Ukulele Tonya

It’s that season again—can’t you tell by the porch-sized, light-up Santas at Costco? Yes, Christmas time’s a comin’!

If you want to join in the holiday fun with your ukulele in hand, now’s the time to start getting a bead on those familiar Christmas tunes you’ll be singing around the tree. While there are some great “for purchase” resources with holiday tunes arranged for ukulele, a few years’ back I pulled together a listing of websites from around the world featuring oodles of traditional and contemporary Christmas and holiday songsheets.

Some of those sources have disappeared and some have been added so I’ve updated the list. Browse through what you see below and get a start on your holiday playing today. Most are for songs with chords and lyrics only, some include fingerpicking (which really sounds lovely, especially “Carol of the Bells”).

(Read on …)

It showed up on my doorstep. Literally.

A blue grey suitcase with its condition belying 30+ years spent toting travel necessities on land and air. This little Samsonite’s latest excursion, though, had taken it from Phoenix (Arizona) to Paradise (California) in a class far lower than coach: try UPS Ground.

The suitcase, one we might have called an “overnighter” in days prior to wheeled rollaboards, sat stoutly just at the front door of our office as I returned from a lunch visit to the nearby taco truck.

I squealed at its sight—I knew what the blue grey valise held: an ukulele lovingly sent to me by my Uncle Harry, because, as he said, he knew I’d appreciate it and give it a good home.

Uncle Harry had told me about this instrument a few years’ back after hearing about my passion for ukuleles. It had belonged to his mom, Katherine (Quigley) Weaver. Born in 1912, Katie, as she was known to family, seemed to have lived a wanderlust life of rollicking music. A deft ukulele player, she and a few fellows formed up groups in Indiana in the early 30s and played “honky tonks” (Uncle Harry’s words) throughout the Hoosier state.

When she died in 1983, Uncle Harry laid claim to one of her ukuleles. Uncle Harry is many fine things, but he’s not a musician. He put the ukulele in one of his suitcases and parked it in a closet. And that’s where that little ukulele had stayed until it took its trip west to me.

I tore off the UPS label, clipped free the packing tape over the hinges and opened the suitcase. The instrument was wedged in diagonally, a thin blanket nestled ‘round it. I lifted to peek under the mint-green wrap: It’s a banjo ukulele!

(Read on …)

Nope, we’re not “sssshhhhing” anyone in our library. The materials in the new Ukuleles of Paradise library are meant to help you makes some great music (noise?) and help you play better.

In addition to a copy of The Daily Ukulele for use during meetings, the library of Ukuleles of Paradise now has a wealth of learning materials. I’ve put the word out about our lending library and a Bay Area friend in the ukulele world has gifted us with some wonderful resources. This donation was at no cost to us, meaning I’ll be using the money we have in our “fund” to buy even more items. (Thank you very much, Peter and Craig!)

Go here to browse the titles in our library (I know, it says “My Library” and has my photo, but I can’t change that heading in the library software—it really is our library for Ukuleles of Paradise!). The library shows a short description of each item; I’m looking forward to member reviews of their favorite learning materials in the library and I’ll include those reviews in the description. Members may borrow the materials (one at a time, please) at no cost for one month. All you need to do is send me an e-mail ahead of time and I’ll bring the items to the meeting. I figure that’s easier than me becoming a human packhorse and hauling them all to each of our meetings!

These materials are not for duplicating (copyright laws clearly prohibit the copying of items not in the public domain) but for you to borrow to learn from—and perhaps decide to buy a copy for yourself.

(Read on …)