At Last

After a six-week break over the holidays the Yesterukes were back together and ready to entertain.

And the Young at Heart members at Reedy Fork Baptist Church were ready to listen. They had such fun and after the program, so many said something like "I had not heard that song in years." Or, "I'd forgotten about that song--but when you started, I still knew all the words."

And again, we were well fed. There was so much food. This was the table AFTER everyone had been through the line. 

When we came to the end, the audience was generous with their applause and one man was waving his hand and saying something about ".....again." When the room quieted, he repeated his request. 

We are always prepared to do an encore even though it's rarely needed. We thought, "Here is our chance!" But when we could hear him, he pointed at Mary Ellen and asked, "Would that lady swoon again?" Our band members have the best time when we play and it shows. One of our front row regulars has a dramatic flair and often does a huge comic "swoon" during a romantic solo sung by one of our gentlemen. 

So swoon again, she did. She said it was much harder to swoon on demand! 

At Last, Glen Miller, 1941

Anticipation

After about six weeks off, the day finally came. The Yesterukes gathered for the first time in 2013. The Norovirus pushed us out of our regular practice space. (Actually, we fled.) Then when we arrived, our alternate practice space was being painted. So we found an unused conference room that barely held us. We packed the room full today. Only three members were missing. And we had a new player, too. She heard us play just before Christmas and said, "I was completely blown away by your sound. I just had to come today. I want to be part of this." 

One of our long-time players had to slip out early from our final gig for 2012 and he got to listen from the back of the room just before he left. He had never heard what the band actually sounded like to an audience. When you're sitting with the band, you only hear your own uke and those players closest to you. He was serious when he told us, "I had no idea we sounded that good." He seemed surprised. We're going to work hard to keep it that way in 2013. 

Anticipation, Carly Simon, 1971

Do You Hear What I Hear?

When we walked in and saw the beautiful cake, we knew we were in for a treat. The Yesterukes work hard all year at practices and at gigs. Oh, yes—there is lots of visiting each time, but much of it is whispered between songs. Or, it's shared conversation as we walk back to the parking lot.

Today was a time just for us. There was much laughter and chatter and good food. There was time to finish whole sentences without having to stop for a song. It was pure pleasure to just relax and enjoy the company of good friends. The photos tell the story.

But wherever Yesterukes gather, there's going to be music. We can't help it. Today, though, it was all piano accompaniment. The ukuleles will have a rest until the new year. Look for us back here on the blog in a couple of months.



Do You Hear What I Hear, Bing Crosby, 1963

Christmas Time Is Here

Don't believe everything you see in a photo! The "humbug" pictured above is anything but grumpy. His hat is just for fun. He was one of several Yesteruke members who came to play and sing in the lobby of St. Francis Hospital to share a little Christmas joy. We played here last December and were so happy that they invited us back. It's a favorite place for us to play.

One lady was being pushing by us in a wheelchair. The nurse stopped a minute to let her listen. She was all smiles. We have no idea why she was in the hospital but we were glad we could bring a little cheer. Another woman was there, waiting while her mother had surgery. If you've ever had to wait like that, you know that those minutes just creep by. We're pretty sure that at least 45 minutes of her wait passed a little more quickly as she moved over to our side of the lobby to watch and even made a couple of videos of our music. 

Some hospital staff members also gathered in the lobby, probably to see what a "Yesteruke" was and to hear what we sounded like. They likely needed a couple of minutes of music as much as anyone. It was fun for all of us.

Christmas Time Is Here, Vince Guaraldi Trio, 1965

You Ought To Be In Pictures

*

Yes, the Yesterukes OUGHT to be in pictures right here on this blog. But the photographer for the group (who is also the writer of the blog) has fallen down on the job. Just know that the Yesterukes have been busy entertaining people across the upstate. Our members are a hardy group--willing to carry on while part of the band has been dealing with assorted illnesses and surgeries. And as we play for groups of senior adults who also have health concerns, we are reminded that a hour of music, fun and smiles is a healthy thing. Music is good for the body as well as the soul.

Yesterday we played for the Joy Club of Riverside Baptist Church. No camera was in sight, but you can use your imagination and picture the beautifully decorated room and tables filled with members and guests. And picture the Yesterukes in their blue shirts, on stage singing and playing favorite songs such as Rawhide and Sentimental Journey along with all the standard Christmas selections. It was a great way to kick off the holiday season. We will try to remember to make photos next time.

*pictured above is Cliff Edwards, better known as "Ukulele Ike"

You Ought To Be In Pictures, Suesse & Heyman, 1934

In A Sentimental Mood

Simpsonville First Baptist Church's Joy Club is a very active group with many, many members. We were happy to be with them for a second time last month. Take a look at a few photos from the day.

 Getting set up before the program.

The main purpose of these gatherings is to get together...

to meet new people...

to enjoy the fellowship...

...and to share a meal.

Like some of the other places where we play, 

there are senior adults from many churches 

who come together here.

And our job is to entertain everyone with a musical trip 

down memory lane.

In A Sentimental Mood, Duke Ellington, 1935

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)

It is always nice to get home from a gig and have an email waiting for you that reads like this one: 

Today with the yesterukes was one of the most delightful times I have had in quite some time.  Thank you and your ukers.

We enjoyed our time with the folks from Augusta Rd. Baptist Church, too. It was the first time we had played for this group and there is something special about an audience that doesn't quite know what to expect when they turn chairs around after lunch and get ready to listen.

They were so excited when the music was over. Nearly every person there came up to tell us how much they enjoyed what we did. There were lots of smiles and hugs. There were also stories about the songs we sang---like the white-haired man who said he remembered being on a troop ship and hearing the Andrews Sisters sing Sentimental Journey as they pulled away from shore. He thanked us for bringing back so many memories.

And I missed getting this photo up a couple of weeks ago. The perfect blog title would have been We'll Sing In The Sunshine. The sanctuary at Eastminster Presbyterian Church overlooks a beautiful wooded area. We just happened to be there in the very bright setting sun. By the time the music started, the sun had set and the audience thankfully was not staring into that bright sun. We had fun with those folks, too. That evening we sang more songs from the 50s and 60s. It is fun to have such a mix of music in our set list that we can choose what to sing as we see what a particular audience is enjoying.




How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), Marvin Gaye, 1964