I was bad last month and didn't announce it but will this month! Ukulele Player Magazine is my husband's creation. It's a free online magazine covering all sorts of things ukulele-wise. He takes great effort to get the best news available, which usually involves staying up late and getting up early so he can do this before he goes to his day job. (Yes. He is obsessively dedicated!) Ukulele Player Magazine, Issue 4 is now available!
In this latest issue, we both had the delightful pleasure of meeting Jake Shimabukuro when he recently played in Akron, Ohio. Jake had an unusual blessing happen to him three years ago. In 2006, he was pretty much an unknown, attending in New York a ukulele festival. While in Central Park, he played a rendition of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Someone videotaped it. That video found it's way onto YouTube where it now has over 2 million views. That video, as he said, changed his life.
He now frontlines for Jimmy Buffet while he's on tour, has been a guest on the Conan O'Brien Show (Conan loves him!) and many other opportunities have emerged for this sweet, humble musician. I have never in my life met someone so nice who is as talented as Jake! When we went to the concert in Akron, Jake stayed after to meet the audience, taking photos, signing autographs for a little over 500 people. He was gracious and kind with everyone. Just an amazing guy! I made him laugh (and my husband) when I said to him, "Oh, I just want to cook for you!" Jake gave me a hug and I quickly explained that I'm half-Italian and know that musicians travel so much, it was just in my blood to want to cook a nice home-cooked meal. I'm sure he was laughing at the "silly" wife of the Mickey afterward! (But I couldn't help it. I really did want to cook for him!)
The video that started it all is below. Enjoy and pass along the link to the magazine if you know of anyone who loves the ukulele!
1 comment:
That young man has some serious talent! I was mesmerized. Thanks for posting that!
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