La Plata County residents are a musical bunch, playing instruments ranging from the guitar and piano to marimba and violin. But on the horizon is a new group, focusing on the instrument most associated with Hawaii, the four-stringed ukulele.

Denise Leslie, who’s been playing the instrument for several years, sent an email to her large address book, asking if anyone was interested in joining Gals on Strings, a free learn-how-to-play-the-ukulele and jam-session group. She didn’t have to do much convincing – about 20 people showed up at the first gathering earlier this week at the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 507. Some were experienced ukulele players, others never had seen the instrument in person.

The casual group plans to get together monthly as long as there is interest, with people coming when they can, both to learn and make music together.

“Why learn to play the ukulele?” she asked the group, strumming a few bars. “Listen to that; it’s a happy sound.”

The name perhaps should be changed to Gals and Guys on Strings. David Farmer, former owner of the Durango Sports Club, was the first to respond to Leslie’s email.

“I heard women and bar and ukulele and thought, ‘I’m in,’” he said. Farmer lives part of the year in Hawaii, where he has played around with the instrument, but hasn’t really mastered it.

After half an hour at this week’s first meeting, they all were playing “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” and 20 minutes later, they were tackling “Under the Boardwalk.”

“This is just what I needed, two hours of laughter and music,” fledgling musician Sarah Sumner said.

By the way, while mainlanders may pronounce it ew-ka-LAY-lee, the correct Hawaiian is OO-KOO-le-le. There are those who skip the controversy altogether and call it a uke. (Ah, but is that a ewk or an ook? According to Webster’s, it’s yok, with a line over the “o”.)

One attendee brought a baritone ukulele she purchased online for $30, including the case, which Leslie eyed with a covetous gleam after hearing its tone, similar to a guitar’s.

“Beware ukulele acquisition syndrome,” she said, giving them one caveat about picking up the instrument. “I’m going to have to get a baritone ukulele now.”

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This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Kate Willyard’s name in a photo caption.

Fun ukulele facts

The next gathering of Gals on Strings will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 9 at the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 507, 910 East Second Ave.
Email Denise Leslie at [email protected] for more information.
Things you may not know about the ukulele:
A member of the lute family, it’s derived from the machete – not the large knife but an instrument brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants in the late 1870s.
Uku means leaping flea, and lele means to jump. The term ukulele was the nickname of Edward Purvis, who popularized the instrument in Hawaii with his nimble playing, eventually transferring the name to the instrument itself.
The tone of the ukulele varies by size, and there are four sizes – baritone, concert, soprano and tenor.
Many songs require knowledge of only three chords to perform them, and learning chords on a four-stringed instrument is much easier than a guitar, according to Leslie, the organizer of Gals on Strings.
Herald Staff