Honoring our fallen with a ukulele
Friday, February 23rd, 2007
A simple story of Corporal Lee Roy Apatang Camacho of Guam, killed in action in Iraq. Volunteer Emi Peter-Palican shared her over 30-year talent in playing the ukulele as she accompanied the rendition of the U.S. national and CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) anthem. Corporal Lee Roy was part of the Army Reserve of Guam and he was escorted home by Staff Sgt. Bernard Aguon.
Read the story here and ponder a fallen hero. May our ukuleles carry him sweetly to his final destination.
Fresh from the North Jersey Herald News, an interesting article about the return of our beloved instrument… the eukalelee. Ok, it’s ‘Ukulele but don’t be such a purist! Ed Beeson paints a picture of the current state of uke affairs and a bit of its past. From humble Hawaiian beginnings to the diverse and far-flung uke admirers today, Ed investigates who we are and were we might be heading.
Emily Russell, 74, of Lawrence, Kansas is my pick for Ukulele hero of the week. Emily teaches Ukulele at the Americana Music Academy teaching others about the origins of the ukulele. She also volunteers at several Senior Centers entertaining others in ukulele-led sing-a-longs.
Koaloha recently announced a short scale Soprano uke, code named “Noah”. At 3/4 of the size of their regular Soprano, I call it a Sopranino. Price is not available yet but given the right number, I’d also call it mine!
Nice interview with Paul Keiser, an everyday ukulele playing schmoe like the rest of us. Only a very minute percentage have called him “annoying” or “obnoxious” on account of his ukulele playing. Encouraging to the rest of us who are too nervous to bring a uke to work for fear of affronting our loving co-workers.
Bill “Blues Boy Jag” Jagitsch, a bluesman from North Little Rock, scrounges trash for a purpose. He makes musical instruments out of it. For example, he might turn vintage tins from thrift shops into guitars, banjos, or ukuleles.
