Showing posts with label famous. Show all posts

6 May 2018

6 May 2018T09:46

Famous FS-1 Soprano Ukulele - REVIEW

Now for something that may appear a little unusual on the Got A Ukulele reviews page, but it's a ukulele that is actually more familiar than you might expect. This is the Famous FS-1 Soprano Ukulele from Takumi musical instruments.

10 Jan 2013

10 Jan 2013T14:17

Famous Ukulele Players Pt 34 - Kelly Slater

Another edition of famous uke players - this guy will be famous to some (perhaps less so to others)

Kelly Slater - World Surfing Champ

See the rest of my famous uke players HERE

5 Jan 2013

5 Jan 2013T10:47

Famous Ukulele Players - Pt33 - Gary Oldman

Many thanks to Got A Ukulele reader Danny Dignan for spotting this one. I knew that Gary Oldman was a uke player as he had explained so in an interview last year, but had not yet seen a photo.

Well, I say ukulele, it's a uke case, but you get the picture!

( Via http://fyeahgaryoldman.tumblr.com )

For the other Famous Ukulele players in my series (and that is to say people who are famous who you might not necessarily associate with the uke - just click here.

4 Dec 2012

4 Dec 2012T09:34

Famous Ukulele Players - Part 32

Another selection of those you might not necessarily know play the ukulele - again these are courtesy of Will Grove White

Burl Ives

Joan Crawford

Clive Anderson

Walt Disney

And you can check out every post in my famous ukulele players series on this link!

22 Oct 2012

22 Oct 2012T09:27

Uke choices of the professionals pt2

It's a while since I posted my first edition on this subject (link here) - so I thought it was about time to revisit and take another look at the ukulele choices of some professional musicians.

Zach Condon

Zach plays and fronts the band Beirut and amongst other instruments plays the ukulele. He started on uke after sustaining an injury which affects the movement in his arm and finds the smaller sized instrument more comfortable to play. He owns many ukes, including various cheapies and Kala ukes. In the picture above he is playing a Fluke uke and has also been seen on stage recently playing a six string Kamaka.

Jimmy Stafford

Lead guitarist with the band Train (they of one of the most requested "what are the chords for" songs - Hey Soul Sister), Jimmy plays a Martin Tenor uke, though in the video for Hey Sould Sister he is playing a Fender Nohea.

George Harrison

Ahhh, George Harrison - the guy that turned so many players today on to the ukulele. George was a massive fan of the uke and had a massive uke collection. He used to carry several around with him most of the time so he could always jam with others and was known to give them away to friends regularly too. It would be impossible to speculate on every instrument he played, but in most photos and vids of him you will likely see him playing either a Martin (as above) or a Kamaka which he particularly favoured. He can also be seen playing a Ludwig Banjolele.

Israel Kamakawiwo'le

Israel (or IZ) probably shares one of the top spots with George Harrison for turning many of todays players on to the ukulele with his beautiful rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. IZ favoured Martin Ukes and if you check out the video of him singing his most famous track that is what you will see him playing.

Hope to bring you more examples of these again soon.

15 Oct 2012

15 Oct 2012T22:54

Famous Ukulele Players - Part 31

Couple of new ones for you in this edition. Famous ukulele players that you might not associate with the uke!

First up - I am sure my friends at KoAloha Ukulele will welcome me sharing this picture - it's only Peter Frampton!!

Peter with Alan Okami of KoAloha ukulele

Next up, a selection from Will Grove White from the UOGB who brought these to my attention!

Abbott and Costello with ukuleles

Jack Benny with ukulele

Pat Boone with ukulele

And you can find the rest of my series of famous ukulele players HERE

25 Sept 2012

25 Sept 2012T09:46

Famous Ukulele Players pt30 - Laura Marling

Delighted to see this one to add to my continuing series of famous people playing the uke who you may not normally associate with it.

Laura Marling playing a Mya Moe!

(direct link - http://youtu.be/7VXMC79twnA )

And the rest of my famous ukers posts can be found HERE.

27 Jul 2012

27 Jul 2012T13:00

Famous Ukulele Players Pt 29 - Johnny Marr

Occasionally an entry in my list of famous ukulele players (ie players you would not necessarily associate with the uke) really catches my eye and makes me smile.

Thanks again then go to Will Grove-White for sending me this one - Johnny Marr playing a Cole Clark ukulele. That is SO cool.

See the rest of the famous ukulele players series Here - and if you have any I have missed do get in touch!

20 Jul 2012

20 Jul 2012T15:10

Famous Ukulele Players Pt 28

Many thanks to Will Grove White of the UOGB for letting me use these new entries below that I hadn't seen before. Yet more famous players you may not normally associate with the ukulele!

Gloria Swanson

Hank Williams Jr (Senior is on the left, obviously..)

Marlon Brando

Sir Tom Courtenay

For the rest of my famous ukulele players, click HERE - and if you spot any others - do let me know and send me a picture!

6 Jul 2012

6 Jul 2012T20:44

Ukulele album cover. (also to be known as the Loudon Wainwright appreciation post..)

Can't believe I've never posted this uke pic before. I am a HUGE fan of an artist called Loudon Wainwright III. Loudon is also a huge fan of the ukulele! In fact, let's take that a step further... See the name of this blog? That's the first line in Loudon's song called 'The Ukulele Song'... Ok, you get the picture, I love Loudon, Loudon loves ukes.

The man has made many class albums but one of his later ones that I particularly enjoy is called Little Ship, and I would urge you to check it out. Anyway, let's take a look at the album cover..

Enough said!

18 Jun 2012

18 Jun 2012T15:51

Uke choices of the professionals - pt1

As amateur players you probably beat yourself up enough over which ukulele to choose to play (or, like me, to play next!). I suppose it's the same for the pro's too, but have you wondered what ukuleles the professional players choose to play? Check out this first selection.

Jake Shimabukuro

Whilst Jake may have other ukes in his collection, he started playing ukulele as a child on a Kamaka uke and is said to have played them ever since. Today if you see him play he will most likely be performing on a beautiful custom built Tenor model, made specially for him.

James Hill

James is known to play many ukes, and chooses what he wants depending on the voice he needs for a particular track. If you have seen his online videos of him performing tracks like Billie Jean he is playing that on a custom uke from G String.

Eddie Vedder

I had to mention Eddie - whilst not most famous for being a ukulele player, he certainly hit the headlines and shook the uke world up last year with the release of his Ukulele Songs LP. Eddie has reported in interviews that he plays many types of uke, but on the record he is most famously associated with playing custom models from his friends at De Vine guitars.

Amanda Palmer

Another player who divides opinions, but Amanda has become completely linked to the ukulele, releasing EP's and other tracks played on it. She has been seen in city centres playing impromptu live jams on the ukulele on a range of cheap Mahalo type ukes, or playing the one above which was a gift from her father (it's a Hilo). Interestingly, whilst in her punk tradition she claims that quality and tuning don't matter too much, it would appear that Ms Palmer recognises that a bit of tuning and intonation are kinda important - playing live recently she has been spotted with a Pono model!

I hope to revisit this theme soon on Got A Ukulele with a roundup of some other famous players 'ukes of choice'.

14 Jun 2012

14 Jun 2012T15:00

Famous Ukulele Players Part 27 - George Clooney

Another good spot, (via Rare Celebrity Photos) - George Clooney!

(OK OK, dont shoot me, he may not actually be a player - this was a PR shot for his recent film, but you know, I HOPE he chose to continue with it!)

Check out the other entries in this section of Got A Ukulele HERE

11 Jun 2012

11 Jun 2012T15:10

Famous Ukulele Players Part 26 - Griff Rhys Jones

Another update, and I'm sorry, not the best of photographs - UK presenter and funnyman, Griff Rhys Jones playing a banjo uke

Check out the other famous ukulele players HERE, (that is to say, famous people who you wouldn't necessarily associate with the ukulele!). If you have any pics you want to submit, get in touch!

27 May 2012

27 May 2012T11:01

Famous Ukulele Players Part 25 - Kate Pierson

Another update to my list of famous ukulele players (or, more precisely, those you may not naturally expect to be ukulele players)

This one comes courtesy of the excellent Hilo Guitars who were visited recently on a uke purchase by Kate Pierson of the B52's. Thanks for letting me use the picture guys.

Check out all the other famous ukulele players that have been listed on Got A Ukulele HERE. And if you have a picture that you want adding to the list, just Get in touch.

27 Apr 2012

27 Apr 2012T19:03

Famous Ukulele Players - Part 24

I love this update to my series of Famous Ukulele Players - I give you - Mick Fleetwood!

Image credit - Mele Ukuleles

Mick, best known as the sticksman in Fleetwood Mac, is now a proud ukulele player, and his model of choice comes from Mele Ukuleles who kindly allowed me to use their picture.

Check out my other famous uke player posts below - its building to quite a list!

12 Apr 2012

12 Apr 2012T18:34

No excuse needed for another Dave Grohl picture..

Yes yes yes yes! Even if it is pink...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

1 Apr 2012

1 Apr 2012T10:13

Dave Grohl plays ukulele

My life is now complete. Dave Grohl (yes, that Dave Grohl) plays the uke.... (swoon)

Check out this video - looks like a homemade long necked cigar box uke, but it'll do for me!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

23 Feb 2012

23 Feb 2012T19:17

Famous Ukulele Players - Part 23

Continuing my series of famous ukers that might actually surprise you. This one really made my day, as the man is something of a hero of mine - Willie Nelson!

(Image courtesy of uBass appreciation society) - it is a Kala uBass ukulele he is playing, but I've heard tell he plays acoustic too!