A Song for My Dad.....Daddy Take Me Fishing

We were out in the countryside with friends one day a few years ago. I can't now remember where we'd been, but on the way home I realised that we would soon be passing close to a place I used to go to with my father when I was a child. Dad enjoyed fishing - coarse fishing, that is fishing for freshwater fish that are not game fish... roach, dace, tench, perch.... and he would take any chance to go fishing in the summer to lakes and particularly on the River Severn. I realised that day that we would be going past Atcham, a hamlet on the Severn... it had been one of Dad's favourite fishing spots, and I used to love to go along. I learned the names of the fish that he caught, but most of all I loved to just potter and play along the river bank, looking at the flowers, the dragonflies and the butterflies, enjoying the sun and the air and the country sounds.

I wanted to see it again - to see that riverbank by the old stone bridge, for the first time in fifty years. Long-Suffering-Husband and our friends waited for me in the local hostelry while I walked across the bridge and down to the riverside. I walked along the river bank, saw what had changed, what had stayed the same. It was a very profound and unsettling experience that I was not prepared for. Although the grass had grown very long on that riverside meadow, and the bushes at the edge of the bank were larger, seeming not to have been cut back recently, that riverbank and the views around it seemed at the same time to be unchanged, it was like being taken back in an instant to my childhood - it was as if, if I had turned round suddenly I could have seen my Dad sitting by the river, quietly watching his float, waiting for a bite. It actually literally took my breath away. When I rejoined the others I couldn't speak, could hardly breathe, and I admit the tears flowed. Dad was gone too young, in his fifties, a victim of cancer. When he died I was still in my teens.

How precious those simple days of childhood were.

Last autumn I started to write a song in tribute to Dad, and to those special times together. I left it unfinished until a couple of months ago, when I managed to complete it.

The plan for yesterday was to go to this month's meeting of the Stourbridge Branch of the GFS, the George Formby Society. The weather was gorgeous so we decided to take another trip to the Severn before going from there straight to the meeting. So we went to Arley, a real quiet beauty spot on the river between Bewdley and Bridgnorth, and another one of Dad's favoured fishing places. It was heavenly... no traffic noise, just the sound of splashing of the shallow waters over the stones in the river, breeze in the trees, birds calling, and the quiet chatter of some people fishing just the other side of some bushes on the riverbank. We sat there quietly, drinking in the tranquillity for about half an hour. I said to LHS, "I think I'll sing my fishing song at the meeting tonight...."

And I did. First time I've sung it for an audience - I think they liked it!

So here it is, my song for Dad... video'd just after I finished writing it.



Thanks for dropping in! Do drop in again!

(You might notice that this is on a new YouTube channel that I've started just for my own songs. There's only a few on there right now, I'll be adding more of my songs as time goes on....)

The joy of sound, the joy of silence

Beethoven's 7th Symphony. Have you ever listened to it? It's very dramatic, a stunning piece of work... Beethoven himself described it as "one of my best works".... but he wrote it in 1811-1812 at a time when he had become almost completely deaf. Makes you think, doesn't it... the composer could hear what he wanted in his mind, and was able to translate it onto a written score, although he could never hear it for real... certainly it brings home just how much we value our hearing. About a year ago I lost my sense of smell, which also severely affects the ability to taste. I do just count myself lucky that it wasn't my hearing or my sight that has gone AWOL! Playing and listening to music is so very important to me.

I also value silence... real silence. My (Long Suffering) Husband has to have noise around him most of the time. He will have music playing in his work room, a radio on in the kitchen, and the TV may well be on in the living room. I can live with this... well, most of the time! He also enjoys the radio on during the night, something I can't tolerate so he has to use earphones. His need for sound is different from mine. And sometimes when I'm home alone, like right now, I enjoy the peace of having no radio, no deliberate noise, just the silence, peace and quiet. But it's the yin and yang, the black and white, the contrast, the fulfilment of different needs at the time.

On a holiday to Tunisia some years ago, we went on a wonderful three day trip south to the Sahara. We saw some amazing sights on the road south... a Roman coliseum, (El Jem) oases, miles and miles and miles of olive plantations, and shimmering, endless multi-coloured salt flats... but the thing that probably made the greatest impression on me was the utter silence of the Saharan dunes. I remember sitting there at the top of a dune, the other trippers around me, and each one of us was in total awe as we gazed at the landscape of the dunes, and listened to the sound of silence.

No sound. nothing, not at all... no traffic in the distance, no birds... not even, that day, a breath of wind.

And no one spoke, for several minutes. It would have been a sort of desecration.

The introduction of sound into silence, and vice versa, is a hugely important and effective part of musical composition and performance. Dynamics, variety in the volume of the music, is directly related to this, and it's something that I know I don't pay enough attention to as a player. But today I vow that I will, in future.

So that's my thought for the day. Sound and silence. Now I'm going to make myself a coffee before LSH comes home and switches on the radio! Silence is sometimes golden. Just sometimes... but I do recommend Beethoven's 7th if you've never heard it! To think that we can hear it, where he never could...

Thanks for joining me for a few minutes. I appreciate it. I won't be gone too long....

Fingerpicking with Manitoba Hal!

Hal Brolund, AKA Manitoba Hal is another one of my favourite players. Fantastic bluesman, a golden voice and a unique way with a ukulele. If you've never seen and heard him play live, you are really missing something! He has just recorded this great tutorial on fingerpicking... so I thought I would share it here. I'm a huge fan of this man! Watch and learn, watch and learn!



Brilliant, eh?

Thanks for dropping in. This was a very short post - I wanted to catch the publish time...

Taimane Gardner in Digbeth, Birmingham, England, 2016

I first saw Taimane perform when she topped the bill At the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain (UFGB) in 2014. She was amazing. She brought the house down. I blog-posted it here... so when I learned that Taimane was coming to my city to perform as part of her first tour of the UK, I was determined to see her again. The venue was small, the experience was intimate, and once again, she blew everyone away with her talent and unique style of performance. Even LSH (Long-Suffering-Husband) was very impressed, and glad that I'd made him come along, because he hadn't seen her before.

Taimane is from the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Visit her website here!

Her tour was organised by Ukulele Events. See more exciting things to come up here!

As for me, this was just one of the exciting ukafrolics from last year that I never got round to posting in good time, but it's here for you now and I hope you enjoy the video! I shot it on my ancient iPhone 4 and am actually very pleased with how it turned out.

Til next time, thanks for dropping in!

Phil Doleman, great uke teacher - sends me home buzzing and inspired...

"Life for a Lady with a Ukulele or Two..." (subtitle of this blog) inexplicably just seems to get busier - time is always full. It seems I used to have more of it to fit everything in ... perhaps it's just me getting older, which I certainly am, and can't complain about that, as the alternative is - not acceptable at the moment! But blogging is taking a hit, for sure. It isn't for want of something to write about, there's plenty. I'm playing uke just as much, I think, still flitting around from on song to another, one skill to another, one genre of music to another, one aspect of the uke and music to another ... and I still don't care. I know I'm making progress. And the credit for that goes to my uke teacher, Phil. Phil Doleman.

I've been going to Phil for personal lessons for more than two years now. I don't go every week or even every fortnight; I fit a lesson in every few weeks as is convenient for both of us, and it's just great. A highlight of my week. I always come away having learned lots, often with my brain hurting - I'm always having to say, "hold on, let me write that down, I'll never remember that when I get home..." and I always come away at the end of a lesson inspired and buzzing. He's good, you see. Knows how to teach. He weighs up where you are pretty quickly and can see what you need to improve your playing and widen your musical understanding. And now that I've been going to him for so long I'm totally at ease playing with and for him, no nerves - that's just great too. He's easy to be comfortable with.

I had a lesson today. Having woken a little late after my first really good night's sleep in ages, I was rushing to get everything together for my lesson, only realising when I arrived at Phil's home that I'd forgotten my glasses! What a chump... no problem though. We spent the whole hour doing stuff that didn't need sheets to read, based on chord progressions that Phil knew I knew... playing songs in several different keys, making me work things out just outside my comfort zone... interesting jazzy alternatives for the chords, all over the fretboard... wonderful stuff that sounded just great.

Well, LSH and I will be seeing Phil with Ian Emmerson on Thursday evening, off up to Belper again to see them supporting Del Rey. Looking forward to that. If you haven't got a ticket - well, you're too late. Sold out.

Next day, Phil will be travelling to Dumfries to appear at the Ukulele Festival of Scotland. A lot of my favourite performers will be there, but I'm afraid I will not. It clashes with the summer convention of the George Formby Society in Blackpool, and LSH (Long-Suffering-Husband) and I are delighted to be going to that, as we always do. Can't do everything, can't be everywhere! We will both be meeting up with friends we can now call old friends, I'll be helping to organise the Sunday afternoon concert, and might - just might - take a turn on stage.

So it's still all go. I promised to write about something I did in April - and I will. Honestly!

Thanks for dropping in, I really appreciate it - do come again! I'll try not to leave it too long before I write again!

Photo of Phil Doleman by Ed Sprake for GNUF

My Beltona resonator uke arrived!

My Beltona arrived a few weeks ago, finished exactly to my requirements and it is every bit as gorgeous as I knew it would be!

I have wanted one of these since I saw Del Rey play one at the GNUF (Grand Northern Ukulele Festival) in Huddersfield in 2014. Beautiful sound. I had toyed with cheaper resonator ukes in the past and had not liked them at all, but this.... was a revelation. And so I lusted after one. But quality like this does not come cheap. I saved - and waited. Til now!

These ukuleles command a lot of respect among folk who know about resonators. Built by Steve Evans to the highest standards.... everything about mine is faultless. Beautifully finished, and perfect intonation.

For more general information and a great review of one of these instruments, I would refer you enthusiastically to Barry Maz's review on the blog Got A Ukulele. It's a superb review - there is nothing there for me to argue with and I will not try to reinvent the wheel!

So I'll keep this little write-up brief, and you can look at that review for more general info.

I chose a concert size in the original double-bout shape - no cutaway.

I asked for side dots as well as fret markers. Barry had remarked that there were none on the tenor one that he reviewed - but ordering one, you have only to ask! Steve builds these to order!

I chose planetary tuners - they are geared 4:1 I believe, and don't stick out at the side, as geared tuners do - planetary tuners look more like friction tuners - but the gearing is enough to make tuning quicker and less fiddly than friction tuners. I thought the extra expense was worth it.

My uke has a new headstock shape! An elegant sort of tulip shape, and I really like it. It looks good with stick-out-the-side geared tuners if that is your choice, and of course it's lovely with friction or planetary tuners that stick out of the back.

My choices were all about colour - Beltona fingerboards are made of rosewood and I asked for the fingerboard and headstock to be simply as dark as he could do it. As for the body of the uke, I wanted a mean, bluesy look in graphity shades with a sunburst. Steve sent me some photos of previous builds and I was able to point him in the right direction.... I'm thrilled with the result! This ukulele gleams and looks silvery pale at one glance - turn it slightly and it turns dark and moody. Perfect! It looks like a mean machine - as I think resonators should look! My photos of this uke are not really very good - taken with a smart phone past its best. Note to self - must do better!

Choosing strings, I checked out youtube video reviews and noted that D'Addario Pro Arte strings came highly recommended for resonators. Steve said the same when I talked to him about it, so I happily settled for those. To me, they feel really good under the fingers, and being black, they look good on this uke too!

I love to hear a resonator uke finger-picked with picks... Phil Doleman plays this way and so does Percy Copley, I've been having a try. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I find it less tricky than clawhammer! I'll get there! Meanwhile, video.... without fingerpicks!



Thanks for dropping in! I should post more often I know - I don't know where the time goes, it just goes faster and faster!

Life has been hectic, but.... coming up...

Yes, life has indeed been rather hectic these last few weeks, and I'll be telling you why very soon... also, I'll be telling you about and showing you my two - yes two! - ukuleles! Aren't I a lucky lady, yes I am!

So please watch this space, I shall be reporting on recent events ASAP!

Wherever you are in your day, have a great one!

Alan Southworth

I was so sad to hear a few days ago that one of our most highly-esteemed members of the George Formby Society has died. Alan Southworth has been a member for many, many years, and I looked forward to seeing him at every convention since LSH and I joined the society five years ago.

I shall always remember him as a very kind man, and a knowledgeable one on George Formby, on banjo-ukuleles and all aspects of playing them, as well as a being a joy to listen to when he went onstage to perform; his banjo-uke solos were expertly played with great style and finesse; he was a real George Formby man who has made great contributions to the society in many ways. The place will not be the same without him and he will be missed by all.

Read Peter Pollard's tribute to him on GFS pages here...


Here's Alan on the left, with his great friend, Billy Uke Scott in 2002.

And here's Alan with a rendition of "My Plus Fours" from 2011.


Thanks to Peter Pollard and the GFS for the video and photo.

LSH and I extend deepest and sincere condolences to Alan's wife, Hilda and his family. Alan was a truly lovely man.

Thanks for dropping in... I have been missing. I'm working on that.

Percy Copley at The White Swan, Hebden Bridge!

I haven't posted for a while. Been busy. Life just gets busier, somehow! But the ukulele is always to hand, and the days are few and far between when I can't fit in a few minutes playing. As well as playing I love to listen to good players, good performers. At GNUF last year, one of the performers to really impress me was Percy Copley. I loved his folky-bluesy finger-picking style. He'll be at GNUF again this year, (5th-7th May) but unfortunately I will not - so when I found that we were free on Saturday, the day he would be playing at The White Swan in Hebden Bridge, I held my breath and suggested to LSH (Long-Suffering-Husband) that we hop up north to Hebden Bridge, (a fair way from we are!) stay the night, and enjoy the concert! To my delight he said ok! So in a shake of a lamb's tail the case was packed, a hotel room booked and we were away. It's wonderful to do things on the spur of the moment sometimes.

Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire has changed a lot since the last time we passed through it - that was many, many years ago. More than thirty. It's prettier than it was, it's vibrant, and it has suffered. The Boxing Day floods of 2015 brought havoc and misery to the town. The floods were bad and the link will take you to a page where you can explore photos and articles about why it happened... but businesses and homeowners alike suffered as the roads and buildings went under water. The last business to reopen was the The White Swan... the landlady Liz doing an awful lot of the clearing up herself, getting by with a little help from her friends.

Now Mary Agnes Krell, the main organiser of GNUF, lives in Hebden Bridge with her partner the ukulele builder Rob Collins. (tinguitar) They were not flooded out but being big-hearted folks they were there helping everyone else to sort out the mess. And although on the whole, the town is recovering and getting back on its feet, Liz and The White Swan could still do with a bit more help, a few more folks through the doors... so Mary got hold of Percy Copley and organised a free concert at the pub, for the sole purpose of getting more punters through the doors buying ale! I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty wonderful. Mary knows how to do these things and is very, very good at it! I don't throw these words around a lot - but Mary Agnes Krell really is AWESOME! A good head for doing things and a great heart for doing them for the right people. As I sat listening to Mary speak, and saw Liz the landlady, and realised what the night was really all about, I was very moved. It was very special.

The concert was good. Very good. Percy did a uke workshop to start off with. It wasn't easy, I could see that; various levels of experience among the uke players there, and a lot of noise from the folk enjoying themselves at the bar! But Percy battled on manfully with astonishing good humour and everyone enjoyed it, I could tell from the faces!

The concert was opened by a very talented local youngster of just fourteen, Isaac Hughes-Dennis, who writes his own (very good) and amusing songs, and has a big smile and a very engaging way with an audience. So very entertaining! How is it that these youngsters don't seem to have a single nerve in their bodies! He is definitely a name to watch.

Percy did two half-hour sets, the first being all ukulele, the second being tenor guitar and mandolin. The uke and tenor guitar were loaned to him by Rob Collins, and they sounded great.

The fact that we made a two and a quarter hour journey and paid for a hotel room overnight tells you how much I wanted to hear Percy sing and play. I knew how good he was, and on Saturday I enjoyed every minute. So did LSH. If you are a regular reader you'll know that my LSH doesn't play and has to take my word for it if I tell him that someone is worth the effort of going to see them! No, he was not disappointed. Percy sang and played a wide range of songs and we were both entranced for the whole evening.

Percy will be at GNUF again this year - get a ticket before they are all gone! And check out his website here
to see, buy and get a listen to his CDs. I have both... you need these, you really do!

Thanks for dropping in, I appreciate it. I'll try to post again before too long! I do have plenty to tell - just not a lot of time to tell it! I'll work on that!

My next uke is on order - a Beltona resonator!

Now then, I really, really do not suffer from UAS - so-called Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome - I have not had a new ukulele since February last year, (DJ Morgan mini-pineapple).... that's nearly a year and that's good going for a ukulele enthusiast! And certainly, when it comes to wooden ukes I am more than satisfied with the ones I have, since I reckon my DJ Morgan ukes are as good as you can get and I love them. AND I can walk past a music shop window with simply a passing glance at ukuleles now, born of mild curiosity rather than acquisitive desire! But ever since I saw Del Rey perform at GNUF (Grand Northern Ukulele Festival)with a Beltona reso in 2014 and I played it in the uke bazaar afterwards, I confess I have lusted after a Beltona resonator. The sound bears no resemblance to any of the cheaper, mass-produced resos that I have tried - and didn't like!

Beltonas do not come cheap. But they're neither as expensive nor as heavy as a National Resophonic, the traditional metal reso uke that many players pay homage to. They are not built of metal, though earlier ones were. The body is moulded from glass-reinforced resin with a lightweight aluminium coverplate and the cone is their own, purpose-built. It's especially nice, speaking as a "Brit" that Beltonas are craftsman-built here in England!

For a great review and more info on Beltonas, see Got A Ukulele here...

It's taken me a while to scrape the cash together for this uke, and it's also taken me more than a while to broach the subject with LSH - (Long-Suffering-Husband) and persuade him that I really do NEED this! Any ukulele enthusiast will know what I'm talking about and sympathise here! But at last I have spoken to Steve Evans at Beltona and the wheels are now in motion. Of course I have to wait a couple of months for what I want, but I don't mind, I've waited for well over two years and I can wait a little longer, though the excitement is mounting!

For an interesting discussion on resonator ukuleles, see this thread on the Ukulele Underground Forum. On the first page there, you'll also see a YouTube video of the great Del Rey playing a resonator uke.

So, watch this space! Meanwhile, I need to practice those finger-picking skills! Oh yes indeed I do....

Thanks for dropping in, please call again and be assured of your welcome!

Caroline Stewart does the George Formby Society proud on the radio! She's just a star!

Caroline Stewart and I became friends when we met during the "thrash" at my first George Formby Convention, and her second. Since then we've become great friends, and she has gone from strength to strength with her ukuleles, her lovely voice, and with the George Formby Society itself, where she became chairman two years ago.

On Wednesday 4th January (today as I write, but you probably won't see this until tomorrow) she went on the radio, Zetland fm, to talk about how she began playing ukulele, how she extended to banjo-uke, joined the society, and to talk about George. She's a great ambassador for the GFS. She sings and plays too - a bit of Formby, with a cracking solo (I'm so jealous!) and a little something more contemporary!

See and listen for yourself... here's a link to Caroline's page on the GFS website, where you'll see a link to the 20 minute interview!

Thanks for dropping in, I'll have some more news very soon! And please could you give that Toucan a click and give us a rating, if you would be so kind - I'd really appreciate that!

See you again soon!

Christmas blessings of a rather special Ukafrolic kind! Seasonistas do covers of my original carol!

December made me pick myself up by the bootstraps, it always does. Busy, busy. No time to be sad or to dwell on sad things.

Christmas week with our grown-up children - totally delightful! So many blessings to count, fully mindful that many are not so lucky.

Ukulele gifts - oh yes! A "proper" metronome, as requested, from LSH, and earrings like musical notes; a funny ukulele mug among the gifts from our daughter, I should post photos but I'm not THAT organised at the moment!

And there was another very special gift that just kept growing - in the days leading up to Christmas I had a message from one of my friends among the Seasonistas of the Ukulele Underground Forum - Linda, "lelouden", wanted to video a cover of the carol I wrote two years ago, "Tread Softly To The Stable"... for Season 253 of the Ukulele. I was thrilled that someone liked it enough to want to cover it... Linda sings and plays beautifully and does the most gorgeous videos; I couldn't wait to watch it. I hadn't had time to take part that week myself, and when I checked the Season playlist I was astounded and bowled over to find that Linda had not been the first to do my song! It was Steve in York (Steve Phillips) who had done it first. And altogether, over these last few days, six Seasonistas have covered my carol!

To think that so many like it enough to do this made me feel quite dizzy! It's quite a compliment and very humbling. And I have to say it's a lovely feeling! Brian in Australia (pabrizzer) has done three beautiful videos of it now, all different, though he seems to make a point of always wearing the same shirt and hat to do it! One in 2014 when I first wrote it, one last year and again last week. How much I appreciate his support for that song I do hope he knows!

Well - a version from Steve in the English north-west, from Linda in the west of the USA; Linda on the eastern seaboard of USA; Alan in Texas, USA; (two versions!) Brian in Australia and Wim in Holland! Please forgive me for raving but I am, as we say here, "chuffed to death!" Yes that's a great thing to be! How kind and generous they all are to share this!

One thought that kept going through my mind was that I'd never done a video of it myself that I was happy with. The 2014 one was rushed, hurried, done on Christmas Eve waiting for the family to arrive, and I forgot that I'd written a fourth verse. I thought it high time that I did it again, my best effort for now. So last night I did that. I've made a ">playlist of the different performances of it, my new one is at the top. It's really interesting to listen to the different versions because no two are the same; everyone brings their own interpretation and puts something of themselves into it, and the melody varies slightly as well. My friend Alan Thornton ("decaturcomp") in Atlanta did a beautiful version two years ago and of course I have included that!



As the year draws to a close, this is a brilliant way to end the year for me. Heartfelt thanks to my friends in the Seasons of the Ukulele, and wishing them and all of you a happy, healthy and Ukafrolicking 2017!

Thanks everyone for dropping in, this time and all times - and see you next year!

Stourbridge Branch of the George Formby Society celebrates 25 years!

The nearest branch of the George Formby Society to where we live is the Stourbridge Branch. We attend the meetings, held every third Tuesday of the month, when we can, which isn't really nearly as often as we would like. But like all the society meetings, it's a place you can be assured of a warm welcome. It was so on Tuesday evening, 20th December.

It was a very special meeting - not only was it the Christmas meeting, but they were celebrating something rather special - 25 years since Malcolm Palmer had begun the branch! And Malcolm, now turned 80, has been running it with devotion and commitment ever since. Very special, that. The membership were determined to mark the occasion in style. The atmosphere was superb, full of warmth and affection, both for Malcolm and for all those so generous in so many ways, who made it such a special occasion to remember. Malcolm was presented with a lovely glass commemorative clock and a specially designed magazine featuring Malcolm himself in specially crafted images on every page, and more gifts besides! Well-deserved and a delight to witness!

Let us not forget the music! So many members turned up to play and watch that people could only do one song at first. Being the George Formby Society, most people did perform a George Formby song. There was a great selection. I did one as well, one I have only learned recently. I did "Smile All The Time" and remembered it ok, though I think I lost my way a little towards the end of the banjo-uke solo. Never mind, I thought, I'm among friends! Some of us were able to do another song later on, and I did the evergreen wartime song "We'll Meet Again" - a lovely one for everyone to join in singing, and they did! I do enjoy the join-in songs the most! In the photo, just by my strumming hand you can see seated at the keyboard the Stourbridge Branch's greatest star member - Musical Director of the whole George Formby Society, the massively talented Matthew J Richards, who plays keyboard to accompany everyone at Stourbridge and at every national GFS convention at Blackpool. Matthew is simply one of the very most musical people I know, and the most musically considerate, generous and supportive accompanist. He ably accompanies anyone on stage, even when someone loses the rhythm, he manages to stay with them and support them. All the players know this and appreciate it hugely!

I was delighted that Gabriela La Foley was able to call in and give a song, (I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate) even though she had already fitted in a busy day travelling from gig to gig! She's always a star turn, and the most vivacious and charming person you could ever wish to meet! You can just pick her out at the back of the pic here, where all the ladies were playing jingle bells to accompany the song on stage, played and sung by Lynn and Leigh Raybould and friend! (Oooh dear I don't know her name, sorry about that!) I'm there at the back too, next to Gabi; forever at the back, being tall!

I'm indebted to Chris Richards for the photos. There are more on the Stourbridge Branch website!
Well, under pressure time-wise or not, I just had to share this with you. And if I can find some time tomorrow, Christmas Eve, I'll share something else.

In case I don't make it, (the family are coming! Hooray!) I wish you all now a very Happy Christmas, with huge helpings of Peace and Joy! Thanks for finding time to pop in. Please come again!

The Kiwaya KTS-4 has gone, gone to a good home.... but why?

It's gone. The Kiwaya KTS-4 that I bought and was so thrilled with when I bought it four years ago. I posted about it here in August 2012. Yes, it's a wonderful, superb ukulele - but I wasn't playing it. Why? because I have another superb soprano uke that I love even more and have played all the time since I bought it 18 months ago - My D J Morgan long neck soprano in spruce and bird's eye maple. "Sprucey Lucy". Every now and then I would get the Kiwaya out, marvel at its satin mahogany beauty and its wonderful sound - then put it away and reach for my craftsman-built D J Morgan. Being a spruce top, the sound is different from mahogany, it's champagne rather than cognac - but the volume, the tone, the sustain and the intonation are every bit as good, and I just love it even more. Gorgeous thing.

A friend at the GFS convention in November asked me if I still had the Kiwaya; he had played it some time ago and thought it wonderful - which it is! He asked if I would give him first refusal if I decided to sell it. Of course I would. I went home, got the Kiwaya out, marvelled at its satin mahogany beauty and its wonderful sound - and reached for Sprucey Lucy. I made a decision. Within a few days the Kiwaya was in my friend's hands, and fine hands they are, too - it has gone to a very good home! No point in keeping a lovely uke if it's not played. And now it will be played and enjoyed as it should be.

So My D J Morgan spruce-top soprano uke is still my instrument of first choice. I pick it up and the feel and the sound are just perfect. Everyone who has seen and played it who knows anything at all about the build of ukuleles thinks it superb - and since I bought it, I can pass a shop with ukes in the window, and not give more than a passing glance - I even went to Hawaii last year and was not tempted by the first-class K brands to be had there. You just can't say better than that!

I hope to post again before Christmas. Meanwhile, thanks for dropping in! Very much appreciated... now I'm going to fetch the Christmas tree in!

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!

Original song, When You Are Young

I call my song-writing efforts "catching fairies"... it was interesting last night to hear Barry Gibb talking live on BBC's "One Show" about his songs, how he would have a snippet come to him in the middle of the night and have to get up and hunt for his voice recorder to get it down... I had to smile because that's exactly how it is for me. A snippet of words and tune and if I don't catch it and hold it, there and then, and record it somehow, like a dream it's gone in no time. Just a whisp. A fairy.

Now I'm no Barry Gibb, but only yesterday morning I tried to count up the fairies... the snippets on my phone, (15) the snippets on my computer (24) and far too many to count in weird places through my song notebook. I thought to myself, there are too many of theses barely-started songs - the next one that comes I'm going to pin down today... and I did.

What set me off was an photo of myself that my husband, my LSH took when I was still in my teens, late 60's... I hadn't seen this pic for such a long time, it was on a slide, not a print - and it set me off with wistful thoughts, how it felt to be young with hopefully, a lifetime in front of you.

Here's the song, I hope you like it... I was singing a little quietly, I think.


On youtube here...

There we go. And I'm counting my blessings right now!

Thanks for dropping in, please come again!

12th Street Rag in the stratosphere with Roy Smeck pupil, Vincent Cortese!

I first came across Vincent Cortese four years ago when I read and enjoyed his book about the legendary Roy Smeck, and his time as Roy's pupil and friend. (Roy Smeck: The Wizard Of The Strings In His Life And Times, by Vincent Cortese 2004 - read about the book here!)

Vincent and Roy Smeck became good friends, and one of the gifts Roy gave to Vincent was the extremely well-played ukulele that he's playing in this video!

12th St Rag is played by all the ukulele "greats" and has any number of variations.... but I have to say, Vincent's rendition here is in the stratosphere! Recorded just yesterday....



Vincent writes of this:- "This is a take on the Roy Smeck arrangement.. he taught me most of this, but figured out other choruses on my own... lots of mixing and matching as he never did it exactly the same twice."

Watch it on youtube here!

I bet you enjoyed that! Thanks for dropping in! I'll be back as soon as poss....

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!

All Of Me - take all of me before I die laughing!

A touch of madness, for the Ukulele Underground Seasons of the Ukulele, Season 236... the host asked us to do a song covered at any time by Tiny Tim, and involve a puppet... and perhaps announce it with the words Juanita Banana! Tiny Tim was famous for singing in a high falsetto voice....



Well, I'm game for a laugh - and so, fortunately is LSH.... but this just had to be done with one take - no way was he going to do it a second time if I loused up the playing! So I ploughed doggedly on..... I still can't watch this without laughing til I cry!

All Of Me - a jazz standard written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simon and first recorded in December 1931.

Do please drop in again...

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.....