Ukulele Tales
John Atkins
Ukulele Tales is the ukulele podcast! Every Wednesday I chat face-to-face with one of the top ukulele stars or personalities in the world.
Whether you want to hear how James Hill put together his famous arrangement of Billie Jean, or how Jake Shimabukuro played the ukulele for the Queen, it's all in this podcast. Bernadette Teaches Music (aka Plazi) spoke about the challenges of being a creator and a parent, Bakithi Kumalo talked about how music was his escape from his impoverished South African upbringing and gave him a new life in the USA recording and touring with Paul Simon. Victoria Vox told the story of playing the mouth trumpet on Jay Leno.
There's also stories recorded on-the-go such as my behind-the-scenes account of a local ukulele festival in England.
Plus listener contributions about your favourite ukuleles and what they mean to you.
Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music - click here for a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website!
Sign up to my Patreon page for bonus content, early access and behind the scenes gossip!
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Top 10 Ukulele Tales Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Ukulele Tales episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Ukulele Tales for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Ukulele Tales episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Danielle Ate The Sandwich
Ukulele Tales
06/20/23 • 34 min
This week is part one of my conversation with one of the OG's of the YouTube ukulele scene - Danielle Anderson, aka Danielle Ate The Sandwich!,
Next week we'll talk all about her origin story - how she got the name Danielle Ate The Sandwich, as well as her transition into the world of comedy. But today we focus on songwriting - particularly her 24 Album songwriting challenge, and the difficulties she faces as an artist whose life is seemingly settling down.
It's a really insightful conversation and Danielle has lots of wisdom to impart. If you'd like a place on her upcoming songwriting course "Life As A Songwriter" you can find more information here.
If you have any thoughts, comments or guest suggestions for the show please send me a message to [email protected]
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Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music! For a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website, just click on my special link!
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If you want to support the podcast, please share it with your ukulele friends and communities. You can also help fund it by signing up to my Patreon where you'll get additional content, occasional bonus mini episodes and the chance to ask questions to future guests.
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LINKS:
Kala Brand Music: https://kalabrand.com/uketeacher for a 10% discount on any Kala products.
Danielle Ate The Sandwich:
Official website: http://danielleatethesandwich.com/
"Life as a Songwriter" Songwriting Course: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/life-as-a-songwriter-virtual-songwriting-course-tickets-626641269907
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/daniellesmagic
Ukulele Tales:
Website: http://www.UkuleleTales.com
Patreon: https://www.Patreon.com/UkeTeacher
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/UkeTeacher
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkuleleTales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
CYNTHIA LIN!
Ukulele Tales
11/01/23 • 41 min
We're back! After an extended summer break, Ukulele Tales returns with an exclusive interview with the world-renowned Cynthia Lin.
We discuss:
- Her ambition to perform in a Broadway Musical
- Her new album
- Touring Europe with her band U3
- Finding your people
- Burnout!
- Why Cynthia was ready to step away from YouTube
- The hundred days of ukulele project
- Getting creepy comments online
- The Zone of Genius
- Hiring a cinematographer to take her videos to the next level
There's also an extra 25 minutes of chat with Cynthia available only on my Patreon page - sign up today and help support the podcast!
If you have any thoughts, comments or guest suggestions for the show please send me a message to [email protected]
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Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music! For a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website, just click on my special link!
This episode is also sponsored by the Vidami Blue foot pedal - control YouTube with your feet and make your practice time more efficient.
Visit https://vidami.com/?ref=uketeacher and use the coupon code UKETEACHER10 for a 10% discount on the awesome Vidami Blue foot pedal.
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LINKS:
Kala Brand Music: https://kalabrand.com/uketeacher for a 10% discount on any Kala products.
Vidami Blue Foot Pedal: https://vidami.com/?ref=uketeacher (discount code: UKETEACHER10)
Cynthia Lin:
Official Website: https://cynthialin.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cynthialinmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynthialinmusic
Ukulele Tales:
Website: http://www.UkuleleTales.com
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkuleleTales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Peter Luongo
Ukulele Tales
06/06/23 • 39 min
This week I'm speaking to teacher, performer, and all-round ukulele great, Peter Luongo!
You may have seen Peter in the 2006 documentary The Mighty Uke, or you may have seen him performing as part of the Legacy Ukulele Ensemble. Or perhaps you know him best as James Hill's ukulele teacher.
Either way, the man is an absolute dynamo, and I was privileged to manage to get him to sit still(ish!) for about half an hour at the end of NaMM and have an in-depth conversation about everything from his thoughts on why it's important to teach the ukulele properly, to how he got started playing music, to his relationship with James Hill.
Peter is headed to the U.K. next week where he will be attending the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival, and also hosting a day-long retreat for ukulele teachers! Sadly I can't make it, but if you guys can please go and tell him I said hello!
If you have any thoughts, comments or guest suggestions for the show please send me a message to [email protected]
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Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music! For a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website, just click on my special link!
If you want to support the podcast, please share it with your ukulele friends and communities. You can also help fund it by signing up to my Patreon where you'll get additional content, occasional bonus mini episodes and the chance to ask questions to future guests.
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LINKS:
Kala Brand Music: https://kalabrand.com/uketeacher for a 10% discount on any Kala products.
Peter Luongo:
Langley Ukulele: https://www.langleyukes.com/
Legacy Ensemble: https://www.legacyukes.com/
Ukulele Tales:
Website: http://www.UkuleleTales.com
Patreon: https://www.Patreon.com/UkeTeacher
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/UkeTeacher
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkuleleTales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Marlowe
Ukulele Tales
01/17/24 • 45 min
This week I'm speaking to Marlowe!
We discuss:
- Getting over her childhood fear of singing in public
- Wanting to get your music just right before releasing it
- Collabing and working with others including Brittni Paiva
- Growing up in a musical family
- How long it took her to fall in love with the ukulele (and why it wasn’t straight away!)
- Who her ukulele influences and idols were
- Some amazing stories about Jake Shimabukuro and what a great guy he is!
- What made her decide to write and record her own music
- Winning a major award for her debut album
- Traveling to Australia
- Why she had to move to L.A. to make it big in music
- Her use of effects pedals
And lots, lots more.
If you have any thoughts, comments or guest suggestions for the show please send me a message to [email protected]
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Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music! For a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website, just click on my special link!
---
Check out my Patreon page to help support the podcast and get access to lots of backstage info and bonus material!
LINKS:
Kala Brand Music: https://kalabrand.com/uketeacher for a 10% discount on any Kala products.
Marlowe:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marloweoffic/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlowe.offic/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@marloweoffic
Ukulele Tales:
Website: http://www.UkuleleTales.com
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkuleleTales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aryy
Ukulele Tales
04/04/23 • 21 min
Today I'm speaking to Aryy - the girl who made headlines around the world last September when she led a ukulele singalong at 30,000 feet for Southwest Airlines!
Unfortunately, this interview took place before that happened, so we don't talk about it at all But we do talk about her awesome music, being a proud representative of the LGBT community, growing up on YouTube (believe it or not, she's been on it even longer than I have!), being a multi-instrumentalist, and her terrific new single, Villain Arc.
Aryy is a great musician and was a lot of fun to chat with, so be sure to subscribe to Ukulele Tales now - available in all the usual podcasty places - so you don't miss it!
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Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music! For a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website, just click on my special link!
If you want to support the podcast, please share it with your ukulele friends and communities. You can also help fund it by signing up to my Patreon where you'll get additional content, occasional bonus mini episodes and the chance to ask questions to future guests.
---
LINKS:
Kala Brand Music: https://kalabrand.com/uketeacher for a 10% discount on any Kala products.
Ukulele Tales:
Patreon: https://www.Patreon.com/UkeTeacher
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/UkeTeacher
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkuleleTales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Aryy:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aryyzona/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aryyzona
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aryy
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Victoria Vox
Ukulele Tales
03/22/23 • 60 min
Victoria Vox is a true independent spirit! I met her at the L.A. Ukulele Festival last year and we had a great chart about what it means to be an independent artist, how she played mouth trumpet on the Jay Leno show, how and why she came up with the name Victoria Vox, and lots and lots more besides.
We also talk a great deal about her phenomenal latest album, Nirvana In R.E.M. - including where the title comes from (it's nothing to do with Kurt Cobain or Michael Stipe...), the original artworks that inspired the songs, and the exciting directions she's taking the ukulele with the use of sampling, octave pedals, and other cool effects.
We chatted for nearly two hours, so this hour-long episode is just the edited highlights! But if you want more I'll be posting some extra inserts on my Patreon page very soon - so be sure to sign up for that if you want bonus content and to get a warm fuzzy feeling that you're helping support the show!
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Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music! For a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website, just click on my special link!
If you want to support the podcast, please share it with your ukulele friends and communities. You can also help fund it by signing up to my Patreon where you'll get additional content, occasional bonus mini episodes and the chance to ask questions to future guests.
LINKS:
Kala Brand Music: https://kalabrand.com/uketeacher for a 10% discount on any Kala products.
Victoria Vox:
Official Website: https://www.victoriavox.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoriavoxlovesyou/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/70xVEpgMP5GXlfPHRRP7yI
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VictoriaVox
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriavox/
Ukulele Tales:
Patreon: https://www.Patreon.com/UkeTeacher
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/UkeTeacher
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkuleleTales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Anthony Ka'uka
Ukulele Tales
03/01/23 • 27 min
Anthony Ka'Uka Stanley - is a ukulele virtuoso, and also an incredible hula dancer. He's been playing the ukulele since the age of 4 and dancing since the age of 2! I had a chat with him at NAMM and he spoke openly about what it was like growing up in a musical family, as well as Hawaiian musical culture in general.
As well as this, there's also our first Uke-Story! Listener Nick DiSanto shares with us the incredible story of his favourite ukulele, and why it will always be special to both him and his son. I'd love to hear the story of your favourite ukulele, so if you want to message me, drop an email to [email protected] and I'll read it on air. Please include pics if possible.
Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music! For a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website, just click on my special link!
If you want to support the podcast, please share it with your ukulele friends and communities. You can also help fund it by signing up to my Patreon where you'll get additional content, occasional bonus mini episodes and the chance to ask questions to future guests.
LINKS:
Kala Brand Music: Click here for a 10% discount on any Kala products.
Anthony Ka'uka:
Heali'i's Polynesian Revue Website: https://www.healiis.com/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@anthonykauka
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonykauka/
Ukulele Tales:
Patreon: https://www.Patreon.com/UkeTeacher
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/UkeTeacher
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkuleleTales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jake Shimabukuro
Ukulele Tales
12/21/22 • 45 min
This week's conversation with Jake Shimabukuro was recorded at the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival in Huddersfield, back in the summer. A big thank you to Jake, for being so generous with his time, his manager Brett Lind for coordinating everything, and also to Mary-Agnes Krell, the GNUF head honcho for making it all possible.
We discuss how emotional it was performing live again following Covid, and what an important role the ukulele played in bringing everyone back together again. Jake also talks about how he puts together - and constantly evolves - his fantastic arrangements of classic tunes. And he even tells the story of how he once played for the Queen!
If you want to help support the podcast, please share it with your ukulele friends and communities. You can also directly fund it and receive bonus content by signing up to my Patreon.
Next week's episode is the last one of the year, so let me know your ukulele new year's resolutions now and I'll read some of them out on the show. Until then, I wish you all a very, merry Christmas.
LINKS:
Jake:
Official Website: https://jakeshimabukuro.com/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHvWv6d-IWyWquyq_xuFAuQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakeshimabukuro/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeshimabukuromusic/
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/jakeshimabukuro
Ukulele Tales:
Patreon: https://www.Patreon.com/UkeTeacher
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/UkeTeacher
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkeTeacher
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Marc Gallagher
Ukulele Tales
03/27/24 • 45 min
This week I chat with the awesome British musician, Marc Gallagher about:
- Memorising songs easily - he has over 700 learnt off by heart!
- His numerous collabs
- Perfect Pitch - how he found out he had it, how he puts it to good use, and why it's a blessing and a curse
- How many different instruments he plays
- Attending GNUF as a teenage sound engineer and stealing the show at an open mic set
- Being proud to be an openly bi musician, and how that effects his music
- Minorities in the ukulele world, and trying to eradicate hate speech in music
- Receiving negativity for being open about his sexuality
- Starting the ukulele at 11 to learn the Crazy Frog theme!
- Why he’d rather play Led Zeppelin than George Formby
- Writing and recording his own music - and his nightmare debut performance at a school talent show
And much, much more!
If you have any thoughts, comments or guest suggestions for the show please send me a message to [email protected]
---
Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music! For a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website, just click on my special link!
---
Check out my Patreon page to help support the podcast and get access to lots of backstage info and bonus material!
LINKS:
Kala Brand Music: https://kalabrand.com/uketeacher for a 10% discount on any Kala products.
Marc Gallagher:
Website: https://www.marcgallaghermusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcgallaghermusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcgallaghermusic
Ukulele Tales:
Website: http://www.UkuleleTales.com
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkuleleTales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11/29/23 • 40 min
This week I'm chatting with Will Grove-White, formerly of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Will joined the Ukes when he was just a teenager and spent well over half of his life with the band - so why did he decide to step away?
We also discuss:
- Life after the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
- Why he decided to make his own ukuleles
- Writing music for hit TV shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Fleabag
- Visiting ukulele clubs all over the world
- Solo projects
And lots, lots more.
There's also an extra 5 minutes of chat with Will about David Bowie's history with the ukulele, the book that he wrote, and why he probably won't be writing another one! It's available only on my Patreon page - sign up today and help support the podcast!
If you have any thoughts, comments or guest suggestions for the show please send me a message to [email protected]
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Ukulele Tales is sponsored by Kala Brand Music! For a 10% discount on anything on the Kala website, just click on my special link!
LINKS:
Kala Brand Music: https://kalabrand.com/uketeacher for a 10% discount on any Kala products.
Will Grove-White:
Official Website: https://willgrovewhite.com/
Will's Book: https://willgrovewhite.com/get-plucky/
Ukulele Tales:
Website: http://www.UkuleleTales.com
Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/UkuleleTales
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkuleleTeacher
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Ukulele Tales have?
Ukulele Tales currently has 50 episodes available.
What topics does Ukulele Tales cover?
The podcast is about Music, Podcasts, Arts, Music Interviews, Ukulele and Performing Arts.
What is the most popular episode on Ukulele Tales?
The episode title 'Marc Gallagher' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Ukulele Tales?
The average episode length on Ukulele Tales is 37 minutes.
How often are episodes of Ukulele Tales released?
Episodes of Ukulele Tales are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Ukulele Tales?
The first episode of Ukulele Tales was released on Oct 24, 2022.
Show more FAQ
Show more FAQ