There’s a long tradition of upcycling old cigar boxes into musical instruments. Over the decades, many homegrown builders have taken to making ukuleles, guitars, or just about anything else for strings with these lovely leftovers. While this is mostly been…
From the Fall 2016 issue of Ukulele | STORY AND PHOTOS BY SANDOR NAGYSZALANCZY When you think of ukuleles made on the American mainland during the “uke crazed” 1920s, brands such as Martin and Gibson are likely the first to…
By Greg Olwell Before he came by our studio to play three songs for our “Ukulele Sessions Presents” video series, I’d been hearing a lot about Azo Bell. More than just buzz on a forum or YouTube chatter, some of today’s top…
By Greg Olwell For her finale performance on America’s Got Talent, the wildly popular Grace VanderWaal played “Clay,” onstage September 13. Like last week’s performance, the 12-year-old singer-songwriter from Suffern, New York was backed by a cellist, percussionist, and pianist. Watching…
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By Greg Olwell Today, we can’t get enough of “We Were the Only Ones,” a new video single from Danielle Ate the Sandwich. Known to her parents as Danielle Anderson, the Fort Collins, Colorado-based singer-songwriter just released her sixth album…
By Greg Olwell For this week’s Throwback Thursday, we’re dialing it back to 2009 for a clip of late master of the ukulele, Bob Brozman at the Santa Cruz Ukulele Club. In this video, the fleet-fingered Brozman plays through the classic…
By Greg Olwell Thanks to another show-stopping performance, a 12-year-old singer-songwriter-ukulelelist heads to the finals of a popular talent show. With her Luna Uke Tattoo Concert and a small band backing her, Grace VanderWaal debuted a new song, “Light the…
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By Greg Olwell At 6’ 4” and 315 pounds, Nila Kasitati seems born to be an offensive lineman in the NFL. The 23-year-old rookie, who will be playing guard for Washington D.C.’s professional football team this season, recently picked up…
By Craig Chee & Sarah Maisel Just as there are many different styles of ukuleles (and styles of playing them), ukulele festivals also come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Every great uke fest includes a mix of workshops…