We had so many great reader-submitted photos of ukuleles and pets that we couldnt fit them all into one spread in the Spring issue (see below).
Heresevery adorable dog pic, and if youre a cat person check out morefurballs here.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Friday, February 19, 2016
Flashback Friday: Watch the 1917 Short Film, 'The Making of a Ukulele'
A reader posted this cool vintage clip to our Facebook page and we had to share. Watch the short film "The Making of a Ukulele," created by Ford Motor Company around 1917 for educational purposes.
The clip depicts a ukulele being made by hand -- likely in the shop of famed Hawaiian builder Manuel Nunes -- according to our friends at the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum, who posted the video to YouTube. Nunes appears briefly in the film, holding the finished ukulele.
The unidentified ukulele player, who tests the instrument, is believed to be Henry Kailimai, best known for his composition "On the Beach at Waikiki." The music you hear was later added to the film, which was originally silent.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
The Ukulele Showroom Has Launched!
For a few months now, we've been busy putting together a very special room at our Ukulele headquarters: the new Ukulele showroom! We've sourced gorgeous uke items from around the world, painted and installed shelving, and started updating our online store to show off what we've found. We even installed a tiki bar! As we wrapped up all of our hard work, it occurred to us that the only way to celebrate was to throw a Ukulele Showroom Launch Party and invite all of our friends and fans. Which is where you come in! Do you want to come celebrate with us at our San Francisco Bay Area headquarters? Then take our survey below to help us flesh out some details. And whether you can, or can't, join in on the celebrations in person, please enjoy our behind-the-scenes time lapse video of our room build.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Welcome the Ribbon Lei to the Uke Store!
We've been busy stocking the Ukulele store with awesome products sourced from artisans around the world and are excited to share our latest finds with you. Today, meet the Ribbon Ukulele Lei! We fell in love with this little ornamentation - made in South Korea with ribbons of pink and white - and also with its maker, Yoo Hee Ahn of Ukuhappy. Read our Q & A with Ahn to learn more about the product and her story. Then, head over to the Ukulele store to get your very own lei!
Q&A with Yoo Hee Ahn of Ukuhappy
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself; how did you get started on your artistic journey?
A: I was born and raised in Kyoto, Japan, but currently live in South Korea. My mother worked with specialty embroidery and making clothing, so because of this I was familiar with handicrafts. I grew up loving the old movies, I loved to draw pictures, and ended up studying filmmaking at the University. After graduation, I worked editing the fashion magazine Marie Claire in Tokyo then met my husband and moved to Korea. My husband is a Korean guitarist, and I had played the ukulele as a hobby and fell in love with the voice of the ukulele. I wanted to have a lovely accessory that went well with my ukulele, but couldn't find such a thing anywhere in the world. It was an opportunity to begin to create an accessory!
Q: What inspires your creativity? Any particular artists you admire?
A: I am subject to the stimulus of color and design in the movies and pictures, and I admire the painter Henri Matisse and film director Mr. Otar Iosseliani. I also like running and do about a 10km run almost every day. The idea [for the leis] came up during a run and reflects the natural scenery of this in our design.
Q: Do you play an instrument? What music and musicians brighten your day?
A: Ukulele. Sometimes I enjoy playing the piano. My favorite musicians are Jack Johnson, Jake Shimabukuro, Ben Harper, Feist, Carla Bruni.
Q: What makes your shop and designs unique and special?
A: It allows me time to spend with our two daughters. I can play with the girls, or draw a picture, or take time to create something, which is very stimulating. It is also the source of my creative activity as children always expand the creative world, and this leaves a big impression on me. Sometimes, my 6-year-old daughter will help give advice on my designs.
Q: Did we miss anything you'd like to mention?
A: The Hibiscus and Plumeria, typical flowes of Hawaii, are created in the motif of our accessories. We use these in the application of the traditional crafts of the Hawaiian ribbon-lei. All parts of the petals are created carefully by hand, one by one, with a ribbon.
We are delighted to have Ukuhappy in the Ukulele store and hope you'll take a closer look at the Ribbon Lei!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Celebrate Meghan Trainor's Grammy Win: Watch Her Perform 'Lips Are Movin" on Ukulele
After last night's 58th annual Grammy Awards everyone's lips are movin' about singer-songerwriter (and uker) Meghan Trainor, who took home an award for Best New Artist. "I'm a mess," she said to the audience during her sincerely humble acceptance speech. "I have to go cry!" In honor of her win, check out the strummin' songbird's performance of her chart-topping hit "Lips Are Movin'" on ukulele.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Happy Valentine's Day: Watch Elvis Costello Perform 'The Scarlet Tide' on Ukulele
There's something so sweet and sincere about this clip of Elvis Costello performing "The Scarlet Tide" that it seems like a perfect valentine -- despite the fact that it's more of an anti-war song than a love song.
Written by Costello and T-Bone Burnett, and covered by Alison Krauss in the movie Cold Mountain, the ballad is penned from a war widow's point of view as she tries to find hope in the face of sorrow. Costello recorded a ukulele version on his 2004 album, The Delivery Man, as a duet Emmylou Harris.
Check out the chords at this Elvis Costello fan site, which says the song is played on ukulele in the key of D.
Monday, February 8, 2016
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Monday, February 1, 2016
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