Radio Show Friday, March 7 8-10AM

Radar Brothers - Happy Spirits
Shout Out Louds - Impossible
Sarah Vaughan - East of the Sun (West of the Moon)
Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions - Suzanne
Dolly Parton - Here You Come Again
Ronnie Lane - Kuschty Rye
Super Furry Animals - Carbon Dating
Steve Miller Band - True Fine Love
Butterglory - Waiting on the Guns
Sandro Perri - Everybody's Talkin'
Golden Smog and Roseanne Cash - Seven Year Ache
Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant - Stratosphere Boogie

Do you love Dolly Parton like I love her? I recently watched 9 to 5 which ignited my desire to hear late 70s - early 80s era Dolly. I love her yodel "Muleskinner Blues." But even more than her yodel, I love "Here You Come Again." I have probably played that song 50 times in the car over the past couple weeks. And I cannot wait to get back to the station to play some off the 9 to 5 soundtrack which WXYC just acquired.


2008 has not been kind to me so far. One of the saddest things to happen is that the High Dollar Hot Dogs broke up. Well, I guess we have broken up. I never got officially dumped. But they've stopped returning my calls and emails. I was told that breaking up is what bands do. It hurts a little, but I knew that it wasn't going to work out. In memory of our little band, I played my favorite song that we covered, "Seven Year Ache."

But there is still hope for me and the uke. I told a few folks about my dream to start up the Steve Miller Band Ukulele Cover Band. Several people are interested! But I need to find a good lead uke player, because that surely isn't me. Last weekend I stayed up until 4am playing uke with Mark. We learned the Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved." I also want to play Steve Miller's "True Fine Love" with the new band. Do you? Come join! Bring songs! Unfortunately, this band is still very much a dream, but maybe once things slow down a bit, I can bring this band to life.


Last week, I played Sandro Perri's cover of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin.'" Because of this song, I rented the film Midnight Cowboy. I knew nothing about the film when I put it at the top of my Netflix list. I didn't know that John Voight (who is hot) and Dustin Hoffman were in it. I didn't know that it was the only movie rated X that ever won an Academy Award. I didn't know that it was about a hustler in NYC. I finally got around to watching it last night and it blew me away. I loved it! The little experimental film bits were incredible. I also have a new appreciation for Dustin Hoffman. I highly recommend it.


I am still very much obsessed with Ronnie Lane. Last week it was "Kuschty Rye." This week, it's "The Poacher." I would be playing "The Poacher" tomorrow on the radio, but since it's spring break, I am taking a week off. But tune in from 9am to noon to hear Tim's show which is really wonderful.

The rest of my playlist from last week's show can be found here.

Weekend of Lessons

As DJ Lance Rock might say, learning is awesome!!! This weekend, I had two lessons: uke and bowling. The music lesson was fascinating. I remember very little from my piano lessons when I was little. Even so, Mrs. Alexander never taught me anything about chord theory or the cycle of fifths. All I can remember from those days is eating peppermints in her living room. (Sorry if you wasted your money on me, Mom.) I still have a long way to go, but I am finally understanding the relationship of notes on a scale and finding that scale on the uke. Lots of little lightbulbs were going off on Saturday. My goal right now is to work out the introduction to Rosanne Cash's "Seven Year Ache." After my lesson, I got about halfway there.

Today, I went out to Village Lanes to have my first bowling lesson with Larry. Larry is in a league with my hero, Mr. Perkins. He averages in the 220s and has been teaching bowling for years. He had a little notebook and a instruction manual and was extremely enthusiastic. After just 15 minutes, I increased my score by 20 points. And no more straight rolling. I can roll with a curve, baby!! Gutterglory is going to be so impressed. I wanted to stay after my lesson and bowl, but I ripped myself out of there after three games. Larry and his brother were really impressed with the progress that I had made. Next week, he is going to show me the math and the geometry of positioning in regard to picking up spares.

These lessons definitely lifted me out of my funk from last week

I found this video today and I like it alot. She's not playing a soprano banjo uke like I do, but she's inspirational nonetheless. This song is actually gorgeous.

High Dollar Hot Dogs With Chow Chow

Last night, the High Dollar Hot Dogs performed our second house concert at Glencoe. It was a housewarming party for Noah and Elizabeth as well as a birthday party for Noah. This time, not only was the crowd bigger, but the band was bigger, too. We had the usual four soprano ukes, but we added maracas, the marimba, the wood block and drums. And I played the shaker and claves on a couple songs, too. We decided to name the accompaniment appropriately, chow chow (our favorite hot dog topping).


Our set was all 70s pop and soft rock:
The Steve Miller Band's "The Joker," "Rockin' Me" & "Dance Dance Dance"
Firefall's "You Are the Woman"
America's "Sister Golden Hair" & "Tin Man"
Climax Blues Band's "Couldn't Get It Right"
The Little River Band's "Reminiscing"
Kenny Loggins' "Danny's Song"

We had amps and mics, too. It was weird to be electrified. But the crowd loved us. There were even kids dancing which is always a good sign. Ted looked like a real rock star with his electric uke. Someone said that he looked like Huey Lewis.

After the show cleared out, we went back to Noah & Elizabeth's house and sat by the fire and listened to music... probably one of my all-time favorite things to do. What a great night!!

Radio Show Friday, November 9 8-10AM

Manu Chao - Tristeza Maleza
Lightnin' Wells - 12th Street Rag
Beirut - In the Mausoleum
Caetano Veloso - Irene
Two Loons for Tea - Monkey
Georgie James - Henry and Hanzy
A Girl Called Eddie - The Soundtrack of Your Life
The Drifters - Save The Last Dance For Me
Unrest - Make Out Club
Imperial Teen - Do It Better
Euros Child - Horse Riding
Helen Forrest - Bewitched
Jose Gonzalez - Time To Send Someone Away

It had been three weeks since I had been on the air. I felt a little rusty. I had no idea what to play and just wandered aimlessly through the stacks before my show trying to find things to play. Some Fridays I feel inspired and others I do not. This past Friday, I was not. All I could think about was how much I didn't want to go into work after my radio show was over.

Although I didn't have a very good idea of what I was going to play, it didn't really matter since there was so much good NEW stuff in the goodie bin: Manu Chao, Beirut, Two Loons for Tea, Georgie James, Imperial Teen, Euros Child, Jose Gonzalez... It was great.

I don't really know anything about Manu Chao. When I told Craven this a couple months ago, he said, "REALLY!?!? Gosh. Where have you been?" Maybe I'll go out and get his new record, La Radiolina, and try to figure out what I'm apparently missing.

On Friday, I played a track off Beirut's new one, The Flying Club Cup, that featured a ukulele. So, of course, I ran out yesterday to buy it. It is going to require some serious listening (i.e. not in the car) as it sounds dense and complex. It's a big oompa-oompa orchestral sound. I really like Zach Condon's voice, too.

Friday night, I went out to the General Store Cafe in Pittsboro with Mark to check out their food and to see Lightnin' Wells play. Good golly. What he can do with the guitar and the ukulele is mind-blowing. We were both impressed. The General Store Cafe is a weird place. There are chatckies on every surface, which is kinda distracting. Unfortunately, I wasn't too impressed with my Mayan burrito. But the music was wonderful. Lightnin' even played the "12th Street Rag" which is one of my favorites. It's a fast-paced poppy song that seems impossible (to me) to master. But Lightnin' rocks it. Not too long ago, I put that song on for an evening of wig-wearing, rollerskating and cake-baking. That was a great night.

I gotta get back to practicing my uke. It's been weeks. The past week, I've been still trying to get over this Maltese cold which has made me feel like doing absolutely nothing. I am better today and I know I should get some practicing in before I attempt to play with the Durham group on Wednesday. They're good enough that they can just choose a new song, print out the music and just start playing it. Heck, one guy can just play any song without any sheet music at all. It's intimidating.

My entire playlist can be found here.

Radio Show Friday, October 5 8-10AM

The Archies - Sugar, Sugar
Calvin Boze - Keep Your Nose Out of My Business
Jimmy McCracklin - The Walk
Stephin Merritt - This Little Ukulele
The Mabuses - Mirth
Feist - 1234
Richard Hawley - Tonight The Streets Are Ours
Fred Astaire - Cheek to Cheek
New Pornographers - Failsafe
The Real Tuesday Weld - It's A Wonderful Li(f)e
Great Lake Swimmers - Song for the Angels
Lee Morse - Side By Side
Robert Mitchum - Beauty Is Only Skin Deep
Glenn Mercer - Wheels In Motion

I haven't played any ukulele music on my radio show in a few weeks. I've been so busy with work and weddings that I haven't been practicing my uke either. The other night, I was over at Ted's and "This Little Ukulele" by Stephin Merritt popped up on his Itunes. That song is just great. I usually skip over the Eban and Charley soundtrack when I am needing a Stephin Merritt fix, but that song is definitely mix tape material. I've heard rumors that the Magnetic Fields will have a new record coming out soon. Thank goodness!!! I really need a distraction from Richard Hawley.

I have never really liked Feist. I dunno much about Leslie Feist... I always thought she was overrated and lame. (My assumption was not based on actually listening to her music.) Elizabeth sent me the link to this video for Feist's song "1234" as it nods to Busby Berkeley. I am not so sure if I've changed my mind about Feist, but I am willing to give her a shot. When I watch this video, it just makes me want to watch real Busby musicals. But I appreciate what she's trying to do and I like her voice. Heck, I was even thinking about getting the CD.



Bill introduced me to the music of the Great Lake Swimmers this summer. Holy cow. They are probably the one band who could actually get me over my Richard Hawley addiction. Their self-titled debut album was recorded in a silo in Ontario. Their second album, Bodies and Minds is beautifully mesmerizing. I might go put it on right now.

I really love that "Wheels In Motion" song by Glenn Mercer. He used to be the lead singer for the Feelies, a band with whom I am unfamiliar. But this song is so cute and poppy and has wonderful hooks. That is my kind of song.

My entire playlist can be found here.

Radio Show Friday, September 28 8-10AM

Regina Hexaphone - The Forty-Niner
Jonny Polonsky - Evil Scurvy Love
Bongwater - David Bowie Wants Ideas
Brenton Wood - Gimme Little Sign
Violent Femmes - Gone Daddy Gone
Bishop Allen - Butterfly Nets
The Tourist - The Ol' Ball & Chain
Spencer Davis Group - I'm A Man
Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite
The Replacements - Alex Chilton
Bongos, Bass and Bob - Thorazine Shuffle
Paul Simon - Me and Julio Down By the School Yard
Two Dollar Pistols - Stranger Things Have Happened

A friend suggested that I listen to "David Bowie Wants Ideas" as I would get a kick out of the last line of the song. He was right. I haven't thought about Bongwater or Ann Magnuson in years. I might try some more of their stuff when I am up at the station next.

When I was searching for the Bongwater LP, I ran across another record in the "BO" section of the library. Bongos, Bass, and Bob!! I have a cassette of my very first radio show ever from June 1989 at WSOE - Elon College/Burlington where I played a song by Bongos, Bass and Bob called "The Thorazine Shuffle." That song just cracks me up. I was so happy to discover it in WXYC's stacks. That just made my day.

On Wednesday night after the Sea and Cake show at the Cradle, Bill and I wandered down to OCSC. A song came on that I liked and Bill pointed out that it was the Replacements. I never thought I liked them as I thought that were dissonant rockers... but I think I was getting them confused with the Residents. I keep hearing Replacements songs in random places. Perhaps I need to explore some Replacement albums. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

If you are looking for a sweet contemporary ukulele song, I suggest Bishop Allen's "Butterfly Nets." It was sooooo pretty. I don't know who they are or where they're from, but that song is just really nice especially with the uke. When the saxophone kicks in, it makes me think of Bernadette Peters and Steve Martin in The Jerk (although she played trumpet instead of sax).

I am very excited to see that Regina Hexaphone have a record out called Into Your Sleeping Heart. Sara Bell's voice is so endearing. I haven't gotten this record yet, but it's on my list. I need to go to the record store soon.

My entire playlist can be found here.

It's Not Just A Summer Fling

It's for real. I thought that my love affair with Richard Hawley would only last a few weeks, like so many of my obsessive musical crushes.

Last summer, my musical affair was with Camera Obscura. I listened to their record, Let's Get Out of This Country, over and over and over on the way to the beach and back. When I hear a track off that record today, I get pangs in my heart for my old flame. I loved that band so much. My dream job is to one day play tambourine in Camera Obscura. Seriously. I'm not kidding. But I betcha they don't offer health insurance and a 401K package which is mandatory for me. But I'll always dream.

Anyway, this summer, I fell in love with Richard Hawley... first it was just a few tracks that folks sent me. Then I got his record Lowedges. Then it was Cole's Corner and then Lady's Bridge. Oh, and then there were the live recordings. Ahh.

This summer, I was doing alot of driving around the triangle... more than my usual two-minute commute to work. It seemed that I spent most of this time driving in a love-induced haze obsessively listening to Richard Hawley. I'd be headed off to a particular destination and I would find myself lost or headed to Raleigh when I should've been driving to Chapel Hill. It didn't matter. I just loved to be alone silently listening. Alone in the car with Richard Hawley on repeat. I was cuckoo for cocoa puffs. And I still am.

I've been good lately listening to other music... the Rosebuds, Josh Ritter, the Shout Out Louds, and the Sea & Cake. And I've been listening to my Ipod on shuffle, instead of on Hawley. I took the afternoon off today and was rushing all over town for appointments, cocktail dress accessories and shoes, post office, etc. As I pulled into the post office parking lot, Richard Hawley's "Darlin'" came on. I sat in my car and cranked that song. (Supposedly, the Prius is sealed so that sound doesn't penetrate easily, but I know that everyone around could hear it.) I was sitting there in this blissful state practically in tears... wishing that I could play "Darlin'" on my ukulele, but there are no chords on Chordie. I am kinda glad that there aren't chords as there is no way I could ever play that song like he does.

After that, I switched the Ipod back from shuffle to Hawley again. When I was driving back from the maul with my new cocktail dress shoes (some hot patent leather heels with a peep toe) listening to Hawley's "Valentine", I was thinking... if this is what "love" feels like, I sure haven't felt like this about anybody in years. But then I felt weird... is it normal for someone to fall in love with someone's music? Is it pathetic for someone to fall in love with someone's music? I gotta get out more.

So, I am feeling much better than I did on Saturday. I no longer want to kick people in the shins. I want to spread the Richard Hawley love bug to everyone I know.

Watching a new-to-me Busby Berkeley musical made my weekend too. Oh, and chocolate chip muffins. Wootie woot woot!

Sweet Jenny Lee

Well, it finally happened. My ukulele arrived in the mail this afternoon. It's a little Bushman Jenny Soprano Ukulele. It looks and feels and sounds wonderful. I'm in love. As soon as I opened the box, I squealed and ran to show her to all my coworkers. One of them is an old-time banjo player who wants to start playing some old-time songs with me during our lunch break. I am so excited. All I can think about is my new ukulele. She sounds so beautiful. I was torn between tubing on the Haw this evening or staying at home with Jenny, but uke playing will have to wait until I get home later tonight. It's too hot to turn up a good tubing opportunity. I'll probably end up staying up all night playing Jenny after I get home. When I think of her, I think of this song:

Sweet Jenny Lee from sunny Tennessee,
You'll love her when you see Sweet Jenny Lee!

Each little bird is singing merrily
Just getting set to see Sweet Jenny Lee!

She's got that certain little something in her style,
She's got a great big bit of heaven right in her smile.

She promised me that she'd say yessiree,
That's good enough for me, Sweet Jenny Lee.

Sounds ukulelable to me. I'm in love.

Radio Show, Tuesday July 31 6-9PM

Pure Prairie League - Amie
Dave Van Ronk - Mack the Knife
Coco - Move On
Squeeze - Black Coffee In Bed
Rabbit Muse - Darkness on the Delta
America - Riverside
Pilot - Magic
Public Image Limited - Happy
The Arizona Wranglers - Wreck of the Old 97
Bobby Darin - Beyond the Sea
Frankel - Thermostat
Everything But the Girl - Frost and Fire

Last week, I was completely obsessed with Dave Van Ronk's version of "Mack the Knife." Noah had put it on a mix tape for the rest of the High Dollar Hot Dogs to hear. I cannot wait to play this with the band. It has a very high ukulelability to it. It is just beautiful. One day, I want to figure out how to play the jug while playing the uke.

I once told my friend Lightnin', that it was my dream to be wooed by someone playing "Beyond the Sea" on ukulele. He sent me the chords for the song and wrote that I can learn to play it myself and not have to wait for the wooing. I'm learning it. I can chug through the first verse or two. One day, I'll woo myself with it. In honor of my struggle, I played Bobby Darin's "Beyond the Sea" which is just absolutely dreamy. And I am sure that Christa would agree. Bobby Darin makes the two of us melt.

It's been absolutely wonderful being on the air during the evenings this summer as Craven can listen to me on the west coast. I played Public Image Limited's "Happy," remembering how I played that song over and over the summer of 1989 after I graduated from high school. That summer, I djed at WSOE (Elon College) and PIL's Nine album was in heavy rotation. I played "Happy" on Tuesday hoping that Craven would hear, which he did and remarked that it brought back memories of that summer for him, too. I LOVED djing at Elon that summer. Friends would gather at the Elon College radio station and hang out until I got off the air at 9pm. Afterwards, we'd ride around in my 1979 Honda Civic blaring WSOE and either go to the pool, the truckstop, some random Elon party or a kegger in a cornfield. Ah, those summer nights. I don't think I've been to a kegger in a cornfield since that summer. Do those happen anymore?

Entire playlist can be found here.

Seasonal Happiness

In the past, I have noticed that I suffer (as we probably all do) from a little bit of seasonal depression. It seems like around December, my jobs get crazy busy, it's cold outside, there's not alot of daylight, there's alot of holiday obligations, etc. It can be a drag.


But in July, it's different. It's warm outside, there's lots of daylight, you can sit outside on the porch and have beers with friends, you can go swimming in the ocean, etc. And of course it's National Hot Dog Month. I was thinking about hot dogs last night. (Shocking, I know.) The hot dog is simply a happy food. I cannot imagine someone bawling their eyes out while eating a hot dog. I could see someone crying over a bowl of soup or a piece of toast or oatmeal, but not the weinie. Hot dogs are often eaten with other people who are also happy. You just can't be sad and lonely while eating a hot dog. And I have noticed that it's hard not to smile while eating one. Have you noticed that, too? Maybe, I am nuts.

Also adding to my seasonal bliss this July has been the ukulele. Like eating a hot dog, I cannot imagine anyone being unhappy playing or listening to ukulele music. Well, except maybe some of Stephin Merritt's ukulele songs. But with the inherent brightness and beautiful tone of the instrument, even Merritt's sad uke tunes make me happy. At High Dollar Hot Dog practice, we are continually coming up with quirky, playful songs that we want to play on the ukulele... such as Roger Miller tunes, 70s pop songs, and some vintage pop songs from the 30s. I doubt you'll ever hear an Elliott Smith or Morrissey song covered by the HDHDs.


National Hot Dog Month ends today. I am a little sad that the holiday is over, but not too much. I'll just have to make more of an effort to eat hot dogs and play ukulele music throughout the year. Maybe my parents will serve bacon-wrapped hot dogs for Christmas dinner. Or the HDHDs could find a New Year's Eve gig. That would be the best.

One day, I promise to stop writing about hot dogs and ukuleles. But it might be awhile.

Late Night Horrorscope

America - Lonely People
Ocie Stockard & the Wanderers - You've Got Me There
The Four Yanks - Dudu Wam
Eric Bachman - Genie, Genie
Ella - Angel Eyes
Roba Stanley - Single Life
Beck - Paper Tiger
The Minders - I've Been Wondering
Little Willie John - Let Them Talk
Wayne Newton - Strangers in the Night

It's hard to listen to any song these days without rating it ukulelebility. America's "Lonely People" has a high ukulelebility rating, but Little Willie John's "Let Them Talk" doesn't.

Right now, I am really trying to figure out the chords on Buck Owen's "I Betcha Didn't Know." My musical limitations are really killing me these days. I want to be able to play four-fingered chords, strum in rhythm, and sing in key. AND I CAN'T!!!! And I really want to be able to listen to songs and figure out the chords for them. I want it so bad. I just gotta conquer this one Buck Owen's song.... maybe tomorrow.

High Dollar Hot Dog's Second Show

If you didn't know already, I belong to an all-soprano ukulele band called the High Dollar Hot Dogs just formed last month. The HDHDs had our second public appearance (and our fifth time playing together) last Saturday night at a party on my deck. It wasn't our best performance, but it was our biggest audience. But we didn't suck. I personally had a great time.

Once we sat down on the deck, got our instruments ready and our music set up, I looked up and thought, "Whoa. What in the hell are we doing?!? And who the hell are all these people!?!?" I have no idea how many party-goers were at my house on Saturday night.... somewhere around 70. And I didn't really know alot of them. That made me feel nervous about playing and singing.


But then we kicked into gear with the High Dollar Hot Dog theme song, "Ragged But Right." I felt a little better then.

At our practice last week before our gig, I was told that the band voted [without me] to drop "All of Me." I was sad, so I said, "What if I sang it Ethel Merman style?" We tried it with my accentuated vocals and Ted was stunned. It was a hit Saturday night, but I think that Ethel and "All of Me" now need to be laid to rest. I sang it again at practice last night (with just my regular voice) and it just didn't feel right. "All of Me" now needs to be retired to the HDHD archive.

Here is a super short video of us playing "Ragged But Right." Noah's voice is so great.

Ukulele Aftermath

For some reason, we always use alot of post-its during practice. Probably because Noah is an office supply nerd.

Making New Friends

Ever since Christa told me that she was moving away, I keep thinking, what in the heck am I doing here? Why do I remain in Durham? Friends who used to be really close have now either moved, gotten married, or had kids. No matter what anybody tells me, I know that people with kids want to hang out with other people with kids. Couples like to go have dinner with other couples. And right now, I can count my single friends in town on one hand.

I've been tossing around the possibility of moving. Moving away. Moving out of North Carolina. Moving out of the tiny three-county area where I have spent my entire life. I love Brooklyn and I love San Francisco, but could a naive, impressionable Southern woman survive in either of these places? (Heck, could I afford to live in either of these places?) I think I need to travel and explore some cities to see what I like and what I don't. And to see what I could afford and what I couldn't. There is no way that I could psychologically survive living in a little studio apartment. I'd die. But for now it doesn't matter... I need to stick with my job for at least a couple more years. But that gives me time to investigate new places and to save some moving money.

In the meantime (or maybe as a backup plan), I need to work on building new friendships. And I have to admit that this blog has helped. I've met lots of new people including music folks and some hot dog folks. I've also rekindled some old friendships. This blog has given me the opportunity to meet folks that I thought I'd never meet, such as Charleen Swansea from Ross McElwee's documentaries.

Last month before taking off for Coney Island, Charleen Swansea invited me and Bill over for beer and cookies, which turned into inviting us over to for wine and homemade brownies, which were divine. We had a great time and discussed her daughter's artwork, my relationship status, living in Chapel Hill, and her father's tiple.

She begged me to play my banjo uke for her, which I reluctantly did. I was a little scared. I haven't been playing for very long and it's a huge struggle. I pulled it out and opened up my songbook and started the first two lines of "Walkin' After Midnight" and Charleen busted out laughing. I stopped and and turned beet red in utter embarrassment. She continued to laugh. I am probably quoting this a little incorrectly, but to the best of my memory, she said, "You know what you sound like, Charlotte? Well, it's like your first born son and you're changing his diaper for the first time [insert huge laugh] and he has a little accident on you!! [insert tremendous laughter with a knee slap and rearing back in the seat]" I was horrified. She told me to continue, but I couldn't.

I didn't take it too harshly. We proceeded to talk and laugh about all kinds of things... men, food, films. I could've stayed there all evening. But I had to get back to ukulele practice. It was so great to meet Charleen and I know that we'll be hanging out on her porch again soon. I want to eat more of her brownies. At one point in the evening, she looked at me and said, "I love you, Charlotte. You're like buttermilk and silk." I think that this is one of the best compliments I've ever received.

I'm A Rock Star

As I've written about before, I've been trying to learn to play the ukulele over the past few months making slow, but gradual progress. My development picked up speed once I started playing with Noah, Elizabeth, and Ted. We've been practicing together now for about a month which has been absolutely thrilling for all of us. After our very first practice and after consuming a few beers, we decided to become a band. An all-soprano ukulele band, called the High Dollar Hot Dogs. (We're still working on our MySpace page.)

On Wednesday night, during a light rain (before the BIG thunderstorm), the High Dollar Hot Dogs made our debut on the front porch of a little house in the Glencoe Mill Village. We covered songs such as "Walking After Midnight," "All of Me," "Ragged But Right," and "Tonight You Belong To Me." The dozen or so folks there seemed to like it. They applauded for us, which felt so great! And I think that everyone in the band was shocked with how good we sounded. I, especially was surprised considering that I can now play several chords and sing at the same time! I usually stuff a couple socks into the back of my banjo uke to soften it, but Wednesday night, I played with only one sock!

We have another show at a party on July 14th, which is so exciting!! I still need to work on feeling confident about projecting my voice and playing loud enough for people to hear the beauty and the uniqueness of the banjo uke's sound. With enough practice, I hope that I can play without any socks at all!!!

Someone once told me that guys learned to play instruments to pick up girls. And guys typically think that girls who play in bands are hot. Will a banjo ukulele have the same effect?

Brooklyn's Banjo Ukulele Band

I have to thank Bill for telling me about Les Chauds Lapins. They perform 1920s and 30s French songs using of all instruments: THE BANJO UKULELE. Their amazing interpretation of "These Foolish Things" ["Ces Petites Choses"] is absolutely stunning. You must go to their MySpace page right now and listen to it. I mean it. And "Vous Etes Jolie" makes me melt... I want to be able to play my banjo uke like that. It's the most beautiful music I have heard in a very long time. I've got chills.

I also like that the English translation of Les Chauds Lapins is the hot rabbits. Heh. Heh. Heh.

Four-Week Countdown

In four weeks, I will be united with my new love:

I don't know if I can wait that long! Sigh. Isn't it dreamy?

Be Aggressive! Be Be Aggressive!

I went to the orthopaedist yesterday for my follow up visit. Over the past few days, I have been able to put weight on my foot which is a relief because now the blisters under my arms can begin to heal. But the doctor was surprised that I was still on crutches at all. I explained to him that I followed his advice that he gave me three weeks ago which was to let pain be my guide.

At that time, I thought that I was making a mountain out of a mole hill. I didn't feel alot pain, so I didn't change anything about my daily activities. I ran errands, did my radio show, walked to dinner, etc. When I told the doctor this yesterday, he chuckled and said, "Well, you need to let pain be more of a guide than that. No wonder you're still on crutches!"

He was concerned that my ankle was still swollen and bruised (especially on the bottom of my foot), so he ran more x-rays. No new sprains or fractures were found, thank goodness. But he really wants me to work on getting rid of the crutches. He wants me to start aggressive physical therapy next week. He gave me a HUGE prescription for pain pills. He said that I must take one before each therapy session, because the physical therapists are going to push me hard. Ugh. That sounds horrible. Can't I just do some little ankle exercises at home in my polka-dotted chair?

Today was a good day. I carried my crutches to work, but I left them in the car. I was able to hobble around pretty well without them. I still don't feel steady and I clung to walls as I walked, but I did it.

Saturday, the Midtown Dickens are playing at 305 South. I hope I can manage to get out to see them...it all depends on what my ankle will allow. I heard them on Ross' radio show last week and they were great. They play a banjo AND a ukulele. Banjos are neat, but banjo ukuleles are neater.

Ukulele Blues

So, for the past week and a half, I have sat here in my polka-dotted chair doing a whole lotta nothing. I go to work until I get the hammering-on-the-ankle feeling and then I return to my chair. I really do like looking out the window. .. the 'hood will be hopping this weekend. I just know it! So exciting!!!!

The banjo uke's been just sitting here on the coffee table along with some song books. I haven't really felt like playing. My pain and frustration squash my desire to do much of anything besides look out the window. I've played a little bit, but not a whole lot... I taught myself "Dinah" but I still need alot more practice.

This afternoon, I finished up The Jerk. I really loved it. It features this great scene where Steve Martin plays a ukulele. (I couldn't find a picture of him with a uke, so I posted this one of him playing a banjo instead.) After the film ended, I went back to the bonus features to learn to play "Tonight You Belong To Me" on the uke. The Ukulele Gal, Janet Weiss, shows you how to play it using the old-fashioned uke tuning in the key of D which is A D F# B. Trying to tune a ukulele is really really hard. Just the teeniest turn of the knob will dramatically change the note of the string. So, I thought... I'm not going to screw up my tuned uke. I'll just try playing the song in the key that my uke is already in, which is C (G C E A). The first note of the song is A6. How in the word is any human supposed to warp his/her fingers into that:


So, I gave up. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel like retuning my banjo uke into the key of D. That way, I can play "Wabash Blues," in the old school tuning, too.

Ya know, the scariest thing about being alone and injured in the house is when I hear something weird in the other room and I cannot go investigate. It sounded like someone was just playing a steel drum in my kitchen... but it stopped. So nothing can be wrong, right?

Tippy Tippy Tiple

After returning home from a wonderful meal at Laura's, I decided to veg out and let my food digest and load some more music into Itunes. (The music on my Ipod is getting stale.) The most recent uploads include lots of New Order, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, and the new Andrew Bird record. I also decided to pop in a CD that I received for Christmas which I don't think I've listened to until now. It's a collection of songs from the 1930s from the Spirits of Rhythm. It looked pleasant enough with songs I am very familiar with like "I've Got the World On a String," "How Deep Is the Ocean" and "Nobody's Sweetheart." And I am familiar with Leo Watson who is in the band. He's this crazy funny scat guy. Love him.

The main reason I wanted to upload this CD to Itunes was so that I could here the Spirits of Rhythm version of "I Got Rhythm." Anytime I think of that song, I think of Gene Kelly dancing and singing with that charismatic smile. Ahhhh. Gene Kelly. ANYWAY, after I put the CD in, I skipped directly to the "I Got Rhythm" track. I was delightfully shocked to hear not one but two UKULELES! I squealed. I ripped open the case and tore out the liner notes and scoured them to figure out who was playing the ukulele. But there was no uke player listed for any of the tracks. But there were two tiples on this track. What the heck is a tiple and how can I get one? (It's not in my dictionary.) Whatever it is, it is beautiful on this track and many of the others on the CD especially with the vocal harmonies and the mesmerizing scatting. The guys playing their tiples are amazing. I dug around a little bit on the internet and found that the tiple originated from Puerto Rico and is in the uke family, but it has TEN TO TWELVE strings. I WANT TO PLAY A TIPLE. But for now, I need to conquer this banjo uke before going to anything fancier. I cannot even play four-string chords. How the heck do you play all twelves strings!? Maybe one day I'll find out. Aren't they beautiful?