Pickin’ and Grinnin’ at the May Open Mic.
L to R back: Steve Dewan, Alex Cacciarelli,
Jimmie Mitchell. L to R front: Rosemary Langley,
Lucia Rubel, Gillian Driscoll, and Valerie Spiegel.
(Photo by Jeanna Mitchell)
Gillian Driscoll
In May, a few of the members of the PebbleCreek (PC) Ukulele Club decided it was time to put on a performance—albeit a small one—for the residents of PC. So we decided to perform at that month’s Open Mic. Seven members practiced diligently for a couple of weeks and headed onstage under the banner of “Pickin’ and Grinnin’”! With jeans, Western boots and hats, and bandanas, we looked quite the part.
Not all the members brought their ukuleles that night. In fact we had several different instruments giving variety to our “sound.” Alex Cacciarelli and Steve Dewan both serenaded on their banjos. Rosemary Langley added a distinctive note with her mandolin. Gillian Driscoll and Lucia Rubel played uke while Jimmie Mitchell played his banjolele (a uke that looks and sounds like a banjo). Finally, Val Spiegel was adorned with a protective shield from Louisiana called a Zydeco frottoir. Similar to a washboard but much more likely to protect her in a gunfight, this instrument is played with bottle tops attached to the finger of gloves. Much skill required!
We started off with an upbeat number, Enjoy Yourself, a ditty appropriate for the PC crowd as it warns of being too serious and worried, and missing out on fun. Because life is short. Next was a Carter family song, Wildwood Flower, featuring Rosemary on the mandolin and we finished with a rousing performance of She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain. The crowd was appreciative and we had an enormous amount of fun. We intend to be back in July for the Open Mic scheduled on the 24th.
The PebbleCreek Ukulele Club meets every Thursday year round in the Palm Room at the Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse from 1 to 2:30 p.m. We welcome beginners, seasoned players, audience members (who are invited to sing along) and other instruments with or without strings. We are a fun group who don’t take ourselves too seriously. Join us!