▁Hawai ian ▁mus icians ▁such ▁as ▁King ▁B enn ie ▁N aw ah i , ▁Sol ▁Ho ʻ op i ʻ i , ▁and ▁Andy ▁I ona . ▁Despite ▁his ▁long ▁life , ▁T ap ia ▁did ▁not ▁record ▁any ▁music ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁when ▁he ▁put ▁out ▁his ▁first ▁CD ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 9 6 . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁he ▁provided ▁a ▁detailed ▁interview ▁for ▁the ▁N AM M ▁Or al ▁History ▁Program ▁collection ▁about ▁his ▁impress ive ▁career ▁and ▁life ▁in ▁music . ▁ ▁He ▁re called ▁design ing ▁several ▁instruments ▁for ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁l uth ier ▁friends ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁improvement ▁and ▁adjust ments ▁to ▁the ▁u ke ▁he ▁had ▁over ▁the ▁years . ▁ ▁He ▁continued ▁to ▁perform ▁and ▁record ▁at ▁an ▁advanced ▁age , ▁all ▁the ▁while ▁remaining ▁in ▁vig orous ▁health ▁and ▁driving ▁a ▁car ▁until ▁his ▁ 1 0 0 th ▁birth day ▁when ▁he ▁began ▁suffering ▁eyes ight ▁problems . ▁ ▁T ap ia ▁was ▁a ▁featured ▁perform er ▁in ▁M ight y ▁U ke : ▁The ▁Ama zing ▁Com eb ack ▁of ▁a ▁Musical ▁Und erd og , ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁document ary ▁on ▁the ▁uk ule le . ▁ ▁T ap ia ▁died ▁in ▁his ▁sleep ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 1