Last weekend, I went to Davis to attend my niece's wedding. My uncle Bill and aunt Barbara recently moved from Capitola to Rocklin, and so I combined a visit with my brother and his family with a stop-off at my uncle's house. A really nice visit. He and Barbara are adjusting well to life in a new city and different setting.
During the visit, I saw a Martin ukulele in his living room. Martin is best known for its guitars, but it also makes other stringed instruments, including mandolins and ukuleles. This one looked a lot like the ukulele my Mom played when I was growing up. She taught me how to play it.Turns out it's not just similar, it's the exact ukulele. My Mom had had it on extended loan from my uncle for years. I wondered whatever became of that uke, so it's good to finally know.
Looking at it, the memories came flooding back: Mom showing me how to hold it and strum it. How to play C and G7 and alternate back and forth comfortably. How to play simple two-chord songs like "Three Blind Mice" and my first "real" song: "Five foot two, eyes of blue. Oh, what those five feet could do! Has anybody seen my gal?" I loved all of those old-time songs. The uke was tailor made for them.
Thus began a musical journey that continues to this day. I can't even image how different my life would have been without this humble little instrument, and a mother who showed me how to make music with it. Thanks, Mom.
Next, I'll tell you about the day I moved from ukulele to six-string guitar.
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