Karaoke Machine Inventor Shigeichi Negishi Dies at 100
TL;DR
Shigeichi Negishi, the Japanese entrepreneur who invented the first-ever karaoke machine, passed away at the age of 100. Negishi, head of an electronics company, conceived the Sparko Box after a moment of self-reflection while singing in 1967. Despite never patenting it, he sold around 8,000 units before ending his sales in 1975. Negishi's family now preserves the only remaining and still functional Sparko Box.
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- Inventor of the karaoke machine Shigeichi Negishi dies aged 100: Electronics expert came up with the idea afte Daily Mail
- Shigeichi Negishi, the Inventor of Karaoke, Dies at 100 The Wall Street Journal
- Karaoke machine inventor Shigeichi Negishi dies at 100 NPR
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