The Birth of the Ukulele
The belief that Hawaii lays sole claim to the ukulele is a widely held misconception. The earliest ukes only date back to the mid-1880s, and they weren’t invented by the Hawaiians.
Ukulele chanteuses the Mersey Belles channel a retro vibe in pursuit of modern-day fun
By Amber von Nagel This may be the digital age, but the Liverpool ukulele duo the Mersey Belles still have one foot firmly planted in the stylish past. In fact, connecting with the two women—Danielle “Nancy” Perkins and Lindsey “Pearl” Stainthorpe—via…
Watch Jake Shimabukuro and Composer Byron Yasui Prep for Concerto World Premiere
We’re counting the days, hours, and minutes until the world premiere of Byron Yasui‘s Concerto for ‘Ukulele and Orchestra, Campanella, to be performed by Jake Shimabukuro and the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra on June 6 and June 7. Watch in the above promo video as Shimabukuro and Yasui talk about the…
Gods of Uke: The Wizardry of Israel ‘Iz’ Kamakawiwo’ole
The legacy of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole—known to his fans simply as Iz—goes far beyond his famous ukulele medley of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World."
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Aloha, Edgar Dang
At Aloha Warehouse in San Francisco’s historic Japantown, co-owner Edgar Dang spread his love of Hawaiian music and culture—one ukulele at a time. This winter, Dang unexpectedly passed away in his sleep, at age 56, but his vision and legacy…
‘Nashville’ star Laura Benanti Is Bitten By the Uke Bug
“Please don’t ask me where you know me from,” Laura Benanti’s bio reads on her hilarious, unfiltered Twitter account (@LauraBenanti). If Benanti does look familiar, it could be through any number of her roles. The 35-year-old Tony-winning actress and ukulele…
Watch an Impromptu Performance in the Ukulele Magazine Office from Erich Sylvester
When Erich Sylvester dropped by the office to pick up a box of magazines, he was kind enough to treat us to a song (“I Want to Learn to Speak Hawaiian”). Luckily, we had a camera phone on hand and…
Happy Wednesday! Enjoy a New Video from Taimane Gardner – ‘Jupiter’ (Live)
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Check Out Alvarez’s New Ukulele Lines
As we previously reported from Winter NAMM 2015, Alvarez is getting in the uke game. The acoustic guitar manufacturer has officially launched its Regent series and Artist series, which range from $129-299 in a variety of wood combinations. Check them…
Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel ft. Aldrine Guerrero Perform “Center of my Mind”
Sarah and Craig are joined by Aldrine Guerrero (on guitar!) for this lovely performance, recorded live for a HI*Session. To learn more about the power couple of ukulele, read “Maisel & Chee’s Love Boat” from our Summer 2014 issue.