ukulelia

We had the privilege of meeting Sonja a few times. Friends and strangers sent her ukuleles after she appeared on Survivor and she ended up with a nice collection of vintage Martins. Last we spoke...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2024/04/ukulele-playing-survivor-contestant.html

Kathryn Walls plans to run the London Marathon this month while playing the ukulele. It's a loving gesture in memory of her sister, Eithne, one of three Irish doctors who died in the fated Ai...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2024/04/running-marathon-playing-ukulele.html

A few years ago, musician Kyle Gray Young received a grant from the Central Minnesota Arts Board to transcribe Finnish folk tunes for guitar, and he thought, well, why not piano, banjo, an...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2024/04/kyle-gray-youngs-historic-banjo-method.html

Just announced by our friends at Magic Fluke , a new baritone scale Fluke ukulele. All the cool kids seem to be playing baris now. Now Fluke fans have a baritone option!  25 years in th...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2024/03/fluke-baritone-ukulele.html

If this doesn't give you chicken skin, you are not human. Here is Chase Shimabukuro, the 11-year old son of Jake Shimabukuro, playing The Star Spangled Banner, followed by his dad performing Haw...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2024/02/chase-and-jake-shimabukuro-play-anthems.html

Friend o' the Blog Rachel Manke recently scored a sweet, nearly mint condition Smeck Harmony uke. But the most remarkable part of her find was this printed paper back that uke originally cam...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2024/02/smeck-harmony-bag-find.html

Over the years I've seen several versions of a quote attributed to Will Rogers to the effect that no one could tell if you were playing the ukulele or just monkeying around with with it. Lil ...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2024/02/will-rogers-ukulele-quote-surprising.html

Legendary physical comedian Chaz Chase , eating a (gulp) ukulele. Don't try this with your Kamaka.  Chaz's turn begins at 2:10.  Link

http://www.ukulelia.com/2024/01/chaz-chase-eats-ukulele.html

My friend and fellow JHUI Mentor Carol Hudson shared this amazing Christmas Video with me.  Featuring the members of Upwood Ukuleles  from Cambridgeshire, UK, and produced by Tim "Tim'll F...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/12/upwood-ukuleles-christmas-video-2023.html

A dashing Arlo Guthrie wishing everyone Happy Holidays! (Anyone recognize the make of his uke?) Link h/t to Howlin’ Hobbit for identifying the instrument as a Pegasus.  Here’s an up...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/12/arlo-claus.html

Cheers to newly-minted Doctor Samantha Muir, who recently earned her PhD from University of Surrey.  Sam is the first person in history known to have earned a doctorate in 'ukulele!  Here...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/11/thats-doctor-muir-thank-you.html

An update on luthier Dave Talsma, who today is having his 11th surgery following a motorcycle accident a few weeks ago.  Denise Talsma reports that Dave remains in good spirits and is making p...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/10/gofundme-for-dave-talsma.html

 With the passing of Jimmy Buffett earlier this week, we were reminded of of a couple of his memorable ukulele performances. Here is an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon... Ji...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/09/aloha-jimmy.html

Sending much aloha to our friend and master luthier Dave Talsma, who is recovering from a recent motorcycle accident. It seems his injuries were significant, but that he's making progress a...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/09/dave-talsma-recovering-from-motorcycle.html

Pleased to announce that fellow ukulele educator and bon vivant Jim D'Ville and I have an article in the Fall, 2023 issue of Ukulele Magazine. Jim moved to my boyhood environs (The Motor Ci...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/08/ford-hawaiians-in-ukulele-magazine.html

We have learned of the passing of Pamela Schulting, one-half (with Beth Allen ) of the early Third-Wave ukulele duo, Pineapple Princess . Pineapple Princess was featured in the 2003 docume...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/05/aloha-pineapple-princess.html

Master luthier Aaron Keim has been devoting his energies to learning early building techniques. He recently traveled to Hawai'i to study period instruments and research materials with the go...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/05/at-auction-aaron-keim-kingdom-era.html

Unless you just picked up the ukulele for the first time this morning, you know that the very best song you can play is Wagon Wheel, co-written by Bob Dylan (perhaps most remembered for Wigg...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/04/worlds-best-arrangement-of-wagon-wheel.html

Check out this cephalopod chordophone! Link Cary Kelly over at Mya-Moe Ukuleles recently completed this custom Sycamore Tenor Cutaway (Cuttle-away?) featuring a sweet squid graphic etche...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/03/cuttle-up-little-closer.html

I'm proud as punch to share that the good folks at Ukulele Magazine interviewed me for their Spring 2023 issue . It's a great honor to recognized for having edited this little blog for over 2...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/03/the-secret-of-ukulele-finally-revealed.html

My friend and fellow JHUI alum Bryan LaPlante reminded me today of this 1975  documentary from the National Film Board of Canada, featuring Godfather of the Canadian 'Ukulele Movement, J. ...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/02/ready-when-you-are.html

Central New York instructor and innovator Deborah Guarnieri has developed adaptive technologies to allow people with upper limb disabilities to play the ukulele. (Photo As this articl...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/01/ukulele-heroes-deborah-guarnieri.html

Today a student asked to work on a song I wasn't familiar with. The song is "If You Want a Song," by the Okee Dokee Brothers. Now, I'd heard of this duo before and liked their music a lot, but I'...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2023/01/the-okee-dokee-brothers-are-truly-okee.html

The headline says it all. And it's pretty awesome.  Link

http://www.ukulelia.com/2022/09/parrot-sings-along-to-his-humans.html

Rigk Sauer makes the terrific and iconic Uke Solid . Now he's designed the Ukralele: a 3-D printed sopranino that he's raffling off to support relief efforts in Ukraine. Sez Rigk: > Yo...

http://www.ukulelia.com/2022/09/support-ukraine-relief-and-get-chance.html