Sing Along with the YesterUkes!

Happy Together

2012-01-19T16:54:00.000-05:00

How good it was to be back together today! We took a month off for a much needed rest, but everyone was more than ready to start back. It was a full workout today as we tackled a new set list and a couple of new songs.

The music sounded better than ever. It's funny how some songs that seemed impossible just come together when the time is right. Not sure how other ukulele bands do it, but we work pretty hard at our practices. Perfection is never the goal (having fun is always at the top of our list,) but we do try to make our programs as good as we can.

Edna brought a prescription from her doctor that says it is okay for her to play with our band. We think it is more than okay--it is good for her health to be with us!

Practice is over for today,

but we will be back together next week.

Happy Together, The Turtles, 1967

Merry Christmas To You

2011-12-16T13:06:00.000-05:00

Wishing you peace and joy this holiday season. Take a few minutes to breathe and to marvel at the blessings all around you.

The Yesterukes will be taking a winter break. Look for us back here on the internet in about 6 weeks or so. We're old. We need the rest.

Thank you to all who have visited us here during the year. We would love it if you readers would leave a comment here at the end of this blog post. Or, you can visit our Facebook page and leave a comment or greeting there as well. We will enjoy reading them while we are on break.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You), Mel Torme & Robert Walls, 1946

Do You Hear What I Hear?

2011-12-15T21:51:00.004-05:00

No emergency. Just the last gig of the year. People were surprised to walk into the hospital lobby and hear a ukulele band. The Yesterukes played for patients and staff at St. Francis Hospital--an opportunity to spread a little holiday joy.

There were so many smiles as people passed by. Some paused to listen. Others sang along as they walked down the hall.

And what was the most favorite song of our Christmas program? The same one people always like--Rawhide!

Do You Hear What I Hear?, Harry Simeone Chorale, 1962

Home For The Holidays

2011-12-13T11:06:00.001-05:00

Another Christmas dinner, another holiday music program. The Yesterukes have been well fed this year as they have provided entertainment for several Christmas parties. The United Methodist Men's Club and the United Methodist Women combined to have one big party for the members of Laurens United Methodist Church.

Santa Claus made a surprise visit and for once, it was all grown-ups who got to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas.

After the meal, the Yesterukes were happy to entertain. In between songs, we shared stories of our musical experiences over the years. Everyone joined together singing Christmas favorites. There was lots of laughter and lots of fun.

The Laurens UMC has let the Yesterukes practice in this same fellowship hall when our regular practice location has been unavailable, so it felt like coming home for the members of the band. We were happy to give something back--our gift of music--to the church that has supported our work.

Elvis appeared to sing Blue Christmas and the audience loved it. Another highlight of the evening was the whistling solo in White Christmas. People were standing and stretching to see who was whistling. It was Susan, our whistling pro.

In the last few days, the Yesterukes have brought smiles and joy to almost 600 people. Another ukulele player and blogger summed it up best when she said...

‎"One of my teachers reminded me often that the audience won’t remember what you sing, or say, or play, but they will remember how you make them feel."-

Our goal is to make people happy. And we hope that while doing so we also play good music.

When the evening ended with a standing ovation, we were pretty sure we had met our goal.

Home For The Holidays, Perry Como, 1954

Happy Holidays

2011-12-12T16:01:00.008-05:00

A huge crowd showed up for the return visit of the Yesterukes to the XYZ Club at Taylors First Baptist Church. Everyone who had enjoyed the Yesterukes before must have brought a friend. Over 400 people gathered for lunch, fellowship and music.

The Yesterukes who always dress in blue stood out among the sea of red sweaters, as most folks were dressed in their holiday finery. It was a most festive place.

The Yesterukes were instructed play for about 30 minutes and to watch for the lids on the serving dishes to be lifted as the signal to wind up the program. When the 30 minutes passed, the club president said to keep singing. It turned out that a food delivery truck had not come and the chef had made a quick run to Sam's Club to buy the vegetables for lunch. He needed a little extra time to get everything done. The Yesterukes were happy for the extra time. And the audience got to hear and "encore" rendition of "Rawhide."

During the Christmas season, it is not unusual for Elvis to make a surprise appearance. He wowed the audience with his version of "Blue Christmas."

After the event was over, ladies made their way to the front looking for Elvis. One wanted her picture made with him. Another wanted his autograph. They were all told that he had already gone. One lady then turned and shouted to the crowd, "Elvis has left the building!"

There were so many wonderful things said by so many people today. Too many to mention. Except for one too special not to share. A lovely lady stopped to tell us, "This was so good. I am 94 years old, so if I am not here the next time you come to play, I want you to know I loved what you did today. Thank you for coming."

That is why we do what we do. We sincerely hope she is there the next time.

Happy Holidays, Irving Berlin, 1942

Christmas Time Is Here

2011-12-08T23:28:00.003-05:00

It was one of those nights. One of those rare evenings when everything was just right. The Yesterukes arrived at The Woodlands at Furman for the first Christmas program of their season. They found their way to a lovely room and were surprised to see only three rows of chairs set up for the audience.

But there wasn't too much time to wonder why so few chairs. They went to work setting up, tuning instruments, getting everything ready for the show.

Residents and visitors began to find their way to the room. And come they did. Soon, folks were scrambling to pull out more chairs. Then they rolled in even more chairs from the dining room. People lined the walls. And the last ones to arrive stood in the doorways and listened from the hallway.

The program started with a few old standards just to get everyone warmed up. Smiles started to spread across the room when they realized the Yesterukes play songs they all know.

The band then began the Christmas portion of the program, playing for the standing room only crowd that had come to see what a "Yesteruke" was.

The Yesterukes always invite the audience to sing along. And sing along, these folks did.

They sang favorites like Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow and Winter Wonderland. They sang Mele Kalikimaka and Christmas Island, along with many others.

There were the kids' favorites, too. They sang about Rudolph and Frosty and Santa Claus. And the evening ended with some carols.

When the music ended and the applause died down, people came forward to thank the band. One lovely lady said, "This is the finest program we've ever had here." And another explained why there were only three rows of chairs at the beginning. "I've never seen this many people here. We usually don't have too many come to these programs. You really drew a crowd."

Another wanted to say, "I've seen you several times and I announced today that if people didn't come hear you they would miss the best group to ever come here. You didn't let me down!" One man found the band leader to tell her, "You need to call Garrison Keillor. You are exactly the kind of act he likes. If you call now, maybe next year you could be part of his Christmas program." And the last gentleman only had a question --"How soon are you coming back?"

It was one of those wonderful evenings for the band and the audience. Christmas time is here.

Christmas Time Is Here, by Vince Guaraldi, 1965

Anticipation

2011-11-06T14:21:00.002-05:00

Every program begins the same way. Ukulele players in blue shirts unpack their gear, tuck the instrument cases out of sight, find a seat and sneak a few minutes of warm-up time before the concert begins.

And there might be a little visiting that goes on while some are still tuning up. Belonging to the Yesterukes is as much social time for its members as it is music time. There are strong bonds that form between players. We truly miss the ones who can't be with us. The music sounds different when a few folks are away. And the group feels different when we don't have everyone together. But like all good bands, we live by that old saying, "The show must go on." And we do well with which ever set of people end up on stage.

There is always excitement and anticipation as people begin to gather. They often are not sure what a "Yesteruke" is and don't quite know what to expect. We are so happy they are brave enough to come anyway. And we are all the more determined to give them a good show.

By the time everyone had rolled in, we had a nearly full house at Bailey Manor for an afternoon show. And they quickly found out what we do. Everyone there had fun, but there was one man in particular, seating in a wheelchair, who had the biggest grin on his face the whole time. He sang along with nearly every song we sang. It's the folks like him who give us the energy to step it up a notch.

They asked for an encore--which we were happy to sing. And then wanted just one more. When it was over, we heard that comment again...."I've never seen anything quite like this!" This time it came from an activity director at a neighboring nursing home. She also asked for our card so that she can book us in the spring, so we'll take her comment as a compliment!

Anticipation, Carly Simon, 1971

Mountain Greenery

2011-10-16T15:44:00.004-04:00

It was the perfect day to be in the mountains. The Yesterukes were at Palmetto Cove to entertain at the NC/SC Airstream Rally. These folks had come from across the Carolinas to enjoy a few days together. When we arrived, some were outside playing games, others were busy with a basket weaving class and one group of ladies was hard at work in the kitchen, getting food ready for lunch and dinner.

Others were just taking it easy in the rocking chairs at the picnic shelter, enjoying the view. There was a lecture scheduled for later in the day. A full calendar of activities was available for those who had made the trip. We were there to play a concert just after lunch.

We had a great time singing and playing for a group who thoroughly enjoyed our music. After we finished, so many wanted to talk to us. We hear such nice comments everywhere we go. Most of the comments are typically, "Oh, I knew all of those songs" and "What memories that brought back." And we love and value each one of those. But every now and then someone has something a little different to add.

One gentleman patiently waited his turn after we finished this program to say, "I just wanted to tell you that I've been to hundreds of Airstream Rallies over the years. I've been to national rallies and I've even been to a few international rallies. And I want you to know that today--what you did here this afternoon--it was THE best program I've ever heard at any of the events I've attended." Wow. We are honored. Thank you, sir.

Here are some highlights from our day...

Mountain Greenery, Rodgers & Hart. 1926

It Could Happen To You

2011-10-08T07:32:00.011-04:00

It can happen to the best of us. 165 blog posts. Probably a thousand emails sent to band members. One group email list for the blog. One group email list for the band. One line apart in the email address book.

And everyone always got the right communication. Until this week. One 'mis-click' of the finger and the people who subscribe to the blog by email got the email about band practice with a reminder to bring their music stands.

The majority just ignored the goof. But there were others who responded. Those responses varied from the sympathetic, "So glad to know I'm not the only one who's done this" to the sassy, "I'd come but I don't think I can be there on time coming from Canada" and "Shouldn't you have told me I was in the band?" to the cute, "We were going to come but LK doesn't have a music stand."

Might have been fun if someone had actually shown up, ukulele in hand. We could have shared music stands.

It Could Happen To You, Johnny Burke & Jimmy Van Heusen, 1944

Happy Talk

2011-10-05T07:57:00.003-04:00

After the program for the First Presbyterian Church PEP club, audience members (which included members of First Baptist Church, too) gathered around the Yesterukes to say how much they had enjoyed the music. We heard again and again, "I knew every one of those songs!" We knew that because they all sang along with us. It was an especially good audience.

As the room began to clear, one band member said a lady had just told her, "Your group is just so professional." And the Yesteruke player looked at the rest of us and added, "Well, that's the first time we've been accused of that!"

By the time we got home, this email had arrived...

Please pass along our thanks to all the Yesterukes for coming to be with us today! Everybody just loved every minute of it; you all are quite talented, and you make it such fun.

And these good folks made it fun for us, too.

Happy Talk, Rogers & Hammerstein, 1949

The Sound Of Silence

2011-09-21T08:42:00.002-04:00

It has never happened before. Setting up the sound equipment for a program is a chore but it's just part of the gig. But this time after hooking up all of the cords and plugs and cables, there was no sound coming from a couple of mics and the single plugged-in uke. We had just used it all last week so we were pretty certain the equipment itself was okay.

It more likely had something to do with the spaghetti-like pile of cords piled at the bottom of the main mic. Something was not hooked up right. But finding the problem when you're watching the clock tick down until it's time to start is nerve-wracking.

Thankfully Simpsonville First Baptist Church has an audio-visual professional on staff who happened to be in the event space. And the Yesterukes' own sound pro got there just before it was time to start. And because they were there, it was all untangled and corrected and the show went on without a hitch.

After the music (and a standing ovation) so many people came up to tell us how much they had enjoyed the music. One lady told us, "You all are wonderful. We've never had anything like this for a program before." That would be because there is nothing like the Yesterukes! So glad they enjoyed us and have already booked up for next year.

And there is great hope that next time, we will be ready, diagram in hand now, to get it all done right. The first time.

The Sound Of Silence, Simon & Garfunkel, 1964

On The Road Again

2011-09-14T07:33:00.004-04:00

The Yesterukes are back! After a very long summer break, we hit the road again bringing songs and memories to the good folks at Fairview Baptist Church. We had new songs in our set list and some new equipment to make things run smoother. Thank goodness there was at least one Yesteruke who knew how to hook all of this up!

And once again, we were well fed.

The group here numbered over 100, including one beautiful lady who was celebrating her 95th birthday.

The Yesterukes sounded as good as ever, receiving a standing ovation and a request to return another time.

The Yesterukes trade in music and memories. Last night as we were packing up after the program a lady came up to talk to us. She said she had listened carefully as we were singing one of our standard songs, Sixteen Tons. She grew up in W. Virginia where her father was a coal miner. She told us, "As I sat and listened to this song, I thought....they could be singing about my dad. Pretty much every word of that song was true for him." Powerful memories.

On The Road Again, Willie Nelson, 1980

Sitting On Top Of The World

2011-08-26T09:28:00.001-04:00

Technically Prince Edward Island, Canada isn't all the way at the top of the world, but when you start out from South Carolina it's pretty darn close. For a few years the Yesterukes have been online friends with SMUG (Saturday Morning Ukulele Group) and the leader of the Yesterukes decided it was time to go meet the leader of SMUG--a ukulele summit.

David, who directs SMUG, arranged a day for everyone to get together to visit, play music and share a meal. For Dianne, who directs the Yesterukes, it felt much like being at home with her own group. We hope it won't be the last visit. SMUG members, please know you are always welcome here down South.

Sitting On Top Of The World, Mississippi Sheiks, 1930

The More We Get Together

2011-08-05T07:03:00.003-04:00

Finally. It was time to get back together after summer break. As much as we need a good break, it felt good to be back with friends. Visiting. Eating. (You know us...there's usually food.) Talking. Playing. Talking. Singing. More talking.

The photos tell it best.

And yes, we really did practice a little...

The More We Get Together, traditional children's song

Feeling Good

2011-07-16T18:35:00.003-04:00

The Yesterukes are on vacation. But that doesn't stop people from contacting us for performances (which we love) or stop them from sending us things they think we will enjoy. Today's email included one with a link to this video and said, "You can share this with the Ukesters."

We've played programs in many, many retirement communities but never have we encountered one like this! Love the sense of humor these folks have. It's too good not to share with you! The video has been up for four days and has had over a quarter of a million views. (Warning: no ukulele content. Just good fun.)

Feeling Good, Anthony Newly & Leslie Briscusse, 1965
(This version recorded by Michael Buble, 2005)

When I'm Sixty-Four

2011-06-29T07:58:00.002-04:00

"this is so amazing, Im only 22 now and when I watch this video I always imagine myself getting older like you and have so much fun :XD" connie

As much as we'd like to pretend that we are not old---or hope that no one notices that we are old--this young person did notice. Her comment today on one of our YouTube videos affirms that, yes, we are old. (It might be that all the gray hair is a give away.) But the important part of her comment is dead on.

We are having so much fun! And we are so happy that you think we are amazing. We also hope that when you are our age that you find something that brings you this much joy. Thank you, Connie, for taking time to add the comment.

When I'm Sixty-Four, The Beatles, 1967

After You've Gone

2011-06-24T10:34:00.000-04:00

It is always sad to say goodbye, but Ron & Betty, two very special people, have decided it is time to move on to other endeavors. Both have so many talents and interests that there was not enough time to do them all.

They were part of the original five people who completed the "Learn To Play The Ukulele In 8 Weeks" class. Those five people were the beginning of the Yesterukes. If memory is correct, in one of the first news articles about the band, they were quoted as saying they did one new thing each year. Ukulele was the new thing for 2007. So we can't complain---they've been with us for four wonderful years.

We will miss Ron's sense of humor (read his experience about his stay at Mepkin Abby after playing with us for a while. It was not the same as "before ukuleles"!) Ron was also one of our whistlers, one who wowed each and every audience. And no one will ever hit the high notes like Betty. Her true soprano voice will be missed in our vocals.

And Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Center will miss the great photo ops of these two in their blue shirts! They've been featured in assorted PR materials over the years. They always looked like they were having such great fun.

So here's to Ron and Betty! Enjoy your new adventure. We can't wait to hear what you do next.

After You've Gone, by Layton & Creamer, 1918

You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You

2011-06-14T09:10:00.002-04:00

If the song is true, we are definitely "somebody" because the folks at First Baptist Spartanburg really loved us. First Baptist Church in Spartanburg, SC is a huge congregation--about 7,000 members. If all of them are as friendly as the 150 or so we met, it's a fantastic place to be.

It might be the most enthusiastic audience ever. If we gave prizes for singing along with us, this group would win, hands down. It's so much fun for us to play when everyone listening gets into the music.

We love meeting new people and everyone here was so nice. We even met some old friends that had moved to this area. That was unexpected but it was fun to catch up after many years.

The Yesterukes never turn down a dinner invitation. Guess we truly "sing for our supper."

When the evening was over, this crowd jumped to their feet (well, as fast as a group called Young At Heart can jump.) Another standing ovation! They all left humming and singing and there was a smile on every face.

We were all smiling, too. It made us glad that we do what we do. All of our hard work was so appreciated. This was a perfect place to end our season. Yes, it was the last performance before summer break. The Yesterukes have worked hard this year and will be taking a much deserved break. We'll be back on the road in the fall.

There will be some blog posts along the way, but if we skip several weeks, don't give up on us. We're just resting.

You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You, written by Morgan, Stock & Cavanaugh, 1944

Time After Time

2011-06-07T19:56:00.000-04:00

For years we had an encore song in the back of our notebook, just in case. We practiced it time and again so it would be ready. Just a bouncy little song. But after many performances the song lanquished in the back of the book, so we took it out. Today we got a standing ovation from the crowd and a request for another song! And we didn't have one.

Maybe if we put the song back in, five years from now another group will shout, "Encore, encore!"

This was a huge group at Monaghan Baptist Church and we had a wonderful time visiting with them after the program. Several folks had heard us play at other churches and had brought friends to hear us today. We have fans!

We are fans of the good folks at Monaghan Baptist, too. They fed us well and told us over and over how much they loved the program. One man said several times, "You've got a good thing going here." We think so, too.

Time After Time, by Sammy Cahn & Jule Styne, 1947

S'Wonderful

2011-06-01T07:41:00.002-04:00

Blogger seems to have gone back to normal so we are back online. And we only missed telling you about one gig while it was down. The Yesterukes had a great time playing for the good folks at Greer First Presbyterian Church. They treated us to a huge salad buffet before we played. (Still wishing we had the recipe for the Strawberry Spinach salad.)

We played through our usual list of songs from years ago. But this particular audience seemed to enjoy it more than most. When we had finished about 45 minutes of music, almost every one there wanted to come talk to us, many telling stories about a particular song they liked. They stood around talking to each other a long time, swapping stories and sharing memories.

One gentleman who was seated at the front, very close to the band, never smiled during the program. Not one time. We really thought, "Well, you can't win them all. He's not enjoying this one bit." But after the program he told us, "I have not heard that much good music in years. Wonderful! Just wonderful!"

People tell us everywhere we go that one reason they have fun at our programs is because WE have so much fun playing. It's contagious! And there is no doubt about it---we have a lot of fun everywhere we go.

S'Wonderful, George & Ira Gershwin, 1927

Stuck In The Middle With You

2011-05-27T16:43:00.001-04:00

For reasons we don't begin to understand, the blog has been inaccessible for days. Stuck in some kind of limbo. There is a new post coming soon now we have a way to get here. So don't give up on us. We're still out there playing lots.

Who knew playing ukulele was also going to require us to learn lots of computer and internet things?

Stuck In The Middle With You, Stealers Wheel, 1972

Again

2011-05-09T21:14:00.002-04:00

It always makes us feel good when people want us back again. And in one week we had two return engagements. This was our third time at Christ Church Episcopal with their senior adult group. It was a warm and gracious audience. They love to sing along with us. And we love that!

It was truly a treat for us to be at one of the most historic churches in the area. The building is beautiful outside but when we play here, we get to see the beautiful inside. We've already been told that when we come back next year the theme will be a Hawaiian one. Hmmm... Wonder who in our group can hula?

The following evening a smaller group made a second appearance playing outdoors at the 3rd Annual Sip-n-Stroll, a wine tasting fund raiser for Main Street Laurens. We could not have wished for more perfect weather. It was fun to relax and play songs we love. Sometimes people would stop and listen for a bit before they continued on their way. And sometimes they would stop and sing along with us.

We wouldn't want to do back-to-back gigs many times, but just every once in a while, it works out just right.

Again, written by Lionel Newman and Dorcas Cochran, 1949

The 3rd Time Around

2011-04-20T10:50:00.000-04:00

People started arriving early to get signed in and settled before the program started. This was the third time we have played at Buncombe Street United Methodist Church, so they knew exactly what kind of program they were coming to. They have loved our music. And we love that they sing along with us!

With just a few preliminaries, it was time to get started. This time they wanted to use every minute of their time for the music. We started right on time. And folks continued to arrive as we played and sang.

The room had filled by the time we were well into the music.

When it was all done, we were their guests for lunch. And their lunch is always delicious. The good folks at Buncombe St. UMC feel like old friends now. Hope we might visit with them again sometime.

The 3rd Time Around, third studio album by Roger Miller, 1965

Once In Awhile

2011-04-12T15:21:00.001-04:00

The Yesterukes started a few years ago with a group of six players and since then has grown into a band so large that we won't all fit into a picture! Hence, the tilted shot--a homemade wide-angle photo.

We played a concert at the Laurens County Library last week for a rare open-to-the-public performance. The library community room was full. And the audience included some people who had made their first trip ever to the library. That made the library staff very happy. We were glad these folks came to hear us, but hope these newcomers will visit the library again to check out the other things available there.

We also had a very special visitor for the evening. Flat Stanley attended the concert with a special 3rd grade friend. Flat Stanley even had his photo made playing the ukulele so that he can show the class what he did during spring break. Maybe we can get a copy of the photo later.

Everyone had fun. We hope it isn't too long before we can do another concert that is open to everyone.

Once In Awhile, Tommy Dorsey, 1937

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Sweets For My Sweet

2011-04-05T17:48:00.000-04:00

A feast! There is no other word to describe the meal that awaited the Yesterukes today at Waterloo United Methodist Church. The Friends & Neighbors group meets monthly for food and fellowship. We were so happy to be part of this today. The photos only show part of the spread.

And, yes, the Yesterukes have learned that a little discipline is needed when the meal is served before the program. It would be so easy to overindulge. We played for about 50 minutes after lunch for the audience, singing some of our old standards and some of our new favorites. This was a group that sang along with us on every song. One lady told us after the program, "I'm so glad you invited us to sing along...because I think I would have exploded otherwise! I knew all of those songs. I love singing them." And we loved having her--and everyone else--sing along with us.

Sweets For My Sweet, The Drifters, 1961

Meet The Yesterukes - Bob

2011-03-24T09:08:00.001-04:00

A chance encounter at a music store jam was where Bob was "discovered". He was a voice looking for a place to use it. And the Yesterukes were a perfect fit. Here is his story:

Music is the thread that kept and still keeps my family together. My greatest thrill was singing with my brothers at my daughter’s, niece and nephew’s weddings. I started out in the 3rd grade loving when the music teacher came around a couple of times a month. I did not know at the time if I loved music that much or just liked getting out of regular studies. Santa Claus brought me a plastic uke that year, and I learned to play it. I learned to play it good enough to get a wooden one the next year. I played that one for several years and then I got a baritone uke. But this fellow named “Elvis” came along not too long after that and I switched to guitar because that was where the girls were.

I earned my way through college playing in a Rock and Roll band. When I became an accountant, my only music was singing in the church choir. When I retired, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but I decided to learn to really play guitar by reading music as well as by ear. At a local jam session, I ran into the Yesterukes leader. She had just formed a group of uke players and asked if I would come and visit with them. The rest is history as they say. To enhance my “career” with the Yesterukes, I now take guitar, piano, and drum lessons in addition to playing the ukulele. I would not want to get “fired” from the Yesterukes!!

And here is a project Bob just completed with help from some of his Yesteruke friends:

Poetry In Motion

2011-03-22T13:08:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you find ukulele players in the strangest ways. Walking through a shopping district in Atlanta, we encountered a couple of gentlemen offering free poems. After passing them by, the thought occurred that it might be fun to see if they could write a poem about a ukulele--thinking this might be a challenge. So we turned back and asked for one.

Who knew the poet was also a ukulele player? After composing our poem, he pulled out his ukulele and played us a tune. We told him about the Yesterukes. He was equally surprised to come across another ukulele player--especially one who is part of a 20-piece band!

Here is his poem...

Jumping flea, hop off me

onto nylon strings under

waving palms. A song comes

over waves as sunshine plays

between the bright wood, koa

and rose, tiny bubbles or

tim. Flying strum or slim

notes, mele or hapa hoale,

sweet small music always

at hand, bare feet and

sand. I love thee, ukulele,

reminder and mind of place.

We Yesterukes often think of ourselves as the only ukulele players around, and at many locations, we truly are. But it's even nicer to think of ourselves as part of a ukulele community that exists around the globe.

Poetry In Motion, by Johnny Tillotson, 1961

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

2011-03-17T20:12:00.001-04:00

There was no doubt that this senior group--the YAHs-- was glad to have us come and play for them. The first thing we saw was this delicious cake, waiting to be cut after lunch. It was one of the warmest welcomes we've ever received. (YAH stands for Young At Heart.)

Getting set up and settled in is just a part of our regular routine. Visiting with each other is always fun.

But meeting new people everywhere we go is even more fun. John Knox Presbyterian Church was so friendly. They were interested in us and what we do and it was so good to have time to meet these folks and get to know them. They had such good stories to share with us.

We thought the cake was dessert but the desserts just kept coming. So many choices! Decisions, decisions.

And the meal before we even got to the desserts was wonderful, too. Everyone brought food to add to the table. Thanks to these lovely people for making a dreary rainy day special for us. We hope we brought some fun to the program! We added a few Irish songs to our regular set list since St. Patrick's Day was nearly here. But it was our old standards that folks enjoyed the most. One comment heard more than once was, "These songs brought back so many memories." That's what we do best.

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, Olcott & Graff, 1912

Celebrate

2011-02-18T22:20:00.001-05:00

He comes sometimes just to sit and listen to the Yesterukes practice and usually stays until the end. He told his daughter about our band and how much he enjoyed listening. "They sure would be good to have for a party. If anyone was planning a party," he said just a few weeks before his birthday. We were glad someone was listening.

And so the Yesterukes were invited to entertain. It was the best kind of party. Lots of friends and family and cake. Lots of cake. We were honored to be part of this 85th birthday celebration. Happy birthday, Joel!

Celebrate, Three Dog Night, 1969

Let Me Call You Sweetheart

2011-02-13T12:08:00.000-05:00

When the doors opened promptly at six o'clock, over a hundred people flowed into the beautifully decorated room. Red jackets and red sweaters were the fashion choice for many of these silvered haired folks. They were gathering for the annual Sweetheart Banquet at Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church. The Yesterukes in their blue shirts were easily identifiable as visitors here. Visitors and entertainers. After a delicious meal, we played old love songs, older love songs and a couple that might be classified as ancient. And there were a few songs that had nothing to do with love but we just enjoy playing them.

But the best part of the program was after we finished. People came to the front to say how much they enjoyed it. And we hearing that. We heard, "We've just spent an evening walking down memory lane. Thank you!" (The Yesterukes have a permanent address on Memory Lane!) "Well, I didn't believe there was such a thing as a ukulele band. I was wrong." And, "This was the most fun I've had in a long time." There were many other similar comments. But sometimes people come up to tell you stories. And that's even better. The people with the stories will wait a little longer until the first wave has moved on.

There was a man who was excited to tell about a business trip to Hawaii many years ago. Ukuleles were hanging on the wall at a restaurant where he had a business dinner and customers and staff would take one off the wall and sing and play when the mood struck them. He left smiling. Made us smile, too. And there was a lady who came to tell us she used to play ukulele but had not touched one in 40 years. Then she borrowed one of ours and proceeded to play Twenty Six Miles for us! And a man who was one of the older guests there waited a long time to ask, "Can you show me how to play that thing?"

As we were packing the last instruments in the car, one of the ladies who had helped serve the meal came out of the church doors whistling one of the songs we had played. We knew it had been a good night.

Let Me Call You Sweetheart, Friedman & Whitson, 1910

I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)

2011-02-10T10:34:00.005-05:00

If a little music is a good thing, then more must be better! As a personal project, one of the Yesterukes decided to record a CD on his own. He found back-up singers among the group. They had several sessions in the studio, laying down tracks.

The rest of us have enjoyed hearing about their adventure. And now we're waiting anxiously to hear the final product. Maybe we'll see them one day on America's Got Talent.

It's nice to think that the Yesterukes have generated more musical fun. It's like that pebble tossed into the water that just continues to create ripples. Wonder what's coming next?

I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band), The Moody Blues, 1973

In The Land Of Beginning Again

2011-02-04T08:10:00.005-05:00

A longer than usual Christmas break, crazy winter weather rarely seen in the South, the loss of a member's spouse---this feels like a never-ending winter. But the Yesterukes are ready to play. After a few practices to brush away the cobwebs, we are ready to take the show on the road next week.

There was chatter at yesterday's practice about the definition of "senior adult." You can join AARP at age 50. An online dictionary defined senior citizen as "elderly persons, usually more than sixty or sixty-five years of age." (Elderly at 60? We don't think so!!!)

This topic came up because most of our programs are for senior adult groups. We try to choose music that our audiences will recognize and enjoy. But our audiences can range from mid-50s to 100! (The oldest audience member we can remember was 102.) There is a nearly 30-year age range among the Yesterukes.

So what does all this mean? All in our group have to learn songs we don't always know or like. It's always fun to add a new song to our list and then wait for the moans and groans. Those who finished high school in the 1940s might not love a song from the late 60s or early 70s. There was a huge musical shift during those years. And some of our younger members might think a song from the 1930s borders on dull.

But we all will give the song a try, argue its merits, study it on YouTube, and play it different ways. After lots of joking around and lots of laughter, the song just might be someone's new favorite. Or at least they will tolerate it!

What's the one type of comment we hear after every program? "I love your selection of music." "You choose the best songs." "How do you choose such a good list of songs?" We work at it.

In The Land Of Beginning Again, Bing Crosby, 1945

On The Sunny Side Of The Street

2011-01-15T09:17:00.000-05:00

After a much needed winter break, it's time to get out the ukuleles again and tune them up. The entire South got an extra dose of "vacation days" this week with the biggest snow storm since 1988. The snow is beginning to melt on the spots where the sun hits, but we still must be very careful when walking in shady places. Definitely need to stay on the sunny side of the street! The above photo was made on 6th consecutive day with snow on the ground. (No ukuleles were harmed in the making of this photo.)

The Yesterukes are ready to get back in gear and start working on their spring program. The calendar is almost filled for spring already. It's so hard to explain to all the people who call to see if we can come play for their group "next month" that we are booking for fall and NEXT spring!

So come back soon to see what the Yesterukes are up to. And you'll also meet more of our band members. Some of them have taken on extra ukulele projects, too. It will interesting and inspiring to learn what they are doing. There will be much happening in the coming months.

On The Sunny Side Of The Street, by Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields, 1930

A Christmas Card For You

2010-12-15T17:33:00.003-05:00

The Yesterukes wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

We will be taking a break to enjoy time with our family and friends but we'll be right back here after the holidays. See you in a couple of weeks or so.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas! (2010)

2010-12-10T10:25:00.000-05:00

We wish you could have joined us for our Christmas lunch at The Broken Teapot. No blue shirts, no ukuleles, no audience. Just a time to visit, share a meal and enjoy each other's company.

But when this many musicians gather, music happens whether you plan it or not.

And several of the talented people in our group play more than ukulele.

So this time we sang carols just for fun.

And we laughed and celebrated being together with our "ukulele family."

Then we were seated in this wonderful old house now turned restaurant.

And everyone leisurely enjoyed this delicious meal. No concert to play today.

One little Yesteruke-in-training was there for her first sing-along.

A cake made just for us by the daughter of one of our members was the perfect ending for our meal.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of the Yesterukes to each of you!

We Wish You A Merry Christmas, a 16th-century English carol

Sing We Now Of Christmas

2010-12-05T19:55:00.000-05:00

The Yesterukes ended their performing year with a pair of Christmas programs. Hard to believe another year has come to an end. This was our fourth season of Christmas shows.

We entertained over 70 Hospice volunteers at their annual dinner. This particular group of volunteers man the three Thrift Stores that help fund the Hospice program in Laurens County.

And the following day we gathered again at midday at Rolling Green Village for the Ladies Club luncheon.

They had the largest attendance of the year for this program. This was a group that sang along with us enthusiastically. We left this last program truly in the Christmas spirit.

We provided the entertainment for their meeting and in turn, they fed us well. The Yesterukes seem to eat well nearly everywhere we go. One member said she was glad to be done with the programs. We thought she meant she was tired of our schedule--but she said she was glad not to have another four or five delicious Christmas meals while she could still fit in her clothes!

And we had a special guest with us for this final program. A young man doing his high school senior project on ukuleles has one of the Yesterukes as his mentor. He has been learning to play ukulele since school started this year. He sat in with us for this whole program. When it was over, he said, "It is so much more fun to play with a group than to play at home by myself."

He has discovered the secret of the Yesterukes.

Sing We Now Of Christmas, Traditional

In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening

2010-11-21T20:25:00.004-05:00

After we decided to play this holiday market, we kept an eye on the weather forecast for days. It had been so nice and moderate for weeks. But the weekend forecast kept looking colder and colder. What were we thinking? A bunch of old folks sitting outdoors in the cold for hours? But we had agreed to play, so we bundled up, loaded our gear and set up by the fountain for a couple of hours of music.

The Hub City Thanksgiving Market turned out to be great fun. The mood was festive. The shoppers loved the music. One man who stopped to listen who knew more about the songs we played than we did. He was an encyclopdia of trivia about our old songs. And there was the college-age young woman who sat down to listen and then bought our CD so she could "listen to happy music at home." So many others gathered, all smiles, around the fountain to hear our ukuleles.

We did our best to keep warm. We learned that you can cut the finger tips off a $1 pair of gloves and play right on. We also discovered that the colder we got, the faster we played. As the temperature dropped, we kept getting faster and faster--until we reached our limit. We couldn't play any faster or stand the cold any longer!!! It was time to call it a night and head home. It was fun but we're glad our next gig is indoors!

In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening, Hoagy Carmichael & Johnny Mercer, 1951

It's My Party

2010-11-17T10:01:00.000-05:00

We didn't know until we arrived that the event at Standing Springs Baptist Church was a birthday party for the men in the senior adult group. And the Yesterukes were the special entertainment. After a great supper, complete with cake and ice cream, we sang and played our songs from years gone, taking the audience on trip back in time.

After the program, a younger man who was attending with his father, came up to say, "You guys were good. I mean, really good." Seeing the slightly incredulous look on his face as he said that, the Yesterukes director responded, "Let me guess--we weren't exactly what you were expecting, were we?" (We get this a lot.) He was funny as he continued. "I actually kind of thought it was a joke announcement when they told us we were having a ukulele band." But we are no joke!

And we had some fans who wanted to see us perform so badly that they decided to just come. Our first party crashers! Our public concerts are rare, so they just decided to come and hope it was okay. It was fine and added to the excitement. And it delighted us that anyone wanted to see us that much.

We met so many new friends as we visited after the program. Everyone was warm and friendly. We felt like we had known them for a long time. Pretty sure we'll be back here again.

It's My Party, Lesley Gore, 1963

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Here, There And Everywhere

2010-11-12T07:37:00.009-05:00

"Did you see that lady with the gray hair?", one of the Yesterukes asked as we were packing up after the program. We all laughed because at the places we play, nearly everyone has gray hair! But she was commenting on one beautiful lady who looked much younger than the many years of her actual age. We meet so many lovely people everywhere we go and Overbrook Baptist Church was no exception.

After our program we were invited to join these good folks for a wonderful lunch. They asked that we not all sit together, but spread out among the tables so that they could get to know us better. Southern hospitality at it's best!

They were most interested in how we started, how we operated and were eager to share their own stories about the songs we played. "I'll be honest," one man commented. "Some of those songs just brought tears to my eyes." Another gentleman remarked, "That boy could really sing, couldn't he?" as a table of men talked about listening to Sixteen Tons. We like it anytime someone calls us "boy" or "girl."

Here, There And Everywhere, The Beatles, 1966

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Try To Remember

2010-10-29T15:49:00.002-04:00

Most people pick up a ukulele and go "plunka plunka plunka" while they are singing a song. Lots of fun, but why stop there? (What? You mean you can do more with a ukulele?) Lil Rev of Wisconsin spent an afternoon teaching the Yesterukes new things to do with our ukuleles. New strums and tricks of the trade. So many new things to try, so much to practice, so much to remember.

Everyone worked hard to get the basics. Rev lead us through the drills over and over, like the school teacher he once was. "Repetition, repetition," he kept saying. "You can do it but it just takes time." It's going to take lots more work at home to be able to do this.

But IF we can master even a couple of the things he taught us, our future shows are going to be so much fun! We will try not to sling a ukulele across the room as we attempt swinging them and flipping them. Who knew you could do that with a ukulele? No, we are not juggling ukuleles--yet.

There was plenty of instructional material to help us work at home. And we thought at our age, we were done with homework. At least this is fun homework.

Then everything moved to the Laurens County Library for an evening concert. Lil Rev played ukuleles, guitar and surprised us by being one of the best harmonica players anywhere around. We learned little music history, heard great stories and got to sing along with Lil Rev. And those of us who attended the workshop got to see his 'strums and tricks' in real songs in a performance setting.

Laurens folks were well entertained for the night with traditional music and original songs. If they were not ukulele fans when they arrived, they surely were when they left. Or, there is no hope for them. The question that was asked over and over as people left was, "When is he coming back?" We hope he'll be back again next fall, but you don't have to wait that long to hear him. You can listen right here, on his YouTube channel.

Lil Rev ended the evening by inviting Hunter Holmes, local musician and a fellow lover of old music to join him for the final song. It's amazing to see two fine musicians play together for the first time...and never miss a note.

Then the traveling ukulele player left to continue his East Coast tour, leaving new fans and new friends behind. Lil Rev is a master ukulele player and a master teacher, traveling across this country and to other parts of the globe to share his knowledge and encourage others. Glad he stopped here!

Try To Remember, from the musical, The Fantasticks, 1965

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My Heart Stood Still

2010-10-26T11:35:00.007-04:00

The Yesterukes played a program for Broad St. United Methodist Church a couple of years ago. That evening we launched into our toe-tapping opening song. Surveying the audience during that first song there was a heart-stopping moment when we spied a well known classical musician sitting in the crowd. A member of this church, he was head of a college music department and director of two well respected chorales. And here we were on stage, singing and plunk, plunk, plunking away. There was nothing to do but keep singing and smiling. Not sure why, but it made us nervous wondering what he was thinking.

Turns out he is quite a fan of the Yesterukes. He called us a few months ago. Having retired, he is now in charge of the programs for the church senior adult group and he wanted to book us. We were glad to be back at Broad St. UMC again. As we played for the VIM group (Very Important Methodists) yesterday, we told the group that comparing our music to his music is a little like comparing hot dogs to caviar! And it's okay to enjoy both.

There is also quite a connection between the Yesterukes and this church. Several of our members are former members of this church and another was a long time resident of this community. So there were lots of hugs and hand shakes all around. As we play across the upstate, it's great fun to find old friends. We all enjoyed a few hours together, sharing a meal and sharing our songs.

My Heart Stood Still, Rodgers & Hart, 1927

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Nice Work If You Can Get It

2010-10-21T11:25:00.001-04:00

The very first program we played had 8 songs in it--that was every song we knew. Our audience that afternoon was a just handful of people. But the response was warm and encouraging. From that humble beginning we have grown. In the last three years our notebook has grown to include hundreds of songs. And the Yesterukes have grown from 5 players to 22.

We were honored when AgSouth called us last year to ask us to play for their annual dinner. But we didn't know then what a large event this would be. This week we played for 90 minutes for about 400 people from across the upstate. They loved it. One man walked up to tell us that he was a fan of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and he was surprised and delighted to learn that upstate South Carolina had its own ukulele band. We love that we were even included in the same sentence as UOGB!

The Yesterukes have grown in all respects--more songs, more players...better songs, better players. We can't wait to see what the future holds!

Nice Work If You Can Get It, Fred Astaire, 1937

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The More We Get Together

2010-10-16T18:32:00.001-04:00

The morning chill didn't stop ukulele players from across the Southeast from gathering at Lake Greenwood in South Carolina. Uketoberfest 2010 was the second gathering here. They came from North Carolina, Georgia and all parts of South Carolina.

They came to admire ukulele collections brought by dedicated players who wanted to let others try them out. There are not many available to play in music stores---yet. So we loved the chance to play all types of ukes.

A roaring fire looked inviting and warmed us up. The weather was perfect, warming up nicely as the day went on.

Early in the day a van arrived---a ukulele store on wheels!

Mim's Uke's from Charlotte, NC had learned about this gathering and she brought a huge assortment of ukes for everyone to drool over. Pretty sure she took less home than she brought.

Songs and licks were swapped. Every genre of music (except maybe classical) was played by someone here.

And every manner of ukulele clothing was on display--shirts, jackets, hats and these most distinctive shoes!

More ukulele shopping. One can never have enough ukuleles.

But it's the music that brings us together. There was plenty of time to jam. Everyone got a chance to start a song or two. We all learned something new. And likely have a list of songs to learn at home.

And in the afternoon there was an open mic. Many folks took the opportunity to play for the group. Some were seasoned performers. For others, it was the first time to play for an audience. We heard rock songs, Hawaiian songs, blues songs, TV theme songs and more. Some were individual performers, some groups. The Yesterukes did a few from their set list. It was fun to hear everyone and those of us who didn't play this year might be braver next time.

The final song of the open mic was a beautiful jazz version of Autumn Leaves performed by a husband and wife duo from Georgia--the perfect song to end the day.

Thanks to the Charleston Hotshots for making this happen. We look forward to the next one.

The More We Get Together, Childrens' Song, traditional

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Yes, We Have No Bananas

2010-10-13T10:49:00.004-04:00

There are plenty of musical groups that struggle to keep going, to get bookings and to get the word out. We have the opposite problem.

Maybe it's because we play such happy music, or maybe it's because people "of a certain age" love to hear the songs we play, or maybe it's just because we're a good looking bunch, but we have no lack of people who want to book us.

The following excerpt from a recent email, though, takes the cake...

Everywhere I go now I am hearing about the Yesteryukes; your reputation is spreading far and wide. So, I want to be sure we are on your calendar for the first Thursday in May for the next three years. Life being what it is, I know things may change but can we plan on having you barring the unforeseen? And I hope your fall is as spectacular as ours is.

When our band first started we only had five members and booked dates (and not very many) a month or two in advance. We talked about accepting one of these dates and one Yesteruke exclaimed, "Well, I guess we can say "yes" but at our age, we don't even buy green bananas!"

We're smiling now as we think about those green bananas and booking dates in 2013. It is nice to be loved.

Yes, We Have No Bananas, sung by Eddie Cantor in "Make It Snappy", 1922

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You've Got A Friend

2010-10-09T15:43:00.004-04:00

We knew you'd be here if you could. We knew that you were where you needed to be, doing what you needed to do. But we really missed you all this time. There was excitement when we heard you were coming back. So everyone was happy to see you walk through the door, ukulele in hand, smile on your face.

We're glad you're back...back with friends who care about you and care about your family. The music is always sweeter when we are all together.

You've Got A Friend, written by Carole King, recorded by James Taylor, 1971

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Meet The Yesterukes--Dick

2010-09-27T12:50:00.004-04:00

When the bass guitar player joined the Yesterukes, our sound improved immeasurably. A bonus for us was learning that Dick had many other talents. He is a terrific ukulele player, soloist, rhythm player. He has been known to put on sideburns and belt out the Elvis version of Blue Christmas around the holidays. And he does animal sounds as needed by the group.

He tells his ukulele story:

The ukulele was my first stringed instrument. I still have the booklet that I used to teach myself to play. That was in the early 60s and the uke was soon replaced by the guitar and rock 'n roll. My first ukulele was purchased for me by my parents when I was 8 years old. We were in a music store when I saw a ukulele and thought that it would be fun to play. At the time, Roy Rogers was my hero and he played the guitar. So I thought it would be neat if I had something so I could strum along Roy. As I got older, I was in several bands that played rock 'n roll and rhythm and blues. I've continued to play acoustic guitar, electric guitar and bass guitar throughout my adult life. More recently I thought it would be nice to go back to my roots, so I purchased a new ukulele about 3 years ago. When a member of the Yesterukes found out I played ukulele, she invited me to join the group. The rest, as they say, is history.

Listen as Dick sings one of the most popular songs in our set list:

You Oughta Be In Pictures

2010-09-23T17:06:00.014-04:00

Sometimes things just don't go as planned. We had many people absent this week. And we could not use our regular practice space. So we moved to a smaller room and changed gears. After playing a couple of songs, someone showed up with ice cream for all of us. And we settled back for something different.

This week we watched the recently released DVD, The Mighty Uke. We set up a new iMac computer to view the DVD and learn more about our beloved ukulele. This wonderful documentary includes a little history of the instrument, current ukulele activity and shows some of the best ukulele players around. It's funny. It's educational. It's a "feel good" film that made us glad we play ukulele, glad we are part of this ukulele world.

If you have the opportunity to see this movie, don't miss it. In the meantime, you can preview it right here.

Every now and then, it's good to do something different. Keeps it interesting!

You Oughta Be In Pictures, Suesse & Heyman, 1934

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The Second Time Around

2010-09-19T10:06:00.008-04:00

A second visit at Northside United Methodist Church was as much fun as the first time. They even planned the table decorations to match our shirts! That's a real welcome.

The members at Northside UMC had invited visitors. And we also had family and friends of some of our band members come. The room was packed.

After a wonderful meal (do other parts of the country have a covered dish dinners as often as we do in the South?), the Yesterukes played and sang songs from years gone by. Songs that brought back so many memories for those listening.

The Yesterukes sing and play because it's fun for them. But it's always more fun when the audience joins in. This audience was a good one. We think they had as much fun as we did.

The Second Time Around, Bing Crosby, 1960

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Back In The Saddle Again

2010-09-15T20:05:00.018-04:00

It's been a while since we have done a full program. So starting back knowing there would be over 300 people in the audience was just the tiniest bit nerve-wracking. We should not have worried. Folks were singing along, tapping toes, laughing---all signs that they were having fun.

Taylors First Baptist Church's XYZ Club is made up of people from many churches who gather monthly for fellowship, food and fun. This most gracious audience was not quite sure what to expect when they learned that this month's program was a ukulele band. But oh, were they ever excited when they heard us!

After program comments ranged from "This is the most fun I've had in a long time" to "Our table voted--you're the best program we've ever had" to "After hearing you, I'm just too excited to eat!" Which is a shame because the meal was delicious.

A treat for us was having the church's professional sound man take care of all our sound needs. Top of our wish list now is our own sound man. Oh, how easily we are spoiled!

The XYZ Club called right after we left and asked us to come back next year. Gotta love a great group like that.

Back In The Saddle Again, Gene Autry, 1939

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Meet The Yesterukes--Lois

2010-09-03T11:08:00.004-04:00

Our members come to us in many different ways. Lois came to listen to us play because she was leading ukulele group at a senior center. That group plays all baritone ukuleles, unlike the Yesterukes who seem to have one of every kind of uke. She wanted to find out how another group operated.

After seeing us perform, Lois decided that one ukulele group was not enough for her. So we happily welcomed her into our band.

Here's what Lois says:

The Yesterukes have surely made an impact on my "Elder" life. I take a Uke lesson on Tuesday, I play and sing with the Yesterukes on Thursday, and play and sing with a group of Senior Citizens on Friday. I can't even find a time to make an appointment with my hairdresser!!!

Well, we think her hair is always perfect. And we're glad she found us.

Meet the Yesterukes--Sue

2010-08-22T09:40:00.004-04:00

From time to time we will be hearing from the members of the Yesterukes in their own words. Might be how they learned to play or an interesting experience they've had with the ukulele or with our band.

Here is the story Sue tells:

I learned to play a uke when I was about ten. My older sister brought hers home from college one weekend. Of course, I thought I could learn to play one too. Soon I had a uke of my own and was on the way to learning a few songs.

We used to entertain our Mom and Dad from the backseat of the car on long trips. (This was before our car had a radio.) We knew the usual easy sing-a-long songs of the day. We played and sang to our hearts content....until .....my Dad had finally had enough. He would slow down, turn around, and say quietly, " Let's give that a rest for awhile." And we would.

Just imagine--a car without radio. Now, kids watch movies in the back seat! Oh, how times have changed.

The Old Gray Mare

2010-08-17T13:36:00.019-04:00

"The old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be", the folk song says. Well, that is certainly true for the Yesterukes but in a good way. It has been almost three years since we started the band. If you are a regular reader, you've followed our progress as a group. But there have been many individual changes, too.

The person who said, "I'll come to practice only if you promise I won't EVER have to play in public" has been leading the group for several performances while the regular leader is absent for a while.

A gentleman who came to us as a fairly new player is now teaching a class, helping others learn to play ukulele.

Our rhythm player had never played any musical instrument before and now keeps a steady beat for the band on a multitude of rhythm instruments.

Our vocal soloist is taking drum lessons. Everyone in our group has a story.

So, yes..."we ain't what we used to be." We're better.

The Old Gray Mare, Traditional

Hello! Ma Baby

2010-08-10T05:57:00.017-04:00

"The show must go on." We've all heard that. But yesterday it happened. The Yesterukes played a morning program at Calvary Baptist Church while the writer of this blog (who is in possession of the sound system and leads the band) was at the hospital meeting a first grandbaby. A quickly anointed new leader took over and the program went right on as scheduled--unplugged!

We had carefully planned our schedule around this event...we thought. But new baby came early. Guess no one told baby about the plan.

So today there are no photos of the Yesterukes. Just this beautiful baby. (The writer of this blog might be a little bit biased. And a little bit proud.)

Hello! Ma Baby, by Howard & Emerson, 1899

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Happy Together

2010-08-05T16:27:00.009-04:00

Taking a break is essential for this ukulele band so that there is time for vacation, family and such but goodness, how good it is to be back together.

If you had watched the group gather, you might think we had taken the entire summer off instead of one month!

Everyone was so happy to see each other. It was hard to get everyone settled down to practice.

Today, though, the visiting was as important as the music. We needed time to reconnect and catch up on what had happened during the past month.

We did finally get to the music. And we sounded good---really good. Good to know we didn't forget everything. "It was the hours of practice we each did daily while we were off," someone cracked. That's likely an exaggeration, but time away certainly didn't hurt us. Thank goodness.

Happy Together, The Turtles, 1967

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Sunshine and Summertime

2010-08-01T16:08:00.006-04:00

Our month off has flown by and it's time to dust off the ukuleles, find the music and get together again as a band. It's likely that our first practice back will be as much about visiting as about playing.

Our ukuleles traveled to the ocean, the mountains, the lake...and even helped celebrate the grand opening of a Tractor Supply Company. Now it's time to get back to business. Thanks to you, our readers, for letting us take a blog break, too.

Sunshine And Summertime, Faith Hill, 2006

Getting Some Fun Out Of Life

2010-06-29T10:18:00.007-04:00

Southerners are noted for their politeness so we figure at least a few of the positive comments we've had over the years might have more to do with good manners than our great performance. But last night a beautiful lady who is well into her 90s came up after the program at Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church to speak to the Yesterukes.

She was very specific when she told us, "This is the best program we've had." Holding up one finger at a time as she listed what she liked, she continued, "It was lively. It was just the right length. The music was great."

The evening was fun for us all. Good food, good fellowship, good audience. It was just the way to end our performing for a while.
The Yesterukes will take a much needed break for the entire month of July. Meet us right back here in August for more from the Yesterukes.

Enjoy your summer!

Getting Some Fun Out Of Life, Bille Holliday, 1937

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Hot Hot Hot

2010-06-24T22:36:00.005-04:00

We know, we know. All we can talk about is this heat. But it was 99 in the shade today. And heat makes people do strange things....like the spontaneous ukulele version of Elvira that started mid-practice this afternoon. It was actually sung with name Eldena (she came in a little late), but you get the idea. Turned out to be great fun. So who knows, maybe we'll try it for real one day.

Eldena told us we sounded good as she walked toward our practice room. She also saw several folks sitting out in the heat listening to us practice. If we had known, we would have welcomed them into the cool where we were. We play better when folks are listening.

We're waiting on a weather front to pass through and bring some relief from the heat. Anyone know any "cool" songs to sing in the meantime?

Hot Hot Hot, by Arrow, 1982

Lazy Bones

2010-06-21T10:00:00.009-04:00

It's summer. It's hot. It's really hot. And we are beginning to slow down a little. Vacations, family visits, and a couple of summer viruses have kept folks away from practice. But we are taking advantage of our slower schedule to try out some new songs. Not everything we try will make it to public performance.

Sometimes it's just fun to play to see what happens. A sure hit? A train wreck? Or we'll think, "What would happen if we change.....?" It's great to have some time to explore what is possible.

Here is a song that we did months ago because it was so simple. It gave our newer players an easy song--one they could feel comfortable playing. We added it to our set list and, to our amazement, it has become a crowd favorite! Two chords for the entire song. Perfect to play when the "lazies" hit.

Lazy Bones, by Hoagy Carmichael & Johnny Mercer, 1933

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Friendship

2010-06-02T06:07:00.006-04:00

On a hot, muggy day the cars began to arrive at the small church, crossing over the railroad track into the gravel parking lot. The church is small but the senior group isn't.

They call their group "Friends & Neighbors" and it's just that. They invite people from other churches and other communities to join them once a month for fellowship and food. The visiting is just as important as the food and the music. Conversation mixes with laughter. And there might be a tall tale swapped here and there!

The food was abundant and delicious. And the welcome was warm. After lunch everyone settled back to enjoy the program. The well-fed Yesterukes were more than happy to pull out the ukuleles and sing and spend a little more time here in Waterloo.

Friendship, by Cole Porter, 1932

It's Just A Matter Of Time

2010-05-27T20:33:00.025-04:00

Just like sports teams study game film, we study our videos. It's the only way to find what needs work. Practice means just that--a work session, not just time to play music together. But it's still fun. And it does pay off.

If you've seen some of our earlier videos, we hope you can see improvement in these latest ones. We're pretty sure we can. And be certain that there are some videos that you'll never see! The Yesterukes borrowed the motto, "Learn by doing" from the 4H clubs. It worked for them and it has worked for us, too. After nearly 100 performances, we've learned much. We thankfully had kind audiences in the very beginning--ones who encouraged us to keep going.

Here we are, starting a concert last week the way we start every program--with our version of Sweet Georgia Brown.

We'll be putting more videos here from time to time. But if you want more now, you can find another right here!

We'd love to hear what you think. Leave us a comment.

It's Just A Matter Of Time, Brook Benton, 1959

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Getting Better

2010-05-21T09:12:00.011-04:00

The instant the concert was over, she made a beeline for the director, pointing her finger in a sweeping motion toward the Yesterukes still on stage. "I don't know anything about this stuff--but I just know I want to do it! How do I get started?" That kind of enthusiasm is always a sign that we did a good job. And this lady wasn't the only one. There were enough people asking about playing uke last night to consider starting another "How to Play Uke" class.

The Yesterukes played a full hour program for a packed house of friends, family, and residents of Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community. We mixed a few new solo pieces in with our standard set. We continue to discover hidden talents among our players and this concert gave them time to shine.

The Martha Franks Community was where this whole ukulele thing started, when an 8-week class was offered for residents. It was all so innocent. No expectations of anything more. But three years later, that little class has evolved into a 20-piece ukulele band that has performed for thousands.

The comments that were the most fun for us to hear were the Martha Franks residents who, in amazement, remarked, "Oh my goodness, you guys are SO MUCH BETTER than you used to be!" Lots of practice, lots of hard work, lots of performing. That's how you get better.

Getting Better, The Beatles, 1967

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After All These Years

2010-05-13T19:04:00.007-04:00

The most fragile of audiences gathered mid-afternoon. Some came in wheelchairs. Nurses rolled others into the room in bed-like reclining chairs. Some were alert, others dozed quietly.

The Yesterukes were at their best, playing songs they hoped would tap memories for these residents. A few in the audience sang, another conducted from the back of the room. And one sweet faced lady clapped in rhythm with our music.

Outside the glassed-in activity room, staff stopped to watch and listen. One man even took a break from his sweeping to do a little dancing with his broom. Family members there to visit loved ones came out to see what was happening and lingered a bit, smiling when they returned to the room they were visiting.

And when the program was done, the Yesterukes in their blue shirts, spent some time with the residents, lingering long enough to hold a hand or touch a shoulder, as they listened and chatted. The last comment heard was a quiet voice saying, "I hope you'll be back again soon."

After All These Years, by Journey, 2008

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Heat Wave

2010-05-10T11:17:00.011-04:00

It was 92 degrees at 5:30 as we were setting up for an outdoor event. Wow! That's hot even though we live in the South. A very not-typical heat wave had descended on us just in time for the 2nd annual Sip & Stroll on the town square.

We gathered just the local players for this three hour evening and enjoyed playing some favorite tunes as people strolled around the square and sampled an assortment of wines from Biltmore Winery. A dozen merchants provided hor d'oeuvres and a different wine for tasting. Local musicians were stationed on sides of the square to provide entertainment. Restaurants and businesses on the square were all open for the evening.

As the sun dropped below the skyline (the two story buildings behind us), it finally cooled down a little. While most folks sipped and strolled, we sat and sang, enjoying each other's company, visiting with friends and neighbors, and making music together.

Heat Wave, by Irving Berlin, 1933

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Till We Meet Again

2010-05-06T17:24:00.008-04:00

It's a good feeling when a group asks us to come back again. It makes us feel appreciated. We played at Christ Church Episcopal last fall and before we left that day, they scheduled us to come again and play twice as long! We must be doing something right. And the audience there is so good, just joining right in to sing along with us. We love that.

For almost an hour we sang songs from the 1920s all the way to the new songs from the 1960s. We know...we know... Our "new" songs are 50 years old. But it doesn't seem that long ago, does it?

One of the best times of any gig is right after we finish when we get to visit with some of the listeners. A few of today's comments--"Will you teach me to play ukulele? I want to get in this group!" "I can't see any longer, but I can listen. It was so good to hear all these songs I know." "I knew absolutely every song you played but one. Where on earth did you dig that one up?" "I loved it, I loved it!" "Will you come back next year?"

Yes! We would love to come again. Now, let's see. Where is that 2011 calendar?

Till We Meet Again, by Richard White & Raymond Egan, 1918

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Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life!

2010-04-30T14:45:00.008-04:00

The voice on the answering machine said, "We're excited to have you at the Strawberry Festival! You have a slot at 12:15. Call if you have any questions." But there was no more information--no date, no town, no phone number. And we didn't have this on our schedule. A total mystery!

Googling "strawberry festival" showed one next week in eastern North Carolina. There was another one in Florida. But those aren't anywhere near us. Completely puzzled, we posted a message on the Yesterukes' Facebook page, asking if anyone knew anything about this.

Then, we rode to nearby Stewart Farms to see if they knew of any festivals in the area. (They didn't.) And bought a gallon of strawberries while we were there. We've had many different experiences since starting our band, but this was a first. A mystery gig!

Later the phone rang again. Someone had seen our plea for information on Facebook and called to tell us which festival it was. We still don't know how we got booked at the Strawberry Festival in Slater, SC. Will we play? That's another mystery. If not this year, maybe another.

Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life!, by Victor Herbert, 1910

Bits And Pieces

2010-04-24T18:22:00.018-04:00

As soon as the last note of The Lion Sleeps Tonight sounded, a lady on the back row shouted, "I'll give you twenty-five cents for him!" The song and the singer are always a hit, but it was the first time someone offered to keep him! The audience at Skylyn Place had a great time singing along with the Yesterukes who sang their way from the 1920s to the 1960s.

We even had a groupie come with a poster she made to cheer us on. (Now, it's entirely possible that she was related to one of us. But we were still excited.)

One bright-eyed lady bounced up after the program to tell us how much she enjoyed the music. We told her we were waiting for her to get up and dance because we could see how full of energy she was. Her words were, "Oh, honey, I can dance! I live every day wide open. I'm not going to just sit here. And, by the way, I'll be 81 on my birthday!"

Last week we entertained a large group at NHC. All but two were in wheel chairs but everyone was alert and listening. We teased them that we rocked and they rolled! It was the fastest 45 minutes ever. These folks would have loved more. When we finished, a sweet white-haired lady asked, "Are you coming back tomorrow?" We wish we could have. We'll be back another time, though.

And the Yesterukes are in the news again. A wonderful full page article in the Clinton Chronicle captured the spirit of the Yesterukes in words and pictures. We love sharing our story.

Bits And Pieces, Dave Clark Five, 1964

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Watch What Happens

2010-04-10T17:51:00.014-04:00

When ukulele players from across the Southeast gather by a lake on a beautiful spring day, good things are bound to happen. The Charleston Hotshots hosted CUKEOUT today at Lake Greenwood, SC to give uke enthusiasts a chance to meet each other and play together.

It was great to meet other players. People came from the Atlanta, Georgia area, different parts of North Carolina and of course, several towns in South Carolina. There was even a couple from Wisconsin who spend part of the year in North Carolina.

The Charleston Hotshots planned and hosted this event. And entertained us with their songs. We all want a bucket bass now! Thanks, Hotshots, for making this happen.

We got a chance to sing a few of our songs.

Seeing lots of ukuleles of all varieties was interesting. We usually only see other styles online .

We also heard so many styles of music--finger picking, blues, ragtime, jug tunes, jazz, tin pan ally, rock, etc. It was quite an education for us. Lots of ideas for the Yesterukes.

Group songs were part of the schedule. For folks that had never met before, we didn't sound too bad when we played together.

You can't have a ukulele gathering without a little Hawaiian music.

It was a gorgeous day at Lake Greenwood. A great chance to practice a little in peace. The ice cream pontoon even passed by in the afternoon.

Players came with spouses, children, pets and friends.

It was a good day for everyone. We hope CUKEOUT #2 happens in the fall. Maybe you'll join us!

Watch What Happens, recorded by Frank Sinatra, 1969

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Close To You

2010-04-06T08:07:00.012-04:00

Togetherness we're used to. Being packed in like sardines is taking it to the next level. Our band members are in the senior adult age group, so it's common for two or three of us to be at a doctor visit, another few off traveling, and maybe someone is babysitting grandchildren. We rarely have all of our group present at a program. But for this program, 19 of our 21 members were present. 19 ukulele players take up a lot of floor space. We squeezed together as tightly as possible on a small stage. And prayed no one fell off the front!

The Yesterukes had a great time at Aldersgate United Methodist Church with the Prime Timers. They also had a huge crowd and the fellowship hall was packed. We had fun singing our old songs and having the Prime Timers sing along with us.

After the program, there was such good fellowship with the church members. One lady told a Yesteruke, "Today was truly a sentimental journey!" Another said, "I'm 90 years old (she didn't look a day over 75) and I knew ALL those songs." Someone else commented, "We really thought one of the ukulele players was going to bounce right off the stage." (Sometimes we really get into the music.)

We are fully aware that we are a senior adult group, but most of us don't feel particularly old. Sometimes, though, we are reminded of our age. Like when the pastor made this remark--the church pastor, sporting as much gray hair as some of us, introduced himself after the program. He told us that he knew many of our songs---because he had heard his father sing them! What can we say?

Close To You, recorded by Frank Sinatra, 1943

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Are You Havin' Any Fun?

2010-04-01T20:25:00.009-04:00

No doubt about it! The Yesterukes had fun this afternoon.

Noodle McDoodle from Charleston, SC came to the upstate to teach us a few new tricks.

Learning to do things in a different way is not always easy.

But the sound of new harmonies was exciting!

And just for fun, we brought photos of ourselves from years and years ago...

...to see if we could recognize each other.

A few were easy to recognize--some people just never change--and others were much harder to identify.

This occasion was worthy of a celebration! Caramel frosting and a Hershey bar fret board on a one-of-a-kind cake that didn't last very long at break time.

Then we discovered that Mrs. Noodle could tap dance! And there was no way we were letting her go without a demonstration.

No doubt about it---the Yesterukes had a lot of fun today.

Are You Havin' Any Fun?, by Yellen & Fain, 1939

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Anything You Can Do

2010-03-26T08:01:00.013-04:00

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? An email arrived this week, telling about the ukulele "big band" arrangements from James Hill. Perfect timing. We've got a good handle on our regular set list now, so we are ready to try something new.

A video of James Hill's "Big Band" class at the Portland Uke Fest was posted on YouTube last year and we thought it was such fun, but beyond our abilities. Five parts? No way. But this year we are ready.

One free arrangement is available to try. So we tackled it yesterday at practice. And we were pleasantly surprised that we actually could do it! Some of the Yesterukes do not read music. And others who do read music play piano but don't know where the notes are located on the ukulele fret board. So by penciling in fret numbers and using a little color coding of strings, we made this work for our group. We'll need a little polish before we play it for an audience, but think it will be ready in a couple of weeks.

Keeping it new, keeping it fresh is how we continue to have fun and gradually expand our level of playing. The rest of the phrase from Anything You Can Do, is "...I can do better." We certainly don't think we did it better than James Hill's class---but we DID it. And that's enough for us.

Anything You Can Do, by Irving Berlin, from Annie Get Your Gun, 1946

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'Swonderful!

2010-03-22T07:33:00.011-04:00

When the third person came up after the program to ask, "Have you recorded yet? You really should", we smiled. And when one man added, "You'd sell thousands!", we were pretty sure we had hit a home run with our program.

We played a full program last night at a church where one of our players is a member. The church family turned out in force to see what his ukulele band was all about. They had heard him talk about the Yesterukes but had not heard us play. We're pretty sure we were not what they were expecting! When we say "ukulele band" most people expect a few songs like "Five Foot Two"--cute little songs accompanied by a ukulele plunk-a plunk-a. (And we do play some of those.) But the Yesterukes are so much more than that. There's rock'n roll from the 50s and 60s, complete with dancing. "Rawhide" with it's whip cracks and shouts will make you look for the cattle coming. Throw in a gospel tune or two for good measure and everyone finds something they like. Someone said afterward, "Wow! That was really a good show." And another man added, "Smooth. Just so smooth."

And the folks at First Presbyterian Church in Laurens last night were the best. They fed us well. Then they cheered us on enthusiastically. It is always such a pleasure to play where you can just feel energy coming from the audience. So it was the perfect evening. Everyone--audience and band--had a great time being together for a couple of hours. Thanks, First Presbyterian, for hosting us.

'Swonderful, by George & Ira Gershwin, 1927

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Down On The Farm

2010-03-11T07:09:00.009-05:00

It doesn't matter if you live in the largest city, or in the smallest town or rural area. If you eat, if you have admired a beautiful flower, and if you've turned the page of a newspaper, you have benefited from agriculture. Tonight the Yesterukes were part of a dinner to honor and recognize local agricultural producers and the agriculture industry. 300 people gathered to participate as awards were given to top producers and community leaders.

We were happy to give our salute to these people who work hard for each one of us!

Down On The Farm, by Tim McGraw, 1994

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Have A Little Faith

2010-03-10T15:37:00.014-05:00

It started with the first email last night, "Sorry I won't be there tomorrow-doctor's appointment." And then a few minutes later, another email came, "My husband is in the hospital..." This morning the phone rang and two more were unable to come. And just before time to leave, yet one more cancellation.

We have often said the Yesterukes operate on faith, because starting this whole venture has been a leap into the great unknown for us. Today we were holding on to faith that enough of us would show up to play.

The Yesterukes were booked today to play for the Eastern Piedmont District Garden Club meeting. By the time we arrived, we were down to nine players. A lady with the garden club looked at our group and asked, "Is this all you have?" (There are 21 members of the Yesteukes.) With only a minor shift in our set list, though, we were ready.

For about twenty minutes, we charmed South Carolina gardeners. Cameras flashed all across the hall. Video cameras were pulled out. People stood and moved around to get a better view and many sang along with us. They loved it. After the program, the state president for South Carolina Garden Clubs told the local president, "They were so good. That is music from our era!"

We knew we would be fine with 9 players. But we'll admit we're more comfortable with more--there is safety in numbers! We send good wishes to our sick folks. Hurry back! It's more fun when we're all together.

Have A Little Faith, The Statler Brothers, 1975

You Ought To Be In Pictures

2010-03-04T16:42:00.015-05:00

We fully understand that the rest of the universe is not as excited as the Yesterukes are.

We hope that friends and family will bear with us, though. We'll stop smiling in a bit.

It's just not something that happens everyday. We knew it was to be published. But seeing it in print is another matter entirely.

We are excited because the nicest article about the Yesterukes is in the Spring 2010 issue of Sandlapper magazine. Three pages (slick pages, even) that tell what makes the Yesterukes so special...what being in the band means to our players and why the band is so popular with audiences. It's all about ukulele joy.

For over 40 years, Sandlapper has told the story of South Carolina--stories about the people, about the places, about the history of our state. The Yesterukes are honored to be included in the magazine that is held in such high regards by South Carolinians. If you are in South Carolina (and maybe parts of North Carolina), you might find a copy at your local book store or in your library.

And after you've read about the Yesterukes, read the rest of the magazine. It's filled with beautiful photography and informative articles--about everything from history to nature to recipes. And much more. Then consider joining the Sandlapper Society (which includes a magazine subscription.)

Thanks, Sandlapper! You made our day.

You Ought To Be In Pictures, by Dana Suesse & Edward Heyman, 1934

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Snowflake

2010-03-02T20:11:00.005-05:00

We did get snow after all. The Yesterukes were glad to be at home watching it fall. Big lovely flakes. But so sorry we missed meeting the folks at Overbrook Baptist Church. Maybe we can go another time.

Snow here goes quickly. So we will be back on schedule next week with two performances, spreading ukulele joy all around!

Snowflake, by Jim Reeves, 1966

Snow

2010-03-02T08:09:00.010-05:00

Blue shirts are all clean, notebooks in order, ukuleles tuned. We are well rehearsed with a great set list. But the phone call yesterday morning said, "We are canceling our program for tomorrow because of possible bad weather." So this morning we are all in "play mode" with no place to go. Snow is predicted for today. John Cessarich on WYFF says, "Folks, it's coming." But there is none falling yet. The snow is a couple of counties away at this point.

We live in a part of the country where the mention of snow will send everyone rushing to the grocery store for milk and bread. Just in case. And even one inch of snow on the ground can bring things to a near stand still. We mostly watch snow on television and are thankful we live in the South where snow is rare enough to be a treat when it does come.

So all across the Upstate this morning, there are Yesterukes sitting at home, strumming a song, wishing we were together today. Staying warm. Waiting for the snow.

Snow, by Irving Berlin for the 1954 movie, White Christmas

Little Did They Know

2010-02-23T17:11:00.007-05:00

A husband and wife attended an awards dinner a couple of weeks ago where the Yesterukes provided the entertainment. He said when they arrived, they looked over the program that was laying at each seat. Seeing the word "ukulele" prompted him to turn to his wife and exclaim somewhat sarcastically, "Well, I bet THAT's going to be good. " And today he told us, "But you were--much to our surprise!" We love it when that happens.

After that same program, another gentleman pushed to the front to say, "I want to join your group--but I've got a problem. I've never played an instrument, I don't read music, I have short fingers..." And the director quickly answered how wonderful it would be to have him and told him what day practice was held. And then the man started to sputter a little, "Uh, uh... That was supposed to be a joke!" He had no clue that he had just described how many of our players start.

Yep, we really do take complete beginners and turn them into ukulele players and performers. We are also blessed to have some terrific players in our group. And they have been more than willing to help the others learn. What a wonderful mix of people we have!

Little Did They Know, by Palisade, 2005

I'll See You In My Dreams

2010-02-12T13:30:00.014-05:00

The walkers were parked in a line against one wall. Residents of Morningside Assisted Living were seated in the dining room to hear the Yesterukes provide the afternoon entertainment. As we played and sang songs from years past, a few heads drooped as some listeners nodded off. Some faces relaxed as they drifted back to another time and place. A couple of folks tapped out the rhythm on the arm of their wheel chairs. Small smiles here and there meant people were hearing us. The applause was quiet because arthritic hands can't always clap.

We sang old love songs and played some fast paced 50s rock 'n roll. It was fun to see different faces react to the particular songs they knew. Now, all musicians know it is easier to play well for an enthusiastic audience. With a couple of years experience behind us, though, we've learned that audiences like this one listen and enjoy differently. But they do listen and they do enjoy. How do we know they really enjoyed it? Because after the program they tell us.

A lady pushed her walker to the front to say, "I finished high school and got married in the 50s. Oh, these were my songs. You brought back so many memories today." A man with a strong handshake found the leader as she was packing equipment afterward and explained, "I tried to tell each band member individually that this was the best program we've had here. It was just great. And I don't use that word often. I really don't. Make sure they all know that. Please come back soon."

We hope we can.

I'll See You In My Dreams, by Gus Kahn & Isham Jones, 1924

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Button Up Your Overcoat

2010-02-10T10:30:00.006-05:00

Nearly 100 people gathered last night to honor award winners at the Soil & Water Conservation Commission annual dinner. And the Yesterukes were there to provide the fun. We played a few of our very best songs for an audience of all ages. We can count on the seniors enjoying what we do, but the younger ones there had just as much fun. It was great afterwards to have several come up and tell us, "You know, I really liked that."

After the program, the great coat hunt began. It was cold and rainy all day, so people arrived bundled up. A gentleman in the audience put his coat and hat with ones that belonged to our group. Being ever so helpful, a Yesteruke took this coat home, thinking one of our group had left it. Well, one of our group had left his jacket--but not that one. After several phone calls and many emails, we have located both coats. Now to round them up and return them to their rightful owners.

And you thought having a band just meant playing music!

Button Up Your Overcoat, 1928

It Was A Very Good Year

2010-02-02T12:02:00.012-05:00

Today is Groundhog Day and the groundhog says six more weeks of winter. We've already had more than our share of winter weather here in the deep South. The upside of another cold, gray, damp day is finding time to tally up the totals for performances in 2009.

Looks like the Yesterukes played for about 2700 people last year. That's a lot of people! That's 1000 more than the year before. Audience sizes ranged from 25-400. We played everywhere from an outdoor festival to an Airstream RV rally. Retirement homes and church groups are always on our list, but in 2009 we also played for 2 agriculture groups and 2 preschools.

The Yesterukes have grown in size, too. (No, no.... that is not a reference to all the covered dish dinners we enjoyed.) We've added several new players, growing from six players in fall of 2007 to 21 members now. Who would have ever thought this group would be this busy and grow like we have?

Peformances for 2010 start next week. We will be posting photos from these groups soon.

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It Was A Very Good Year, written by Ervin Drake, 1961, made famous by Frank Sinatra in 1966

Classical Gas

2010-01-23T16:57:00.017-05:00

The traffic was heavy today, but not heavy enough to miss the large banner stretched in front of Fatz Cafe that proclaimed, "Classic Food for Classic Folks (ages 50 & up)" Don't you love it? Not "senior adults", but "classic folks"!

We definitely fit into their definition of classic folks. All of the Yesterukes are over 50. And how does the dictionary define classic? Classic: Having lasting significance or worth; enduring. Yep, that's us! There is no requirement that you must be "classic" to be in our group, but our practice time is at 1:30 in the afternoon. Retired people are the ones free at 1:30.

Our classic folks were so glad to get back together for practice this week after some time off after the holidays. So excited and so glad that no one remembered to take any photos. We'll do better next time.

Hmmm. Think maybe we should check out this new Classic Food menu. Wonder if you have to be there at 4:30 to order?

Classical Gas, Mason Williams, 1968

Back In The Saddle Again

2010-01-18T06:20:00.008-05:00

Today is a holiday (MLK Day) but when you are on a retirement schedule, every day is a holiday! Today does give us a short breather before we get back to full speed on Thursday. After several weeks off following an intense Christmas schedule--we did five programs in 17 days--the Yesterukes are more than ready to get back together. We have missed the fellowship that comes with practices and performances.

Those of you who do not know us well might be interested to know that the 20 members of the Yesterukes live in seven different towns in four different counties scattered across the upstate of South Carolina. People often think we are a group from a church or a retirement community. But our players belong to an assortment of churches and denominations. Some live in retirement communities, but the majority do not. We live in the city, in small towns and on farms. Among our players we have golfers, wood workers, dog lovers, world travelers, knitters, gourmet cooks, mahjong players, kayakers, artists, horse owners...and the list goes on. How lucky we are that this busy group of people think our ukulele group is a worthy activity to add to their list.

We still are amazed that this diverse group of people found their way together to make a little music and enjoy each others company. And all of this pleasure spills over as we share our ukulele music with many, many others as we play for groups around the upstate.

Maybe we will see you at a program in 2010. If you can't be a fan in person, become our fan on Facebook! Just search for "Yesterukes" on your Facebook page.

Back In The Saddle Again, signature song of Gene Autry, 1939

Smiles

2010-01-10T17:51:00.014-05:00

A new year, a new beginning. And time to look back a little. Why do we do what we do? The Yesterukes play because it's fun. Plain and simple. We don't do it for the money. We charge no fee for performances. (But sometimes groups make a donation that helps with expenses.) We certainly don't do it for fame. (But we are slated to be in a magazine in the spring.) We just play because it's fun for us to get together.

But along the way, it's really nice to hear good things people say about us. Icing on the cake, as they say. And here is one of those good things...

This week a gentleman told us that because of business and civic commitments, he had attended 14-15 Christmas functions in December--one was a party where we performed. That's a lot of parties. All these parties provided some sort of entertainment. He said that of all the parties/events he attended, the Yesterukes entertainment stood head and shoulders above the rest. Pretty high praise, we think.

We are all smiling now. Okay...maybe we do this because we like hearing nice things, too.

Smiles, recorded by Benny Goodman, 1936