The Los Angeles (L.A.) Weekly profiles a 28-year-old former semipro skateboarder who, after taking a trip to Thailand in 2002 and buying a folk instrument as a souvenir, went on to master it. Jonny Olsen plays a mouth organ called a khaen. He’s now the only white pop star in Laos, shocking Laotians with his khaen chops. It’s a fascinating story...more info>>

When he dug into the history of his instrument and learned of its Laotian origins, Olsen decided he wanted to become a proselytizing spokesperson for Laotian culture; he abandoned all Thailand connections to focus entirely on the lesser-known underdog style of Morlum Lao folk. His second album, all in Lao, took three months to record, and had a final budget of $4,000, which by American studio-a-day rates is absurdly low. The money was recouped by the record label, and Olsen’s songs were an immediate hit on Lao radio and in the karaoke bars.

Source: http://www.worldhum.com/weblog/item/los_angeles_native_jonny_olsen_huge_in_laos_20081120/