First and current influences

Joyful Uke

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 17, 2014
Messages
3,493
Reaction score
2,558
When I first looked into playing ukulele, this was one of the things that I thought I might be able to learn, (at some point), and was an inspiration:

Ken Middleton - The Water is Wide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e47Yo774FU&ytbChannel=Ken Middleton

I was being at least a bit realistic, and not thinking I'd play like Jake. LOL.

I'm currently working the tab that Ukulele Magazine had of Jake's version of Here, There, and Everywhere. Definitely inspiring, and beautiful, (when Jake plays it, anyway.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PlS72MEMUA&ytbChannel=JIGSAW694

What were some of your first inspirations? And current inspirations?
 
My intial inspiration to play ukulele
was my collection of Cliff Edwards LPs and CDs.
Also the music of Pete Seeger - so many wonderful folk
songs translate so well to uke for arrangement or solo
and group performance.
Since then, many others, including:
Azo Bell, Lyle Ritz, Lil' Rev, Papa Lemon Nash,
Aaron Keim, Bob Brozman, George Guesnon, Del Rey to mention some.
Now, current and active you tubers. Check out:
Dr Bekken, John Bianchi, Isto (Chris White).
 
Just off the top of my head...artist name, and why they inspire me

My starters, In order of discovery:

  1. James Hill - saw his 'Billy Jean' cover with the chopstick percussion and was like, "what the..." I didnt know that you could do THAT with a ukulele
  2. Jake - saw his TEDTalk when he played Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and was speechless, and blown away, and said forget guitar, I want to play THAT
  3. John King - saw his videos shot at his house where he plays a Strad Uke, and does Bach and other music in campanella, and was ALSO blown away, again - I want to play like THAT
  4. Jim Beloff - found out about his role in FMM and MFC, and how he almost single-handedly rekindled our current uke craze from back in the late-90's - a symbol of the uke renaissance and great songwriter and musician

Since then, and NOT replacing those above, now 4 yrs later adding to the above list:

  1. Sarah Maisel - her feeling when she plays and sings just melts my heart
  2. Li'l Rev - he reminds me like a modern day Bobby Darin
  3. Victoria Vox - Her music is both fun and serious at the same time, and you gotta love the 'mouth trumpet'
  4. Danielle Ate The Sandwich - a true artist and singer songwriter weaving tales and textures with her voice and her uke, transportive, magical
  5. LP (Laura Pergolizzi) - so raw an honest, barebones, but fills the room and fills your soul
  6. Ken Middleton - so honest and true and kind, and it comes out in his music
  7. Rob MacKillop - continuing further the campanella of John King and adding Celtic tunes
  8. UkuleleTim - - continuing further the campanella of John King and adding Celtic tunes


There are many others, but I would have to look them up either in my music playlists, or on my subscribed YouTube channels...

.
.
.
.
 
Last edited:
The 1st people I ever saw having a good time with ukuleles were the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. I was like "Wow, that looks like too much fun."

Since then there have been too many to mention, but real big on my mind right now is Sam Muir. Steve Boisen, founder of TBUS, has been a really big influence too.
 
Last edited:
The 1st people I ever saw having a good time with ukuleles were the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. I was like "Wow, that looks like too much fun."

Since then there have been too many to mention, but real big on my mind right now is Sam Muir. Steve Boisen, founder of TBUS, has been a really big influence too.

Ditto on the UOGB, and especially Samantha Muir, Nickie! Working on Carulli's Simple Etude in D Minor, appropriately called "Into Autumn." So haunting! I first started playing uke because of the sheer joy of the sound. A friend took me to see UOGB for my birthday and I was hooked. But Sam Muir has opened my ears to the sounds I have always dreamed of making.
 
Yeah, when someone mentioned ukuleles, my first thoughts went to that Lancastrian fella, then that Skreecher fella, but since the UofB, it's become a respectable instrument again. :D

To be honest, I came to ukes as a third choice of instrument, to try to learn to play in my retirement. My first two choices didn't work out at first, though I have since learned to play my harmonicas now. The uke was the first that I actually could play. :)

But having joined this forum, it has been a pleasure & a fun journey - I don't have any uke heros, but I do admire a few players. ;)
 
Anyone is out there putting it on the line for everyone to hear and see. Buskers on the street corner at the farmer's market, someone sitting on a stool in the coffee shop or in a seedy bar, pouring their hearts out. It takes great courage to put it all out there, and those people inspire me to take a big deep breath and keep going out and doing it myself.
 
I wanted to play for me with the songs from when I last could really interact with music, which was in my late teens and early twenties before life got in the way.

Very soon after that, I wanted to play for my mother as a way to connect with her in the last years of her life.

So, my influences were songs from Joni Mitchell and John Prine, Leo Kottke & classical music etc.

My mother's songs were a lot of 30's, 40's & early 50's songs.

End result - I have a very eclectic repertoire.
 
Iz doing "Over the Rainbow" but I used the correct lyrics.
 
I plan on going down the YouTube rabbit hole with some of your suggestions. Lots to go enjoy!
 
Top Bottom