Kris Fuchigami Mixes Flash and Heart in His Ukulele Playing
Fuchigami’s road to success turned out to be a lot rockier than he expected it to be after that borderline-miraculous first day learning a Jake Shimabukuro song.
Stories
Turning My Passion for Ukulele into a Profession
I started playing games and singing songs with my kids, returning to the simple tunes (and childhood) I had left behind. You have to sing to your children—there is no other option.
Why I Uke: Peter, Paul and Mary’s Noel Paul Stookey Says ‘What’s Not to Love?’
Chances are you know Noel Paul Stookey as part of the iconic folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. Less known is that Noel played ukulele in his pre-folk days.
For Five Decades Roy and Kathy Sakuma Have Championed Hawaiian Ukulele
Roy is arguably the most successful and influential ukulele teacher ever— nurturing thousands
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Hawaii Calling: Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel on the Future of the Ukulele Festival Hawaii
Recent Oahu transplants Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel are helping produce the Ukulele Festival Hawaii, long the biggest uke festival in the world.
The Bad Mouse Orchestra is More Than a Nostalgia Act
Nattily dressed in vintage attire, Germany's Bad Mouse Orchestra shares their passion for the music of the 1920s and ’30s, jazz’s golden age.
Dr. Twanglove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Banjolele
When a musician friend eagerly showed off his new banjo-ukulele to me, I did my best to refrain from asking him to kindly throw it into a river. But then it grew on me.
Listen to 10 Great Ukulele Recordings from the 1920s!
BY EDDIE SCHER Record companies sold more than 100 million records each year between 1920 and 1929, and some of the biggest stars of the era played ukulele. It can take some patience to listen to this music—tempos and pitches…
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Uke Makers: Jay Lichty is Building Some of the Best Ukes in the World in Rural North Carolina
Luthier Jay Lichty comes from the bluegrass world originally and started out building guitars, but he has also built over 150 highly prized ukes and was asked to join the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii.
Down Under String Wonder: Australia’s A.J. Leonard Rides the Crest of the Third Uke Wave
BY JIM D’VILLE | FROM THE SPRING 2021 ISSUE OF UKULELE In 1959, the luxury liner SS Mariposa steamed from the harbor in Sydney, Australia, bound for San Francisco. Onboard with his family was six-year-old Anthony J. Leonard. After visiting…