The Beginning

The adventures of strumming started with an innocent trip to see my great uncle Frank in Langley. He's always been the cool great uncle (or just uncle, as great uncle makes him seem far too old for his life philosophy and attitude). Uncle Frank has always been a music enthusiast. I suppose I have grown up with and around music enthusiasts as my grandma and grandpa surely were as well, I may even be one myself.

The Uke that started it all

So on this crispy april(ish) night as we were trying to decide which restaurant to go to, I noticed a ukulele hanging on his wall. It was a cute little thing. Uncle Frank is a bass player. He can play the guitar too but his normal weapon of choice is the bass. I asked him about the ukulele because it seemed curious that he would have one. He says that someone had given it to him and that I should have it. Uncle Frank then hurried around the room looking for the instructions that came with it. That night I dropped off the coop car at the RCH skytrain station and took the skytrain home carrying a ukulele. 

Clarophone Banjolele headstock

Clarophone Banjolele

Since then I have gotten four more. A 1920s Tonk Brothers banjolele that Dave bought me for my birthday (he is such an enabler), a beautiful Concert uke from Newfoundland, an amazing Recording King dobrolele and a 1920s Gretsch Claraphone banjolele that I bought so Dave could play a banjolele at Uke Group too. As my excitement and passion has grown for playing the ukulele so has my collection. 

Tonk Bros. Banjolele

Newfoundland Uke

I suppose that's how it all started.