I've been missing, haven't I.... here's why.

I can't believe it's so long since I've posted. Two and a half months... well, it has been an eventful two and a half months. And it's definitely time I wrote something on here!

The day I last posted, LSH and I jetted off for a dose of Mediterranean sunshine before winter set in, so that was over a week that I wasn't around. Little Blue Uke accompanied me to a beautiful Greek island, where the ambience around the hotel was so peaceful that I didn't DARE play my uke outdoors! Seriously! But I did play it, in the privacy of our room; there's nothing quite like playing a uke to help you relax and divert the mind away from troublesome trends of thought.

Once back home I peeked in at the Ukulele Underground Forum from time to time, and in the Seasons of the Ukulele contest at Halloween the theme was songs about candy - think trick or treat! Here's my original song that I wrote for that, "Come and Share Candy Kisses"



I hope you like it!

Just a few days after I wrote that song, we had a bereavement. My only brother lost a long battle for his life. Although he had been very, very sick for a long time, and the end was expected, it still came very hard. I haven't felt any real enthusiasm for doing anything since then, and that includes playing ukulele, I have to confess; for the first time in years it's been just too easy to leave my ukes alone. And this blog, I'm afraid. But I know this loss of appetite for life is a normal part of grief and loss, and I know it will get better with time. Indeed, the fact that I'm sitting here writing this now is a step forward.

The November convention of the George Formby Society took place just two weeks after we lost my brother. I was still feeling very raw - but we went, and because of the fantastic people there, I enjoyed it, it did me good. And I was busy. Together with my good pal Kate Howard, I was a concert organiser for the Sunday afternoon. That was a first for me! Although that was less than a month ago, it feels that it was rather longer than that and the weekend seemed to go by in a bit of a blur. I think life gets like that when your mind is reeling from unpleasant events. What I really remember is the warmth of the people around me. That counts for an awful lot when you're hurting. Did I take photos? I can't remember. Possibly not. But I will scrounge some and put them here for you just as soon as I can.

And because I prefer to write blog posts that are not over-long, I'll leave it at that for now.

And I will try to post again before too long!

Perhaps next time I'll tell you some news about my Kiwaya KTS-4! Yes, that's what I'll do. Watch this space!

And... edit - here's a link to the November report of the George Formby Society convention! With Gill Walley's lovely photos - just find the link on the page and click on it!

Thanks for dropping in, seriously. I appreciate it!

Another cracking weekend with the GFS in Blackpool, and a Formby mash-up from Wisconsin!

LHS and I have just returned from the September convention of the George Formby Society at the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool. It never fails to hit the spot. What a superb weekend! So many familiar, friendly faces when we walk in now... the first time we went, four years ago, we knew no-one, but we were made so welcome and slowly but surely we got to know people, and those people became friends. It's so nice to walk into a warm, welcoming atmosphere that is rather like a kind of family. Many people there are in friendship groups going back twenty, thirty, and forty years, and for a few, even longer - so it's quite an honour to be accepted as one of this long-standing and close-knit musical community. But all you have to do is to love George's music, be friendly and be kind to people, be patient and ask if you're unclear about how things are organised, and appreciate the work all the volunteers do. And remember - it's not all about individual performances - it's all about George!

Last weekend was no exception; a cracking couple of days. LHS (Long-Suffering-Husband) has now got a routine of disappearing for a while with certain other LSH's of my friends for a pint or two at one of the local ale-houses. He doesn't complain. And though he doesn't play ukulele, he's game to join in somehow if a suitable oportunity crops up. So last weekend he made an appearance as Winston Churchill, as it was Battle of Britain Day. A few witty asides vis-a-vis Europe got a titter or two, and he was happy.

I got to do a couple of songs on stage on Sunday afternoon, and then I helped out for an hour or so on the sound desk - adjusting the sound on the three stage microphones according to the loudness of performers' voices, bringing up the volume on the uke mic for the solos, and running mini-disks for the occasional backing track, which gives the band a chance for a little break. It takes some concentration, especially when you're still getting used to it. But it's good to take part, to sing a song or two and to find a way to lend a hand to help keep these wonderful weekends of entertainment running smoothly.

Saturday evening was a concert specially put together in advance - one song from each of George's films, with different performers for each song, and many had made huge efforts with costume for the occasion. It was an absolute joy! There will be photos on the GFS website and videos on Youtube in due course. I look forward to that!

Thanks to Chris Richards for the photos of myself and Himself above!

Edit - Peter Pollard's report on the September Convention is now up on the GFS website, together with a link to photos!

Getting back to normal today I took a peep at Season 240 of the Ukulele on the Ukulele Underground. It's a mash-up week - putting bits of songs together to make hybrid songs... and a Seasonista friend of mine, a George Formby fan called Randy McSorley from Wisconsin, USA has done this!


Isn't that just wonderful! Randy's pleasure in singing George's songs shines out clear and strong! So nice to know that George is appreciated and still giving pleasure world-wide!

My Milestones in Learning the Ukulele

Uke timeline and milestones

The thing about an enjoyable journey that never ends is that you can enjoy it for ever – or for at least as long as you are physically and mentally able to! After all, “It’s better to travel hopefully than to arrive!”

And that’s the thing about learning to play ukulele – you’ll never, if you’re like me, going to “arrive” - be able to play as well as you want to. I want to be able to play really well – you name a good uke player, any one of the professionals, and I want to play as well as they do. I’m never going to get there. But my goodness, I’m enjoying the journey! Frustrations abound, but with the desire to improve and some perseverance, I do improve….. slowly. And I have good times and make good friends along the way.

So - more music, more skills and more people – all sorts of milestones, and a few important purchases!

Nov 2005
Saw Joe Brown play “I’ll See You In my Dreams” – begged for a ukulele for my birthday - and got one!

Dec 2005
Played for people at a party, very informal

Got the uke out now and then, while life was otherwise very busy … for a long time

July 2009
Played with the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and 1000 other ukers at the Albert Hall, London, then … I put the uke on a shelf… for two years! The shelf should not have happened...

Oct 2011
Picked up a uke in a music shop - couldn’t remember any chords apart from "C" and resolved to seriously get to grips with my ukulele

Dec 2012
Played "Leaning On A Lamppost" at a Christmas party while LSH sang it - realised that the solos was out of the question, and became interested in Formby-style

Jan 2012
Started to try learn Formby style

Feb 2012
Bought first banjo-uke, a 1920’s Slingerland

Joined the Ukulele Underground Forum

Mar 2012
Started this blog Life’s A Ukafrolic

Apr 2012
Joined a local uke group

June 2012
Went to my first George Formby Society convention

Finally got the Slingerland playable - with a little advice from "a man who can"...

Bought my second wooden uke – a mid-range laminate

Jul 2012
Bought a webcam to record my efforts at singing and playing

Made first public Youtube video – an instrumental

Entered a video to the UU Seasons of the Ukulele for the first time - Season 23

Getting to work out songs with more complex progressions by ear, on uke

Aug 2012
Bought my first solid wooden uke, first good soprano – Kiwaya KTS-4

Nov 2012
Played uke and sang on stage with mics and backing band, for the first time. Duet ...George Formby Convention

Dec 2012
Learned my first passable Formby-style banjo-uke solo – the song affectionately known as "Window Cleaner" - and played it at a party

Feb 2013
Bought my best banjo-uke, vintage 1920’s Gibson UB2

Jun 2013
Attended my first ukulele festival – UFGB, Cheltenham

Attended my first uke workshops by highly skilled professionals

Played uke and sang solo on stage with mics and backing band, for the first time. (George Formby Convention)

Jul 2013
Learned some chords up the neck, and learned the instrumental Mr Sandman

Feb 2014
worked out my first chord melody by ear…. “Sway”

Mar 2014
Playing the instrumental Mr Sandman “cleanly”… nailed those pesky chord changes up the neck

June 2014
My entry in the Ukulele Underground Seasons of the Ukulele got a mention from the season’s host… oh I was thrilled!

I wrote my first song. For Seasons of the Ukulele. It’s on Youtube

Did an impromptu duet with a Seasonista I met at the big uke-fest in Cheltenham, UFGB…. Another nice “first”, this…

Dec 2014
Wrote two more songs for a Christmas song-writing competition hosted by one of the “Seasonista” community on the Ukulele Underground.
Won the competition with a carol that I wrote. I was so proud….

Feb 2015
After recognising that proper uke lessons from a really good player would be a very Good Thing – had my first lesson from Phil Doleman

Mar 2015
Bought my first craftsman - built ukulele, a mahogany concert, from uke-builder Dave Morgan (D J Morgan Ukuleles)

Apr 2015
Hosted a Season of the Ukulele on the UU for the first time

May 2015
Visited Hawaii! Spent time with friends made online and visited the Kamaka factory, Where Fred Kamaka showed us round on one of his wonderful tours and talks...

Jul 2015
Bought my second craftsman-built ukulele, spruce/maple soprano from Dave Morgan (D J Morgan Ukuleles)

Sept 2015
Was granted an interview with Jake Shimabukuru

Nov 2015
Helped out at Jake’s concert in Liverpool – (and met Jake!)

Apr 2016
Sang a blues song for the first time - one I wrote myself! A milestone, I think...

Jun 2016
Performed a song at a festival open mic for the first (and so far only!) time....

July 2016
Worked out the chords on uke to a more complicated song, then worked out another set of chords using chords up the neck keeping the melody on the 1st string.
I felt this was a real milestone…

So here I am, thus far - nearly eleven years after first being inspired to play ukulele and getting my first... and just coming up to five years of working determinedly and steadily at it. The milestones are fewer and further between now, as the skills get harder to achieve, but every bit as satisfying, if not more so. Most of these milestones were documented along the way on this blog....

Must go. Got to play my ukulele... thanks for dropping in!

Oh, and... have just copied this page with a few added links to a dedicated page on the blog... so I can keep it updated! A lifetime of milestones to hit yet.....

Andy Eastwood - consummate musician!

Here's another lovely quickie for you... Andy Eastwood - well-known as a highly skilled performer of George Formby songs, perhaps not quite so well-known as all-round musician and entertainer that he is. He has great stage presence and as you see from the above video clips, he plays wooden uke, violin and piano with consummate skill. The video says it all, doesn't it!

He's featured with a full-length article in the very classy publication "UKE Magazine (issue 6) (June 2016 here in the UK.

We're delighted to have seen Andy play live several times - UFGB (Ukulele Festival of Great Britain) in 2013, at the George Formby conventions in Blackpool, when he can get there; supporting comedian Ken Dodd and in the revue "We'll Meet Again". What an entertainer!

If you've never had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Andy live, I recommend you catch up with him in July...

Coming up in July...
3 Jul: Charing Cross Theatre, London
10 Jul: Grand Opera House, York
23-24 Jul: Isle of Wight Ukulele Festival, Newport
29-31 Jul: Czech Ukulele Festival, Prague

Thanks for dropping in - I'll be back soon with another post... more ukafrolics!

See the video on Youtube here

New Uke Day for Caroline Stewart! And we got to do a duet..

Regular readers will know what a fan I am of DJ Morgan Ukuleles. What's more, I take them places, people see them, play them, recognise them for the fine instruments that they are and very soon, they have one, too - or even two, too! So yesterday, my pal Caroline made the trip down to the Midlands from her home in North Yorkshire to pick up her own beautiful new DJ Morgan soprano.

Here it is...

Made of solid American Walnut, it sings like - it sings like every Morgan uke sings. Beautiful tone, and it's loud. The headstock features Dave's new signature design of three sets of twin thin lines, set art deco style... they look wonderful. And on this uke he has crafted a wooden rosette.

Here it is next next to my DJ Morgan soprano, my Sprucey Lucy! They make a fine pair!

Caroline stayed over with us and it was great to have an evening to play ukes, sing together and natter - so we did this video and posted it on the Ukulele Underground Seasons of the Ukulele...

That was such fun - and a rare treat to do, as we don't live near to each other at all. The video is very raw - recorded simply in front of my PC with the webcam, it's not edited in any way and I think the two ukes overpowered the microphone somewhat. But we had such fun doing it! I hope it's not too long til the next time! I'll see Caroline again at the next George Formby Convention, in Blackpool at the end of February... she'll be performing, as will a lot more highly talented players, especially of George Formby songs! Why not come along? Now, there's something to look forward to at the end of winter!

Thanks for dropping in! I'll be back soon, don't go too far away now!

Johnny Key at the June GFS Convention 2015 - George Formby Medleys

Here are two great Formby Medleys from Johnny Key at the June GFS Convention 2015.



Johnny is a Londoner but is a firm favourite at the Blackpool conventions; he has great stage presence and a lovely way with a song - he's a real uke enthusiast, whether Formby on the banjolele or any other genre of music you fancy on wooden uke - and he's there with help and advice if you want it! A lovely chap. I thought I'd posted this ages ago, but I find I hadn't - so here it is. Better late than never!

The next convention is only a few weeks away! 19th September! It's going to be 40's themed... time to get those vintage clothes out!

Paul Culkin at the GFS June Convention - "My Little Skateboard"

I have so many ukulele goings-on in my life right now that I really am hard-pressed to write about them! After all, somewhere in-between, a little housework does have to be done, people have to be visited... LSH is doing his bit, he feeds me (shouts up the stairs when I'm working "Nosebag!" Reference to feeding a horse, you understand - as long as I get sustenance I'm not too fussy, though I'd draw the line at a bag of oats and a carrot...) and has been laying extra turf to narrow the flower beds so there isn't so much weeding to be done in the garden. Today I rushed in from going to see a sick relative and spent an hour chopping down the undergrowth... but it really isn't enough. Half an hour just now on serious uke practice for my lesson next week... and I'm determined to get a blog post in. So where do I start. Because a weekend at the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival 2015 (May) has already been followed up by a weekend in Blackpool for the June convention of the George Formby Society.

The convention first, then. It was pretty fantastic, as usual. Never fails to please. Two solid days of music and good company in a great atmosphere. I enjoy watching everyone on stage, hate to miss a performance. The younger members, mostly still in their teens, just keep getting better and better and after only a few years playing they are all without exception among the finest Formby players in the Society. I'm thinking of Lewis Clifton, (also the society archivist and doing a fabulous job on displays), Stewart Lowther, Bradley Clarke, Angus Lamont, Francesca Davies and little James Bassett who's a well-seasoned performer at only eleven. Another young performer, Joe Thomas made his first appearance in Blackpool at just 15 years old and wowed everyone with his well-honed skills and Formby repertoire. They are amazing. We oldies still trying to acquire the skills all mutter "why do we bother..." but we still do because it's just such good fun.

As for me, I ventured on stage twice and did two numbers each time. Two songs including a Formby number (that's the Rools) and on the Sunday evening, two instrumentals. I risked Mr Sandman. Heaven knows, I've been practising it long enough... and at last I'm as confident as I'll ever be about that nasty fast chord change up the neck. And I did the Marcy Marxer version of 12th Street Rag that I posted on here (tuition video) quite some time ago. I think I got away with it. Then I get home and ask myself "Did I REALLY get up there and do that? Twice? However did I have the nerve?" But you know, it's such a lovely atmosphere and if you can play a bit you are encouraged to take your courage in both hands and just do it, get up there and give 'em a song. It feels natural to have a go. Everyone is so supportive. The thing is to learn your stuff, and everyone tries. Formby songs are not that easy to learn, (unless you're 13!)... the verses and choruses often don't conform to a pattern and you have to know where the solo fits in - but that's all part of the challenge. And that's why it feels good when you've done it.

Photo above (thanks to Gill Walley) - actually that was at the March convention, where I just tackled "Blackpool Rock" - and managed to miss out part of the solo! Oh well, it all helps to keep the band on their toes! They are brilliant - they never let a performer down, they manage to follow anyone, however dodgy their sense of timing. That's called musicality - and generosity of spirit. The GFS has it in spades. And that's why you go there once and you're hooked.

Here's Paul Culkin - enjoy!

Just jammin' - Angus Lamont and Francesca Davies at GFS Convention November 2014

Just a few lines to describe this one.

GFS (George Formby Society) Convention, Blackpool, November 2014

Angus Lamont and Francesca Davies jamming in the back room.

Just two of the very talented young people who enjoy the music of George Formby - the fun songs, the tricky syncopated solos, and the warmth and friendliness of the GFS.

I was there - I think I was actually walking across that room as they were doing this! Superb. And to think that it was the GFS that brought them together!

By the way, Francesca is playing a 1928 Wendell Hall banjo-uke. Why such an old uke? Because the vintage ones are so much better - simple. Wendell Halls come at a pretty price, though. You'll have to save your pennies if you want one.

A day to go and at last I'm in "full Formby mode".....

Enjoying myself in the "thrash", September convention, Blackpool (photo thanks to Lynn Raybould)

With the November Convention of the George Formby Society only one full day away now, at last I've stopped flitting about from song to song, style to style, wooden uke to banjo uke and back again, and settled to the Formby numbers. Both banjo-ukes are out of their cases and near at hand, and I'm practising like mad - because at every GFS convention I curse myself for not spending more time learning Formby. Formby syncopation is a long and winding road, when you're not 13! It is the youngsters who learn this stuff the fastest. They can be highly competent players in a matter of months - and as for the rest of us, it is the more focused among us who achieve the most success. Focused? Me? Get away with you! I'm still enjoying myself learning to play blues, old jazz standards, finger-picking, chord melody .... anything that gets thrown my way. And Formby of course! And now these last couple of days, I'm trying to make up for lost time, knowing that when I go down to the front to join in with the "thrash" I'll be kicking myself, as my eyes try to home in on someone who really knows what they're doing, so I can follow the chords! And will I be venturing onto that Formby stage this time round...? I hope so. Because I'll be kicking myself if I don't. Getting up there and doing it is the only way to get used to it.

Thanks for dropping in - I've been missing, I know - life has been incredibly busy lately, but uke-life has been interesting and I'll tell you all about it, just as soon as I can - I promise!

Just between ourselves, we call ourselves The Gibson Girls... Caroline, Lesley and Kate - GFS Blackpool September 2014

I always have a great time at the George Formby Society Convention in Blackpool. You know I do. I tell you all the time. But last weekend was even a bit extra-special.

Here's one reason. My very good friend Caroline Stewart became Chairman of the society. My first convention in June 2102 was her second, and we quickly became pals in the "thrash" when she advised me that the reason my uke sounded out of tune was that it should have been tuned in D, not in C - and we have been good friends ever since. Caroline sings adn plays very well, and that, together with her love of George Formby have made her very popular with the GFS audiences, as has her willingness to get involved in the society and do her bit - a very able and lovely lady, is Caroline, and a stalwart friend - someone you want in your corner.

Another such is Kate Howard, who attended her first convention, traveling all the way from her home on the Isle of Skye with a Long-Suffering-Husband in tow last year. She loves Formby and the tricky syncopated banjo-uke solos - and my goodness, can she play - yes she can! The three of us have all become good mates, all the proud owners of vintage Gibson UB2 banjo-ukes, and even the three Long-Suffering-Husbands, uke-widowers all, have become great pals and now take themselves off during the conventions to find their own amusements in the local hostelries! Such is the power and appeal of the GFS to bring people together.

Back in March, Caroline suggested that the three of us could perform a medley together, a medley of jazz standards that George performed on TV in 1958 with the Deep River Boys. We all live too far apart to be able to practise together, but we found the chords and learned these three songs, and finally on Saturday we ran them through a couple of times during the mid-afternoon break, ready to perform them during the main concert on Saturday evening. It's not a lot of rehearsal, is it, but we got through it ok.... these girls are such lovely performers, it was great to be up on that Formby stage with them!

Caroline, Lesley, Kate
Photo thanks to Jonathan Mallalieu

And here's a video! Thanks to another good pal, Pauline Aitken!



The band are fabulous. Just tell 'em what your're doing, what key you're playing in - and they're away! Matt, Tony and Dale, that time...

So now I must learn another Formby number, complete with solo. There's challenging...

Thanks for dropping in! Lots more to come...

GFS Convention September 2014 - Fred from Quebec and the GFS Band

Just had a really fabulous weekend of Ukafrolics at the September Convention of the GFS (George Formby Society) at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool. These weekends happen four times a year, every March, June, September and November, and since our first, just over two years ago in June 2012, we have only missed one, and that was because were abroad. You go once, and you're hooked. The atmosphere is something REALLY special. The enthusiasm, the warmth, the friendliness - well, you just have to go and experience it to really understand what I'm talking about.

The main convention experience for most people is sitting in the audience to watch the performances. I, for one, hate to miss anyone's performance, whatever level player they are. That means I do miss out on a lot of back-room and bar-room interaction - but that's another story! The performances are what most people are there for, whether to perform or just to enjoy. And people will travel thousands of miles to be part of this. Last weekend was typical. There were enough folk from other lands to make a whole band of them on stage, for one special number! And most of them got up on that stage and did their own spot as well.

One such was a man I can only refer to as "Fred from Quebec". He performed to a very welcoming audience with great style, a very funny song about a highly-sexed rooster. Fred brought the house down, lovely performance. And he chose to be backed by the band. Now I really do want to spotlight the band at this point - because they are nothing short of magnificent. Sometimes people choose to perform to their own backing tracks, because that's what they are used to, but I do always think that's a shame because that band can back anything and anyone and they don't need the music in front of them, they just pick it up and give the performer just the right balance of backing, whatever they need.... so talented! Even on a song they haven't heard before, like Fred's rooster song.

In that part of the show, the band comprised Dale Norman on drums, Dave Partington (who has written an excellent book on how to perform Formby solos) on bass guitar and the GFS Musical Director, Matthew J Richards on keyboard. Fred began his song. The band listened for a few seconds. Dale came in with a light percussion accompaniment. Next in was Dave on bass, then Matt was in on keyboard - and it was as if they'd known the song all along. That's how good they are. It all sounded brilliant. What stars!



Fred's video doesn't show clearly how the band joined in, but they did, I was there!

I occasionally clamber up onto that stage, always with the fear that I will suddenly "blank" on words or chords, I know it happens to everyone at some time - but the thing is, if you are playing to a backing track and you do suddenly go blank, a backing track will not forgive a moment's hesitation, it just goes on and leave you derailed. With the GFS band you can have confidence that they will follow you and rescue you, even vamp for a while, while you get over it if necessary - it is pure joy to watch and listen how they support the performer, even when a performer misses beats, not waiting until the natural end of a phrase before before beginning the next. Some people do do that if they are sort of "new" to music - but the band are onto it and will not let the performer down. Brilliant. If I were a chap and I wore a hat, Id take it off to them.

Thanks for dropping in - more coming up!

Look out - Johnny Foodstamp hits the GFS September 2014 Convention!

I've been featuring Johnny Foodstamp in my blogs for exactly two and a half years. The first time was 22nd March 2012, very soon after I started this blog. I named him as one of my ukulele heroes, for helping me over a ukulele forum to sort out little problems with my very first (and very old) banjo-uke. So kind and helpful. Go back and read it and you'll see. Since then I've posted about Johnny lots of times. I love it that he, a young fella from Nashville, Tennessee, plays George Formby, Formby-style, split-strokes and everything and brings it to the Nashville folk. What a star. And last weekend he and his lovely wife made their second trip across the Atlantic to attend their second Formby convention. How fantastic is that! And I can tell you, he got a very warm welcome from the friends he made last time!

He didn't bring a banjo-uke with him this time, just his lovely vintage Gibson soprano uke. It sounds gorgeous. And he says that the strings are just the cheapest nylon uke strings from his local music shop.... food for thought there!

He gave us two Formby numbers on Saturday - "Little Ukulele" and "The Lancashire Toreador". Now, the purists will say that Johnny's vocal style "isn't Formby".... well, how can he sound like a Lancashire lad, coming from Nashville Tennessee, for goodness sake? Sure he has a very personal style of delivery, but whether you like that or not, the uke playing was excellent. Me? I loved it.

Here's the Lancashire Toreador....


Thanks to Pauline Aitken for the video

More Johnny to come...

After a monster couple of Ukafrolicking weeks, coming up...

Two weekend uke festivals in nine days takes some reporting on.... but I'm getting there, honestly, in between washing, various other bits of housework and sick-visiting - so, coming up...

(I love this pic of me with Johnny Foodstamp thanks to Kate Howard!)

The September convention of the GFS (George Formby Society) in Blackpool - a bit of a spotlight on the band, Johnny Foodstamp visits from Nashville, and as many more delights as I can possibly cram in before life tears me away....

Also - The GNUF (Grand Northern Ukulele Festival) in Huddersfield - this was two weekends ago, but I still have lots that I want to tell you about in my own way and from my own perspective. So bear with me and I'll be with you shortly!

A must-watch! Francesca and Catalina Davies - Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree

Still trying to catch up on all the blog posts I want to do...

We hardly recognised Francesca Davies in her 40's-style outfit and hairdo last weekend as she and her sister Catalina busked with Alan Yates, John Taylor, Stuart Lowther and Cameron Aitken at the George Formby Society one-day convention at Morecambe Winter Gardens. They drew the crowds with their skilled Formby strumming - but here's Francesca and Catalina as we are used to seeing them - this time wowing everyone in Blackpool at the June convention! And for once, not playing ukulele at all... this is a must-watch, as they sing together the Andrews Sisters wartime number, "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree". It's a real treat!



If these two sisters are not bound for stardom, I'll eat my hat! Francesca is sounding a little like Alma Cogan these days - remember her? And Catalina's voice rings out in the harmonies above. Absolutely delightful! They also performed "The Boogie-woogie Bugle Boy of Company B"... I can't wait to see what they come with next time!

Morecambe Winter Gardens July 2014 - Baby - Caroline Stewart

Following on from my post yesterday.... Caroline does this song so well - one of the highlights of the one day convention at Morecambe Winter Gardens last weekend, 26th July. This one-day event is great fun; it's such a thrill to get into this wonderful old theatre and see it used for the sort of entertainment it was built for - and to help to raise funds for its restoration. I've posted Caroline singing this song on stage before, in March, with a wooden uke, but the banjo-uke (a Gibson UB2 de-luxe, this one) gives it a slightly different feel.

We have quite a few teenage members of the society, and they are all very good players indeed... they made use of the lovely weather to busk outside the main door when not on stage. An appreciative public threw a total of £80 into their uke cases, which was swiftly handed over to the Morecambe Winter Gardens restoration fund.

Francesca and Catalina Davies, Stuart Lowther and Cameron Aitken, busking for the restoration fund, Morecambe Winter Gardens

The audience!

The thrash! (Everyone joins in!)

Look at that stage... Laurel and Hardy, Lawrence Olivier, Sir Edward Elgar, Morecambe and Wise, the Beatles and George Formby himself have performed on that stage!

Myself... with Caroline Stewart, Kate Howard, Peter Pollard, Dale Norman and John Walley..... and Eric!

So much fun, laughter and good friendship...

So that's it for Morecambe, until next year - I do hope we do it next year... and I do think we shall!
Video and some of the photos by courtesy of Peter Pollard, GFS

A GFS Ukafrolic at the Morecambe Winter Gardens, July 2014

Been too busy to blog. Sorry. Some have missed me - they said so... which is really nice, and I thank them and you for dropping in for time to time to see what's been going on in this Life of a Lady with a Ukulele or Two.... (now eleven, actually..... shhhhhh!)

Well, last weekend, a real humdinger of a Ukafrolic with a one-day convention of the George Formby Society at the old Winter Gardens theatre in Morecambe. Read more about this beautiful old theatre and the quest to restore it to its former glory here....

And here's a cracking video put together by Boris Seagal, to promote the Winter Gardens and the Trust... lots of Formby ladies represented here.... see my very good friend Kate Howard, who had traveled with her own LSH (Long-Suffering-Husband) all the way from the Isle of Skye - that's a LONG way from Morecambe - as she makes a wonderful job of Leaning on a Lamppost, on the very spot where George himself performed... you'll hear a few words from me and a glimpse of a quick strum on my lovely Dallas D, and you'll catch a glimpse of the incomparable Clarice Wokes and her sizeable array of tattoos, strumming away also! It's a great video and thanks to Boris for doing it - good for the Winter Gardens, good for the GFS!



Here's a full write-up of the day on the George Formby Society website.

There's a great gallery of photos, and you can read about how the society raised £1200 that day for the Winter Gardens restoration project. £80 of this was raised by a group of players including some of the younger members, who busked outside the theatre to the delight of the passers-by, many of whom then came in (the event was free of charge to the public) to enjoy the entertainment on offer. Read all about it...

Tomorrow I'll pop a few pics on here.

Did I play on stage? No. Shame on me. Woulda shoulda coulda - but didn't - because I wasn't happy that I had anything ready that day. To go on stage to sing and play, you need to feel that you have something so well buttoned up that you can't do it wrong - that's called confidence! Last weekend that just wasn't there. I don't want to do the same couple of songs every time I venture up on stage - so the repertoire has to grow - that takes commitment, effort, and practice. Practice, practice, practice - you just gotta do it. I've just gotta do it. No gain without pain. Ah me. And here's a night when I haven't done any - so - time to get the uke out.

Thanks for dropping in!

HIghlight number one - Andy Eastwood with Alan Yates, GFS Convention June 2014

And here's the first of my highlights from The GFS Convention, June 2014... Andy Eastwood and Alan Yates playing together - "When I Come Up On the Football Pools!"



Andy and Alan, two of the very best exponents of George Formby style playing. This song is not one of George Formby's, actually, and I know nothing about it, but the words will certainly ring a bell with "Brits" whose Dads or Grandads filled in those pools coupons every week, and listened with bated breath to the scores of all the football (soccer) matches at about 5.00 pm every Saturday, in the hope of winning a sizable cash sum - known as coming up on the football pools! You know, I don't know whether anyone does it any more... the very nature of it will have changed over the years.

But back to Andy Eastwood and Alan Yates! They have both been members of the George Formby Society since they were lads, often performing on stage together as youngsters - and what a joy to see them together on the Blackpool stage again, a most fitting finale to a stupendous talent-filled evening concert! Superb...

Caroline and Ray sing D-Day Dodgers at the GFS Convention, June 2014!

Since I raved about attending my first George Formby Convention in Blackpool in June 2012, it has become a four times a year pilgrimage, not to be missed if I can help it! Last weekend was one such trip, and what a weekend we had of solid music, companionship and fun! I love to take part, the demon just gets hold of me - and I had sensibly decided that this time I would not venture on stage as I hadn't anything properly prepared - the golden rule is, know it - words and music - so that you can't forget it! Well, I do know the chords to Lili Marlene really well, they are easy... so when, at short notice my very good friends Caroline and her husband Ray asked me to accompany them in a rendition of D-Day Dodgers, I was only too pleased for an excuse to get up on that stage! So here we are. Ray's very first time on stage... and Caroline's lovely voice... I first heard this song in the folk club I habitually frequented in the late 1960's, The Jug O'Punch, run by Ian Campbell in Birmingham. A fitting tribute for the D-Day commemorations. Lovely to be on stage with my friends, and not worrying about my voice!

Caroline explains the background to the song....



I should explain that the two day convention is pretty well exclusively devoted to George Formby songs on the Saturday, but Sunday has a lot of other banjo-uke and ukulele music - and the Sunday evening, when the regular band have gone home is quite informal. And that's when we did this, on Sunday evening.

The 2014 March Convention of the George Formby Society approaches - and I'm still flitting...

Just quickly - In a day or two, this blog will be celebrating its 2nd birthday, and I'm hoping on that day to give you a roundup of my ukulele journey so far. I'll do my best, the intention is there - but as my mother always used to say, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions!" Meanwhile, let me report on last week's ukafrolics, as promised.

Peter Moss's ukulele workshop and concert for we members of "Go Ukulele Crazy" in Alrewas (Staffordshire, England) did not disappoint. We explored all sorts of jazzy intros and endings to songs, in different keys, and everyone got something out of it, even the real beginners who just knew a chord or two. Peter's warm and easy style made the atmosphere just perfect. And as for his performance for us afterwards - spellbinding. LSH had to agree. What a player! See him perform his signature piece "William Tell" here... Of Peter, Steven Sproat (great player) commented here "he's the only uke player who makes my jaw drop.." Praise indeed!

On Saturday we trundled off to Dudley to see Andy Eastwood open the second half for Ken Dodd, of Knotty Ash Jam Butty Mines fame.... stupendous. Andy performs with such energy and versatility - banjo-uke, ukulele, violin... a real professional. You need plenty of stamina to perform with Doddy - he's famed for not closing a show until 1.00 am....

My personal ukafrolics over the last week or two have involved lots of Formby-style banjo-uke practice, as next weekend it's Blackpool - the March GFS convention. I hate to admit that my good intentions apropos of the "thrash" for that have gone astray once again - at every convention I promise myself that I'll learn more songs ready for the thrash, (where everyone just gets up and joins in the playing) - and I always disappoint myself, I always fall short, through not putting enough time in on them. I then have to position myself where I can watch a good player's fretting hand, to follow the chords... good fun though! For my sins, instead of concentrating on Formby, in my playing I flit from piece to piece, from Formby to jazz, from Tin Pan Alley to pop, from folk to blues, from songs to instrumentals and back again, round and round, round and round... and just make slow progress, albeit across a pretty wide field.

But I am making progress, I know I am... and you know, I'm having so much fun....

Peter Moss plays two of my all-time favourite songs at the George Formby Convention, Nov 2013

This was so special. These two songs, played so beautifully here by Peter Moss, are among my top few all-time favourites. Til There Was You, and The Way You Look Tonight. I play them a lot, strumming versions, no melody-picking but beautiful chords - songs crafted by real song-masters.

Now, I've featured Peter on "Life's A Ukafrolic" several times before, but I didn't meet him until November, when at last he came to a convention of the George Formby Society and wowed everyone with this beautiful rendition. Isn't it gorgeous? Songs and playing that just melt your limbs. And the reason this is so special to me is because we'd been chatting during a break as he gently played through these songs, and I mentioned that they were my favourites - I didn't know he was actually going to play them on stage - well, when he did - and it's just before this video clip starts - he mentioned my name and sort-of dedicated them to me..... you can imagine how I felt! Such a lovely thing to do, and such a very nice fella... and of course, he was playing his lovely custom-built Pete Howlett tenor, which I've talked about on here before.

Now LSH, (Long-Suffering-Husband), had gone for a pint and a little walkabout round Blackpool, in spite of the cold and drear... so he missed my moment of.... I can't quite find the word! Perhaps its specialness.... that's what happens when you leave the room....

Thanks, as ever, to Peter Pollard for the video....

Next convention - less than two weeks away, 15th-16th March, Imperial Hotel, North Promenade, Blackpool.

This weekend will see Peter Moss doing a ukulele workshop for Go Ukulele Crazy near Lichfield, Staffordshire.