PebbleCreek Ukulele Club members and newcomers had fun at the annual Open House
Gillian Driscoll
PebbleCreek Ukulele Club held their third Open House in January. Approximately 12 newcomers joined 20 regulars for an introduction to the ukulele and an afternoon of fun and music. Jim Miller, club vice president, gave the newbies a quick lesson on the ukulele and taught them several chords, as well as instruction on how to hold and strum the instrument. Regular club members paired off with the visitors to provide support and some one–on–one instruction.
After instruction, it was time to play! People are always amazed at just how many songs one can play on the uke with only three or four chords. After just this short introduction, the newcomers were able to join in on such songs as “Jambalaya,” “This Land Is Your Land,” “Clementine,” and several more. A fun time was had by all!
Jim and other club members plan to continue newcomer instruction for as long as there is demand. Please check with the folks at the end of this article if you are interested and were not able to come to the Open House. We always welcome newcomers, beginners, or players, year round and not just in January. We also welcome visitors who just want to listen to us jam and maybe sing along. We play a variety of music from folk and traditional to oldies and pop.
The PebbleCreek Ukulele Club will be performing for the fourth time at the Glendale Folk Festival on Saturday, March 1 (time to be determined). The festival runs for two days, March 1 and 2 at the Sahuaro Ranch Park, 9802 N. 59th Avenue in Glendale. There are performances both days every 30 minutes from music groups and clubs from all over the Valley and beyond. There are also workshops, and the PC Uke Club will present one on island strum on Saturday. Admission is free. The festival is a fun outing for all ages.
The PebbleCreek Ukulele Club meets every Thursday throughout the year in the Palm Room at Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse from 1 to 2:30 p.m. For more information about the club, contact Ross Hart at 541–554-2679 or Gillian Driscoll at 303–548-2108.