The Ukulele Appreciation Thread

[Canard]

This thread - https://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/artist-award-jumbo.214539/ - took a major (enjoyable but distracting) veer from the Guild Jumbo off into the micro world of ukuleles.

Being the initiator of that veer, I thought I would I would start a ukulele appreciation thread rather than taking the thread above further afield and totally unravelling the initial post.

Let's start with the modern, Eddie Vedder.






!!!!!!!!! And with what appears to be a Guild Bluesbird-family M75-sh electric tenor guitar (or electric baritone uke depending upon how you want to look at it - I would hazard a guess that he probably has it in baritone uke tuning, DGBE, rather than standard tenor guitar tuning, CGDA.)!!!!!!!

 

[Canard]

And then off into the 1920s with early Jazz banjo great, Ikey Robinson, on bajolele, here in the Hokkum Boys with Tommy Dorsey (a different Tommy Dorsey) on piano. The picture in the video clip is Dorsey, I think.

Ikey Robinson - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[walrus]

Lots of ukuleles on George Harrison's last album, "Brainwashed". I have a few over the years, including a Guild baritone, but I'm strictly guitar now.

The Beatles were ukulele fans. They loved George Formby!



walrus

 

[Elderguilder]

Finding my dad's plastic uke under his bed with its 3/16" felt pick was the start of my journey into guitar playing. Fond memories. I still feel bad about accidentally breaking the neck on it not too long after I started playing with it!!

 

[Canard]

Iz Kamakawiwoʻole

 

[Canard]

Roy Smeck 1926

He starts out playing lap slide guitar. If you are not into this, the uke kicks in later: the bottom clip link starts with the uke.

 

[Canard]

Lots of ukuleles on George Harrison's last album, "Brainwashed". I have a few over the years, including a Guild baritone, but I'm strictly guitar now.

The Beatles were ukulele fans. They loved George Formby!



walrus

The Lennon bio-pic, Nowhere Boy, suggests that the Liverpool folk song, (Dirty) Maggie Mae, was taught to John by his mother, Julia. And indeed, Lennon's first instruments were the banjo and the ukulele.

Julia Lennon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

She was known as being high-spirited and impulsive, musical, and having a strong sense of humour. She taught her son how to play the banjo and ukulele. She kept in almost daily contact with John, and when he was in his teens he often stayed overnight at her and Dykins' house. On 15 July 1958, she was knocked down and killed by a car driven by an off-duty policeman, close to her sister's house at 251 Menlove Avenue. John was traumatised by her death and wrote several songs about her, including "Julia" and "Mother". Biographer Ian MacDonald wrote that she was, "to a great extent ... her son's muse".[​

Maggie May (folk song) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[twocorgis]

My favorite uke song



And my favorite uke



It's a Lanakai tenor, with all solid woods (spruce/mahogany) and even has Fishman electronics. It was a SDotD a couple of years back, and I love it!

 

[spoox]

My 1928 National large body ukulele. It has the earlier cone with concentric circle ridges as opposed to the later spiral ridge cone. German silver body, mahogany neck. Original cost $55. Many of my bands songs are written on the ukulele, and I have more ukes than Guild guitars. Although thanks to LTG that seems to be changing. If interested I can post photos of some of my other ukes.

 

[walrus]

"Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" - George Harrison



walrus

 

[Uke]

Roy Smeck 1926

He starts out playing lap slide guitar. If you are not into this, the uke kicks in later: the bottom clip link starts with the uke.

A "Roy Smeck" uke was my first stringed instrument. My parents wanted to make sure I was really interested in the guitar before they bought one for me. I still have this uke. It is from the early 60s.

 

[Uke]

Every once in a while I'll see a pretty uke and think I'd like to buy it; but the second thought is that it would just (for me) be a distraction from getting better on the old six strings. Some folks can play anything they pick up, but I've never been one of those folks.

 

[Canard]

Clff Edwards (Ukulele Ike) - Cheatin' On Me - 1925

The Pathé record here below is in poor condition. Sorry.



My own copy is much better but not perfect, even though it is on the Perfect label and is a coloured disk to boot.

Here it is on my 1935-ish HMV model 102c ready for the needle drop.

 

[7GuildsandanSG]

Clff Edwards (Ukulele Ike) - Cheatin' On Me - 1925

The Pathé record here below is in poor condition. Sorry.



My own copy is much better but not perfect, even though it is on the Perfect label and is a coloured disk to boot.

Here it is on my 1935-ish HMV model 102c ready for the needle drop.

Antique Phonograph Music Program on WFMU, the largest freeform radio station in the nation! (sorry if I've shared this with you before but this subject comes up from time to time):

Centennial Songs - The Antique Phonograph Music Program with Mac

Playlists & archives

wfmu.org

 

[Canard]

Antique Phonograph Music Program on WFMU, the largest freeform radio station in the nation! (sorry if I've shared this with you before but this subject comes up from time to time):

Centennial Songs - The Antique Phonograph Music Program with Mac

Playlists & archives

wfmu.org

Can't possibly share something like that too many times. Please feel free to share again sometime.

 

[walrus]

Cliff Edwards - "When You Wish Upon a Star".

No ukulele but he was also the voice of Jiminy Cricket!



walrus

 

[JohnW63]

This was the first video I watched that made me want to pick up a uke:

 

[Canard]

May Singhi Breen - huge in the 1920s, in great demand as a session player.

Martin made custom ukes for her. There may have been an endorsement deal.

Ukulele blues

Victor 19369. Matrix/Take: B-30153/3.

www.loc.gov

The Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum - May Singhi Breen

The Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of ukulele history.

www.ukulele.org

 

[mellowgerman]

I know I've shared this one here on LTG years ago, but it feels appropriate here in this uke thread. Brian was our uke player then, though he only ever played an antique little banjo uke and in a clawhammer banjo style to boot! My wife has a very similar one these days, also around 100 years old. She also has a traditional format fully wooden one, but these old banjo ukes will always be my favorite flavor.

 

[Prince of Darkness]

Some George Formby.