I began playing the piano when I was about eight. I enjoyed it, but what I found difficult – and still do – was reading more than one note at a time. So before each lesson, I would memorise the pieces. I finally quit because it clashed with football practice and I wanted to play football.

My best friend started a band when I was 12 or 13 and I played the bass. My family was living in Oklahoma at the time, but we moved to Hawai’i where I traded in my bass guitar for a classical guitar. I then played French horn in the school band, but I made it onto the varsity team and had to choose between marching band and football, and once again I chose football.

Riley Lee in a blue robe shirt, holding a Shakuhachi

Riley Lee holding a Shakuhachi. Photo © Leo Byrne

When I was in year 10 or 11, my brother brought home one of the very first recordings that had a shakuhachi on it. This was in 1966 or 67 and I fell in love. I almost...