Ukulele News - 16 March 2014

I haven't done a ukulele news roundup for ages, so lets take a look back over the last couple of weeks!

600 Ukes.... Fun at the Sunshine Coast Ukulele Fest

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That's 'Brooklyn', not 'Britain'

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I heard very good reports from this years Ukes For Unicef

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Fears for the uke festival in Bend

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Really, two chords does NOT make you an intermediate player... When are we going to drop the 'its easy' tag and allow the instrument to be taken seriously?

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Here's another one..

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Nice piece with James Hill and Anne Janelle

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Ukulele News - 19 January 2014

Been a while since the last ukulele news feature on GAU, so lets now have a look back over the last two weeks.

The Booming Business Of Ukuleles

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Hello to the Soberton Strummers!

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UOGB to play the Isle Of Wight Arts Festival

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'Apparently' the uke is popular in the UK (yes I am irritated. Plus Formby alert....)

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OK, that Johnny Depp Story... again.... It is now being syndicated all over the place and isn't going away. Seeing as it all stems from an unknown source speaking to the Daily Star (hardly a bastion of journalism), I remain of the view its false...

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More news soon!!

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Ukulele News - 22 December 2013

Been a while since I did a round up of where the ukulele had hit the press. Better get one in before Christmas!!

Clitheroe Ukes entertain the shoppers

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Teacher gets Queen Latifah on board with his Kickstarter to get ukes for kids in his school

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Ukulele!

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Bandwagon jumping post of the week....

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That Orangutan with a ukulele video....

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James Hill's Ukulele Epiphany

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Lily and Madeleine - Sea Of Love

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Say hello to Langley Ukulele Ensemble



More news soon. Have a great Christmas!!

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Ukulele News - 24 November 2013

Ukulele news time! Snippets from around the world in the last two weeks!

Ukulele protest song

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Shame on you Tesco

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Blackbird launches it's sustainable ukulele - The Clara

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I despise stuff like this. Particularly when you actually get to the article it talks about - it is pretty lame...

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Say hello to Ukes In Thyme

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Bret McKenzie talks uke

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Nice follow up to the Ceilidh



More news soon!

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Ukulele News - 10 November 2013

Here is the next round up of worldwide ukulele news over the last fortnight.. Something of a vibe of festival reviews in this one.

A look at the Roy Sakuma's Hawaiian Ukulele Festival.. (the 43rd!!!!)

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Say hello to Chantelle Pasquale - has a new charity single out.

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The Little Things

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Kids learning ukulele - great stuff

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A look at the first Philippines Ukulele Festival

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Ukes at the Bendigo Blues Roots and Music Festival - (plus one of The N'Ukes was there!)

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And a look back at the Liverpool Ukulele Ceilidh in Nova Scotia

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More news soon!

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Ukulele News - 28 October 2013

Here is this weeks roundup of ukulele news from around the world. Warning, it's a quiet one!

Mr Buffett plays and 'sings'

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Review of that 'Ukulele Slam'

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It's the Ceilidh this week - some friends are there and can't wait to see pictures.

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Man plays ukulele to be happy.....

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Aldrine and friends teach a news hound to play uke. Pass the earbuds...

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Anyone else think it's awesome that Taj Mahal plays uke?



More news soon!

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Ukulele News - 20 October 2013

Time for another round up of worldwide ukulele news from the last two weeks!

River Market Ukulele Slam must be a contender for one of the coolest uke gathering names?

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And from one ukulele fest to another - the Yorkshire Evening Post take on GNUF

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And the Pontefract and Castleford Express take - with slideshow!

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Elsewhere in Yorkshire, the Haworth Ukulele Club hosted a uke gathering too!

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5 Star review of the UOGB gig at Queens Hall Edinburgh

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And finally, in what has been a UK centric Uke News (what you been doing USA??) Liverpool Ukulele Club feature in the Echo with some comment from friend Elaine Kinsella (even if she does say the uke is easy.. grrrr! ;-) )


More news soon, watch this space.

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Ukulele News - 6 October 2013

You may have noticed a lull on Got A Ukulele - been on my holidays! Normal service now resumed, and what better way than to look at a news roundup whilst I have been gone.

Man sets ukulele playing record (surely that is beatable?)

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Joe Brown talks ukulele

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Apparently the ukulele now gets respect (I despise headlines like that...)

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Say hello to James Farrell - 96 years young!

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Interview with Aldrine Guerrero of UU

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That viral video of the dad playing uke to his daughter

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What The Hell Is A Ukulele?

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Wow - ukulele boom in East Grinstead.....


More news soon!

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Ukulele News 15 September 2013

Been a while since the last edition of ukulele news, so let's take a look back over the last couple of weeks.

Apologies to the East Pasco club, but why oh why do uke players like to dumb the instrument down? I quote "with the ukulele you can make mistakes".... You can?

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Not often I see something on Kickstarter and actually like it.

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I know some of the HUGS - good press coverage guys!

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Fender release Jimmy Stafford signature uke... (yawn....)

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A ukulele article in the Copenhagen Post.. they manage to mention George Formby and Tiny Tim in the first paragraph, Jake Shimabukuro in the second...

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Yet another world record attempt coming

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Yay! Flight of The Conchords Bret McKenzie is now Ambassador for the New Zealand Ukulele Trust!

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More news soon!

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Ukulele News 11 August 2013

Another round up of ukulele stories from the press in the last couple of weeks or so.

Am wondering how many news stories it will take exactly before the press stop claiming the uke is booming?

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Hello to the Durham Ukulele Orchestra

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Review of the Leamington Spa Ukulele Festival

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Sorry, but I don't know who Max Schneider is ?

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Can't say I agree with many of these being 'the best'..

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Cool Uke - LP

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More news soon!

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Ukulele News 29 July 2013

Been a gap in getting ukulele news on the site as I've been so busy with things related to The N'Ukes, but normal service is resumed.

 I'm not seeing much ukulele relevance in this article... Yet it makes the headline..

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Say hello to Chestertown ukulele club

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What's that? You want to see a kitten playing the ukulele?

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Funding for Ormskirk Ukulele Club - nice idea for clubs this

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Doctor Uke

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Kids, 170 of them, playing uke - so cool. The future is bright.

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30 Ukuleles sent to Afghanistan!

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More news soon - I promise!

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Ukulele News 9 July 2013

Couple of days late,  but here is this weeks roundup of ukulele news from around the globe!

The N'Ukes interview with Cheshire Life - now online for easier reading

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Cairns ukulele fest world record attempt falls short - still looked like a great event though

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Ukulele players like jamming too - who knew?....

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The Norfolk Ukulele Surfer

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Say hello to Flap!

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pUKEs free concert at Regent's Canal

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Grand Northern Ukulele Fest hits the press


More news next week!

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Ukulele News - 30 June 2013

Been a couple of weeks since the last ukulele news roundup. So let's see what's occurin'...

Nice interview with Sarah Maisel ahead of the Cairns Ukulele Festival

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The Ukulele Way

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Launch of the Ukulele Hooley

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Amanda Palmer, playing ukulele, in her underwear... as you do...

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Blessings and curses

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I don't know who selected these. I agree with some, and could not disagree more with others.

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More next week!

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Ukulele News - 16 June 2013

Round up of ukulele news from the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!

Sydney North Ukulele Gang release a songbook

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Volcano Ukuleles

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Won't be surprising to anyone who reads this blog....

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Sophie Madeleine Tab Book

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Highland Park Ukulele Gathering

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Jake....... (again) - oh, and I hate the reference to it being a 'mobile device...'

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Hello Hannah Banana

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Kangaroo Island appear to be about 5 years late claiming Ukuleles are back!



More news again soon!

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Ukulele News - 26 May 2013

Time for another look at ukulele news from around the world!

Wanting to learn ukulele on The Isle Of Wight?

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Say hello to The Cleveland Jumping Flea

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Old Fashioned????

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Underdog????? - nice article with James Hill though

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Oh no.... Declan Donnelly is learning the uke.

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The Camden Town shop which bought the ukuleles on The Apprentice

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Oh - and I nearly forgot - the and I play in ( The N'Ukes ) made the press themselves this week. We were interviewed by Cheshire Life magazine. See below! (Click on images for larger view)

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Ukulele News - 13 May 2013

I missed the last ukulele news round up (sorry) so here are some more stories from the last fortnight!

In The Name Of Ukulele

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Apparently Jake's Ukulele is on fire!

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Say hello to Bakithi Kumalo (seriously - this guy played on Paul Simon's Graceland, and is now playing a U Bass!)

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Warming up for the Cairns Ukulele Festival. (Gaby does so much hard work for this)

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Oh no... Southern Maine has succumbed...

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I REALLY want to go to a place called Tumbulgum... (well done Stu!)

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Ukulele Fiesta!

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Yes you have all seen this (those in the UK anyway...) - the story that tempted me to quit ukulele..

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Kids and ukes - great news

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And a plug for yet another ukulele friend. Good going Richard!

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Say hello to Trisha Scott and Bill Plant

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And finally..... take care!

More news soon!

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Ukulele News - 28 April 2013

Not done a ukulele news round up for a couple of weeks, so this is a bumper edition!

Ukes in South Shields (yes, thats a banjolele, sorry.. ;-)

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Ukulele in the Eurovision Song Contest (Go Malta!)

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New ukulele family in Staffordshire

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Mandatory Shimabukuro article of the week....

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Ukulele fans being strung along (and other such puns...)

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UOGB Plug

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Yet another 'flash mob' (is it just me who dislikes the concept?)

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More news soon!

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Ukulele News 7 April 2013

A little late today, but here is this weeks roundup of ukulele news from around the globe. Beware, I am tired, so I may be a little grumpy...

No no no, Brittni Paiva doesn't make me grumpy....

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The 'happy go lucky pip squeak' - ok, I am getting mildly grumpy now... (And dont get me started on the other stuff .... 'the smallest and least expensive'... erm... not in my collection..)

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Mildly grumpy, we move on... a primer for ukulele fans from the LA Times.... ( I am biting my lip)

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Welcome relief - always happy to plug a UOGB gig..

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Go on, have another - But, plucked from obscurity?...

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OK, now I'm grumpy..... Apparently, the ukulele is back... who knew? What have I been playing for years?

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Calm down Baz, let's focus on the positive - ukulele teaching

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More next week... Yours, Grumpy McGrump.....

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Ukulele News - 31 March 2013

This weeks roundup of what is going on in the ukulele world.

Joe Brown is on the road

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Uke player wins Redmond's Got Talent

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How The Ukulele Saved My Life

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Byron Bay Bluesfest

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UOGB to make Santa Barbara debut



More next week!

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Ukulele News 24 March 2013

Another look at what has been happening in the ukulele world in the last week.

Ukulele Gangsters

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Compulsory Shimabukuro story of the week..... (wish they'd do a feature on someone else for a change when talking about the uke)

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Say hello to The D'Ukes

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Is this actually a story? "Man tries to learn to play ukulele".....

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Obit for Frank Leong

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Striking the right chord (and other such pun soundbites...)

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No hang on, someone else has used that headline... oh go on then...

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More kids playing ukes - The future is bright!

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More next week!

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