Ever get called on?

Yesterday I was out busking and when I got tired I decided to hit the neighborhood bar on the way home. The place was packed, more than usual for a Friday at 5:00. So I got a beer and went to a table in the back. Some guy who was here visiting his friend, our neighbor, came up and wanted to play my ukulele, so I told him to help himself. He had no idea what he was doing, but he had fun trying. Then he asked me if I could play a song for his wife. By then my neighbor had come over and we were talking. So I agreed to go over and play a song for his wife, who was sitting at the bar. I played Mercedes Benz for her. She knew the song and she sang it along with me. The whole bar applauded us. I got a couple of beers from people. That's what I love about the ukulele, it is just plain fun. If I hadn't had a ukulele in my hands when I went in there I would have sat in the corner by myself. Heck, if I hadn't taken up ukulele, I wouldn't have went out to play on the street, I wouldn't have worked up a thirst, and I wouldn't have had a good reason to stop in at the bar in the first place. It is so good. I've had so much fun with my ukulele.

What a fabulous story! Wonderful how music brings people together

Thumbs up.

A few years back my wife and I drove down to Virginia to visit her 98 yr old mom in her assisted living home. While my wife sat in the tiny room while her mom slept, I went outside sat on a bench and strummed my uke. A lady came out the door and told me I could not play there. I apologized but she said I had to come inside and play for everyone. Now I am not a great player, just strum some chords. I cannot sing like Rilink. My grade school music teacher told me I was born pretty much tone deaf. People have actually offered to pay me not to sing. Well anyway I played the old standards for about an hour. The old folks were smiling, moving their feet, and even sang along some. The lady that ran the place said it was probably the best day a lot of those people had in months. That felt great.

These are such hearwarming stories, and so much the polar opposite of my experience. Let’s hear more!

kvehe said:

These are such hearwarming stories, and so much the polar opposite of my experience. Let’s hear more!

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Have you had bad experiences? I would be interested in hearing about them. I can't think of any negative experiences that I had that I can attribute to playing the ukulele. Other than the park ranger kicking me off my pitch the other day, but that was not big deal. I'm right back and no one has bothered me.

Nice stories folks! I know of lots of musicians that have played at rest homes and they've all commented on how much they felt they were appreciated.

I get a kick out of bringing a uke to campfire get-togethers at the campground where my wife and I have kept a 39' camper on a permanent site since 2009.

It took me years even to bring a guitar to join other players... and I still hesitate when asked to play a song on guitar.

No reluctance when asked to play my uke, though. It's a blast to get 'em all clapping in time and singing along to "Mrs. Brown you've got a lovely daughter"

Herman's Hermits never fails to win 'em over!

Good on you R. Yep, it's very gratifying to meld with and uplift people over the ukulele. Our group plays for children in the hospital and donate ukes them, for an Alzheimer day care center, and senior centers, they're always so grateful. It's great to see our positive influence. I recently joined a Sunday meet in the park acoustic group, mainly guitars, but they readily accepted me on my uke, quickly becoming "one of them."

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9 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 11 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 33)

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers

Fantastic stories. Reading these made my morning. Rolli, fowl, thank you both.

kohanmike said:

I recently joined a Sunday meet in the park acoustic group, mainly guitars, but they readily accepted me on my uke...

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I noticed the regular gang at the campfires, all guitar playing dudes, treat me very differently when I bring a uke. I always thought they were less competitive.. acting perhaps as if they thought a ukulele player could never take the limelight away from them

Keep on playing...smiles are better than dollars at times.

Super cool. Way to heed the call. I can picture the scene.