I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (and Play)

Learning from modern ukulele masters was a treat for the YesterUkes today.  Ralph Shaw and Joel Eckhaus stopped in Laurens as part of their East Coast tour to teach a workshop for the local ukulele players.  The YesterUkes worked on different strums and other techniques to add variety to the "plunka plunka" sound that most people associate with a ukulele.

They also ventured into the world of chord melody--playing the ukulele as a solo instrument.  It's a different style for most of this group, but if we practice, it's possible that you will hear an instrumental song from the YesterUkes in the coming months.  

The highlight of the day was an evening concert at the local library.  Adults and children filled every seat.  Ralph and Joel, performing as The Whiteouts ("We cover the Inkspots") dazzled the full house with songs and ditties from the heyday of the ukulele, playing songs in the style of Roy Smeck and George Formby.  They also sang their version of songs by Elvis and the Everly Brothers--something for everyone.  Everyone was all smiles as they left!

There! I've Said It Again

"Grassroots", a local radio show, informed listeners about the Stone Soup Storytelling Festival coming to Woodruff, S.C. on April 17 & 18. The leader of the YesterUkes was a guest on the show to tell about this ukulele group. She told about the group's unintentional beginning and how, in the past two years, they've become a much in-demand band. The YesterUkes are on the festival schedule to play Friday, April 17 at a noon lunch for seniors and again later that afternoon at a 5:00 PM outdoor concert at the Woodruff Library Amphitheater. Check the Stone Soup web site for more details. There will be wonderful storytellers here this year.

The radio show is broadcast from a local restaurant. If you get to Woodruff for the festival, stop by the Turtle Parfait on Main Street for a cup of coffee. And then, after your meal, browse the dessert case. If you're there Friday afternoon, you might see a YesterUke or two there in their blue shirts, relaxing between shows. Be sure to say hello!

All Shook Up

Well, we were "all shook up" when we saw the announcement in the local newspaper.  It was a nice article, larger than we expected, announcing the ukulele concert at our local library on April 14.  But it's NOT THE YESTERUKES who will be performing!  It's The Whiteouts--Ralph Shaw & Joel Eckhaus--who will be here than night.  The paper got the photo right, the text right...but not the title of the article.  

Ralph and Joel are both professional musicians who are currently on an east coast tour.  They both perform and teach at ukulele festivals and workshops across the country.  They will be teaching a ukulele workshop in the afternoon before the concert, so if you would like to learn a little uke, let us know.  There are a few spaces left.

The YesterUkes will all be in the audience that evening to enjoy hearing how the pros do it.  We hope plenty of others in our community come, too.  So let's say it one more time:  The Whiteouts will be in concert on April 14.  The concert is free and open to the public.  (See details in the Schedule section on the right side.)

After all the confusion, maybe the library will schedule us to play at a later date

Brown Eyed Girl

The second grader with the big brown eyes picked up the sheet music from the table and looked at it.  It was the Beatles' "Yesterday."  She laid it back down and started to bounce away but stopped, took a step back and picked it up one more time.  She stared at the music, tilted her head slightly to the left, thought a minute and then looked up and said, "I'll bet the YesterUkes took half of the word 'yesterday' and half of the word 'ukulele' and put them together to make their name.  Am I right, Mimi?  I"ll bet I am!  Does that mean you sing songs about yesterday?"  Very smart child!  Yep, very smart. That's exactly what we did.  

We just made up a word and it has suited us just fine.  When you type "YesterUkes" in Google, you won't find anyone there but us.  So far.  And all of the songs we sing go back more than a few "yesterdays."  We sing songs we like -- which means songs we remember.  With our ages spanning three decades, it provides us a wide range of songs to draw from.  Last week one audience member came forward all smiles at the end of a show all and told us, "You just do all kinds of music!  That was amazing."  

Maybe just seeing 16 adults playing ukuleles and singing in public is amazing.  

We will have our first outdoor performance as part of the Stone Soup Storytelling Festival in Woodruff, SC on Friday, April 17.  Look for us at the Woodruff Library Amphitheater at 5:30 PM.  Come out and sing with us!

What'll I Do

The first time the phone rang, the voice on the other end inquired about the YesterUkes--she might want to book us, but was not sure. She asked many questions about our group, the music we played, what types of programs we had done, etc. Everything a thoughtful program chairman should ask. Each question was answered but there was still some hesitancy in her voice. Instead of booking a date immediately, she opted to receive one of our press kits first and think about it. The kit contains a bio sheet, a few brochures, an 8x10 color photo of the group and a demo CD containing 4 songs from our CD. We send it out in advance of our programs so that a group can publicize our appearance.

About two weeks later, the phone rings again. And this time a very excited voice instantly says, "I have nearly worn out the CD you sent me! I've played it and played it. I'm just so excited. In fact, I have a friend who has been very ill and I called her up and held the phone up to the CD player to let her listen. And in between songs, I would stop and ask, 'Did you hear that?' I just knew it would make her feel better. It's great. Quick! Put us down for a program. We just can't wait to have you here!" Now, that's the kind of phone call we like to get!

If she happens to read this blog, she can also see us in action right here:

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

Only a truly dedicated group of otherwise sensible adults would drive through torrential rain to play ukuleles at a retirement community. It never occurred to us that we might be unloading sound equipment in pouring rain. Since the YesterUkes began in 2007, the Upstate has been in a severe drought. We badly needed this rain but it surely was inconvenient. The most welcome sight upon arriving at Rolling Green Village was the covered drive-thru at the entrance!

While the heavy rains continued to fall outside, the music was rocking inside. Some audiences are just more fun to play for than others. This crowd was one of the best. They sang right along with us as we played old favorites from the 20s through the 50s and 60s. In fact, we were having such a good time, that the activity director had to remind us it was time to wind it up so that the residents didn't miss their dinner.

A comment we heard repeatedly after the program was "You all looked like you were having so much fun. And we had fun, too!" Beaming, as she pushed her walker to the front of the room, another lady told us, "I haven't heard those songs in hundreds and hundreds of years! Thank you so much for playing them." Well, maybe she exaggerated just a little about how long it had been since she heard them.

You can share more of our good times at www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhazFGX-rv4.

Play A Simple Melody

Seems like every other news article urges us to live simply--encouraging us to step back and re-evaluate our priorities. For many of us, the humble little ukulele has moved us toward simplicity. Think about it...a small wooden instrument with four strings. No power source, no tangle of cords, no batteries, no software to update, no memory cards. Today's ukulele plays just like the ukulele you found under the Christmas tree 50 years ago.

The sound is simple...although in the hands of the masters, it can astonish you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3j-b35zkGw But for most of us, there is great pleasure in strumming a song to entertain ourselves or strumming a song to share with a friend or a grandchild.

The sound is soothing....although young musicians can beat out some funky rhythms. But the songs we like to sing come from years gone by. As far back as Elvis, singing "Blue Hawaii" or even further back to the 20s, when Ukulele Ike (Cliff Edwards) hit #1 in the charts with "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" and "Singing In The Rain." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv6vBVJEeyM

The YesterUkes gather each week to play and sing together, to learn another song to add to our ever-growing list, to laugh as we swap stories (some of them true!) and to encourage each other as stiff fingers struggle with a new chord. A simple song to sing. A smile when it's played well. Uncomplicated joy!