News

Uke Party Recap

Last Friday, the Ukulele Showroom had its first public debut at our magazine headquarters. We invited anyone local to come join us for some uking fun and, boy, did we have fun! With a large turnout of fans, family, and…

Kala Introduces New Elite Series

Kala has released the 2016 collection of its California-made Elite series. The 2016 lineup is comprised of three different series: Elite Koa Ukulele 1, 2, and 3. “Each series from 1 to 3 offers their own distinct and striking Hawaiian Koa…

Vintage Hawaiian Vibes, Circa 1924

By Greg Olwell Let’s look at some vintage film shot in Hawaii for Aloha Friday. Throughout the ’20s, the mainland US was enthralled with the culture and music of the Hawaiian Islands and this nine-minute film, made by the Ford Motor Company…

Lil’ Rev Announces ‘Scatter the Ashes’ Tour to Honor His Wife

By Stephanie Powell Lil’ Rev will kick off a Scatter the Ashes tour July 7, in honor of his wife, Carol Alvaraz, who died of lung cancer in December. With his daughter Mariela in tow, Lil’ Rev will head out on his standard…

Andrew Carruthers tuning up his ukurone.

Meet the Ukurone: Bigger Than an Upright Bass and Strung with Rope

BY GREG OLWELL I couldn’t help but notice something odd when violin-maker Andrew Carruthers lead me the backyard his freshly varnished violins and cellos dry in the golden California sun. I saw a large open headstock, like you’d see on an old…

Happy Birthday George Harrison: Watch Him and Jeff Lynne Jam on Banjo-Ukuleles

By Greg Olwell For this week’s Throwback Thursday, we are celebrating the birthday of one of the most famous ukulele players, George Harrison. The Beatles’ guitarist and songwriter was known for many things, including writing some of the catchiest hooks…