Yay! It’s my 63rd birthday !!! :eek: Chuck bought me not one, but TWO UKULELES (different sizes, and cases to match) … and has promised to learn some duets so we can Busk in Beautiful Downtown Belfast One is solid mahogany; one is “green” bamboo.They are incredibly beautiful, and beautiful-sounding as well. Sweet!
We now have five different sizes & styles of ukes between the two of us. The place is LITTERED with musical instruments! I haven’t mentioned the saxes, bassoon, 6-string guitar, recently-acquired 12-string gtr (the Takamine “Lawsuit” fake Martin), the 4-string tenor banjo from the 1920’s, and a keyboard. Ooops, and an Appalachian dulcimer. And a few recorders.
On a historical note: On October 11, 1976, Jim O’Neal and I interviewed John Lee Hooker at the Downtown Holiday Inn, Chicago, IL. I had just turned 27, and considering the lifestyle, I too should have Died Like A Rock Star. Hooker was on the cover of Living Blues Magazine #44, Autumn, 1979, and it was the feature interview.
I love the ukelele. It was the first instrument my daughter saved up all her own money for and purchased on her own at age 6. The best thing about it is that even if you’re 6 and don’t know how to play it, it still sounds nice and soothing and sweet. Mucho prefero to the violin debacle…
Happy Birthday ya old geezer! Y’all go celebrate and get the early bird special at Denny’s.
I post this as I remember I am a tender 58 years of age and also, my next to oldest brother is about to turn 63 while my oldest brother turned 65 in April. Heck, even my younger sis is approaching geezerdon at 56.
Happy Birthday!! Sounds like you have had and are having a fun life! And ah, Takamine. Only owned one guitar, but when I went to get one for myself, knowing nothing except two chords and that I had XX money to spend and no more, I tried a few out for the feel. Some were cheaper, some were more expensive <none over 400 1992 dollars>. And I kept coming back to this one…the sound was just so different, and the fit was JUST right. Even though it was a bit ouf of my budget, I got that Takamine, even though the salesperson was nice and kept telling me it wasn’t worth the money and that the cheaper ones I was looking at were really better guitars. Didn’t care; it felt like MINE. And for a number of years it was, no regrets.
Addendum: I was just googling around, looking for a particular piece of information, and it turns out I interviewed HOWLIN’ WOLF on October 10, 1969 ! One DAY before my 20th birthday !!! I was “Nineteen Years Old,” to reference Muddy Waters. The mind boggles. :eek:
See link, scroll down the page to the “Howlin’ Wolf” section:
Happy birthday **Atomic Mama **- and keep jammin’ on those ukes! My mom runs her local uke group in her town - they play street fairs and other local happenings and have a great time with it. And it doesn’t hurt that she has a collection of over 50 ukes, from early Hawaiian ones to modern boutique ones…
One is solid mahogany; one is “green” bamboo.They are incredibly beautiful, and beautiful-sounding as well. Sweet!
