By Kathy Baruffi, Corrales resident
If cars had names, Cheryl Waddy’s could be the Music Mobile. A ukulele, keyboard and music stand have top priority spots in the carefully organized cargo space of her SUV.
Eight years ago, she joined a local ukulele group: “The High Altitude Strummers.” Eventually, she became the director. Along with fourteen other enthusiasts, mostly retirees, they bring their joyous music to assisted living and memory care facilities in the area. Their sets change through the years. Currently, they are practicing “British Invasion” songs and other sixties era tunes. Past performances have included ‘Songs from Laurel Canyon’, ‘Show Tunes,’ ‘Love Songs,’ ‘At the Hop’ and more.
I observed them rehearsing at the Corrales Senior Center recently as they sang “It’s the time of the season…it’s the time of the season of love.” Bags and water bottles were bunched on the floor near their music stands and tapping feet. The tenderness of voices singing in unison was uplifting. One member, wearing a straw fedora hat, asked a question and then made notations on her music sheets.
“We do these 90-minute practice sessions twice a week. Our audience likes the familiarity of the songs and often sings along. We provide programs for them – our members cover the costs of printing them. Sometimes they dance, too.” Cheryl Waddy smiled, adding, “They are very enthusiastic. We have all been asked to autograph the back of our programs! It’s very rewarding work. This is why we do it.”
Waddy, a retired second-grade teacher, came up with the idea for the group eight years ago. Her kids gave her a ukulele as a birthday gift. “Back then, ukulele lessons were available at the Corrales Senior Center and that’s where she learned to play. Shortly after that, she organized the ukulele group.
“It’s eight years now and we’ve become a tight group, with some of the original members still here. Due to that, and the limited space at the 10 venues where we perform, the group is at full capacity,” adds Waddy.
The ukulele, known for being beginner-friendly, has replaced the recorder as the gateway instrument for children in some school curricula.
Mass media have stoked interest in the instrument for generations. Elvis Presley played one in the 1961 movie “Blue Hawaii.” His hit is still being played in online ukulele tutorials. His gentle song has prompted so much attention that the Graceland official store sells the “Elvis Blue Hawaii ukulele.” The instrument has the famous Blue Hawaii image of Elvis printed on high-quality UV-protected vinyl.
After returning to earth on the Apollo 11 flight from the moon, Neil Armstrong played his ukulele while in the 21-day quarantine period at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston. There is a 1969 NASA photo of him playing for his fellow astronauts in the cramped space. The compact, 4-string instrument was just the right size for entertaining in such a tight space.
Jake Shimabukuro, a superstar ukulele virtuoso known for his fast playing, is a nimble crossover musician. He transitions gracefully from his traditional Hawaiian music to jazz, blues and rock. After decades of wowing audiences, he ascended to new heights thanks to the digital era and a 2006 YouTube video that went viral: George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
The ukulele gained another meteoric boost when then 12-year-old Grace Vanderwaal performed her original songs while playing hers. She won the eleventh season of the “America’s Got Talent” competition show in 2016.
The market for ukuleles is so strong that Fender partnered with her for their navy blue “Grace Vanderwaal Moonlight Soprano Ukulele” model with gold accents.
People often ask Cheryl Waddy about joining her local ukulele group. “Alas, it is maxed out. There just isn’t room for more members.”
What a lovely article