By Greg Olwell One of the best things that happens with working on a magazine about ukuleles are the family stories that keep popping up. Several times now, it’s happened that I’m visiting a friend and suddenly an old family ukulele is remembered. Sometimes…
By Jim D’Ville // Photos by Duncan Berry There are tunes you sing for breakfast, And tunes that you sing after noon. But the best tunes of all, are the tunes that you sing, The tunes that you sing in…
From the Fall 2017 issue of Ukulele | BY SVEN KIRSTEN The ongoing tiki revival owes much to the craft cocktail resurgence. First hesitatingly, then fervidly, a new generation of mixologists embraced the books of tiki cocktail author Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, and his research…
Each month, hosts Stuart Yoshida and Doug Brown wrangle guests to talk about the ukulele for their OokTown podcast. Since launching in 2011, OokTown has interviewed many familiar members from the ukulele community, including Aldrine Guerrero, Victoria Vox, “The Ukulele Teacher,”…
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By Greg Olwell A ukulele once owned by entertainer George Formby, sold for £28,500 (over $36,000 at the time of the sale), through an auction on June 30, 2017. The Gibson UB-3 banjo-ukulele, which was sold through Hansons Auctions, came with many…
By Jim D’Ville In the shadow of the majestic Cascade Mountains in central Oregon, Ukulele University is an annual gathering of those dedicated to higher education on the ukulele. Held at 3,600 feet above sea level, UU6 was once again…
By Audrey Coleman How many ukulele events that you’ve attended have opened with a solemn chant in Hawaiian followed by a ceremonial hula performed to a pahu drum? And how many uke instructors do you know that receive the Hawaiian…
By Greg Olwell Recently, singer-songwriter Tom Freund grabbed his ukulele and teamed up with his old friend, guitarist Ben Harper, to record a cover of “Let My Love Open the Door,” a classic from Pete Townshend. There is supposedly going to…
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At the 2017 Summer NAMM show in Nashville, Ryan Cooper of Cordoba Guitars took a moment to show off the new Cordoba 15CB ukulele. This concert-sized uke is made with bocote, a wood of striking light and dark contrasting…
By Greg Olwell On our soundtrack for the Fourth of July is this rendition of “America the Beautiful” by Jake Shimabukuro. Competing with Jake’s sensitive playing here is the location: Garden of the Gods a National Natural Landmark in Colorado Springs, Colorado.