Issue 6

Tampa Bay Ukulele Society

By Julie Garisto On a balmy Saturday afternoon in Largo, Florida, a southern suburb of Tampa, 40 people have gathered with their ukuleles at a palm tree dotted apartment complex inhabited mostly by retirees. Excitedly chattering like high-school kids in…

A 5-string rajao, made by Augusto Dias around 1896, with spruce top and koa back and sides

The Birth of the Ukulele

The belief that Hawaii lays sole claim to the ukulele is a widely held misconception. The earliest ukes only date back to the mid-1880s, and they weren’t invented by the Hawaiians.

Ukulele chanteuses the Mersey Belles channel a retro vibe in pursuit of modern-day fun

By Amber von Nagel This may be the digital age, but the Liverpool ukulele duo the Mersey Belles still have one foot firmly planted in the stylish past. In fact, connecting with the two women—Danielle “Nancy” Perkins and Lindsey “Pearl” Stainthorpe—via…

Singer-Songwriter LP Returns to the Spotlight with Ukulele

With "Forever For Now," LP returned with her first full-length album since 2004’s "Suburban Sprawl & Alcohol," this time around with a ukulele and a more upbeat attitude.

Jake Shimabukuro Reaches Children Through New Foundation

Shimabukuro spreads the ukulele gospel through his new Four Strings Foundation By David Knowles In today’s ukulele universe there’s no star as bright as Jake Shimabukuro. The Hawaiian-born virtuoso is not only considered the Jimi Hendrix of the uke, he’s…

Jason Mraz on How “I’m Yours” Became an Instant Ukulele Classic

It’s hard to know exactly how many folks have learned Jason Mraz’s smash hit “I’m Yours” on the ukulele over the past decade, but the number is surely in the millions