WORLD UKULELE DAY ~ February 2, 2023 š»š“
Hello friends! Itās been a long time since posting, but I couldnāt let another year go by without publicly celebrating World Ukulele Day, which Mike initiated in 2011!
This is the 12th year since itās inception, (Wow!) and 5 years since Mike left us here to carry on without himā¦But heās still here for all of us who want to tap into his enthusiasm for all things ukulele! With that in mind, here is his ādeclarationā of the first World Ukulele Day! Itās only fitting that it should come from him.
Mike had some great suggestions for celebrating. This year I am first going to serenade the women in my prayer group via Zoom. Then Iāll head to Momās, with the uke I inherited from Grandma, to play and sing some of the classics together like we did at all our family parties. And I think Iāll top it off with learning one of the many chord melody arrangements Mike created. Which one, thoughā¦hmmmā¦maybe get a head start on Christmas with one I havenāt tried yet.
So, how are you celebrating World Ukulele Day? Will you do it in the cocoon of your home or with other āukersā? Will it be with a soprano, tenor or baritone? (Or all 3?) šHowever you choose to celebrate, it is bound to bring a smile to your face and anyone within hearing range, for we all know that the uke is the worldās friendliest instrument! š
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Collene
Note: I’m posting this on Feb. 1st to reach all of our friends in different time zones. Isn’t it wonderful to be connected, no matter where we live?!
UKULELE MIKE LYNCH - All things UKULELE 
Hello Collene!Thank you for this lovely message!I learn so much with the video of Mike and his book of Christmas songs.
God bless you
VĆ©ronique from France
Hi Collene, thank you for your lovely message. Ukulele Mike will never be forgotten – very gentle and very charismatic. Thank you Collene. Enjoy World Ukelele Day, today and every day! (Ray)
Mom really enjoyed that I got dressed up and brought my uke (apparently just as much as the dinners I made)! And it energized me asa well. I hope you enjoyed the day too! Mahalo!
Mike was a true inspiration to me as a novice uke player. I still watch his videos when I want to learn a new tune. š
š„° thank youā¦I have a signature Mike tenor and credit him for my joy of the UKE
Hugs to you and yoursā¦
Goodness, you’re one of the lucky few! They stopped production when the factory burned down and don’t know if there will be any. I’ve sold some of Mike’s ukes but won’t let go of the signatures I have (including the prototypes); they’re for our daughters. šMahalo!
Miss Mike. He lives on in our music. Hope yr doing well. God bless you and keep you safe.
Thank you Susan! We are doing well and hope the same for you! Mahalo!
Thank you, so much, Collene for thinking of us. I wish I played well enough to take mine around to play for people. I was just learning to play cord melody from Mike, when he passed away. Then this summer I bought a camper and traveled, thinking I would practice while camping. Well, that didnāt happen. I had one song down, pretty well. It wonāt take me long to get back into it. Sometimes life gets in the way of fun projects. I think of Mike, every time I look at my Uke. Itās right here on a stand, so I see it everyday. You had a wonderful husband and friend! He was a blessing! I still try to play with his videos. I hope you can keep them up for a long time. Your friend. Gail Gebhard
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Hi Gebby, I think it would be a wonderful tribute if you would pick up your uke today and play at least one song. It’s bound to bring a smile to your face and lighten your day! š Mahalo!
Thanks Collen, Iām going to start practicing, for 30 minutes after I read my Magnificat, daily mass! Thank you for the encouragement!
God Bless,
Gail
How did it go, Gail? Fingers a bit sore? Bit by bit, day by day! š
You know, Colleen, surprisingly my fingers didnāt hurt very much! However the problem was that Iāve always had a memory problem, caused from an accident as a child, so the hardest part is remembering the notes. But, who cares? Iām my only audience! Iām working on Ave Maria. Itās so beautiful! At first, I learned a lot of songs and was struggling in getting parts mixed up, so now I am going to master one at a time. Much better for me. Iām just plunking along with pure enjoyment! Iām so blessed, that God put Mike into my life, at just the right time. I miss him terribly. He brought calm and joy into my life. How blessed you are to have been loved by him! Thank you for showing me your kindness, too. What a great team you both are! I say āareā, because I know he still lives in your heart!
The important thing is that youāve found a way that works for you! š
Thanks Collene, bless you!
WJ
I will play Mike’s music on my ukeš¶
Hi Sue, I’d love to know which ones you chose! Mahalo!
Hi Colleen, There are so many songs I enjoy out of books 1-3. Starting with”What a wonderful world”, Amazing Grace, Let it Be and more:)
A wide range of great songs; good for you!
I always enjoyed my ukulele instruction from Ukulele Mike. He really put his heart and soul into the music selections and made them easy to understand. I miss seeing him very much. I have his books and play through them often.
Pachelbel Canon is a real favorite.
A very special gentleman.
Thank you!
I miss him so much. He is responsible for everything I know about playing uke.
Aw, Deb, he would have loved to have known that (and I will, in his stead)! Mahalo!
Loved Mr Ukelele. God rest his soul
So wonderful to hear from you! I am still using Mike’s books and am playing a variety of uke sizes. Wish you a wonderful 2023 and a Happy Ukelele Day!
You, too, Carol! Mahalo!
Greetings from New Zealand Colleen. We still have wonderful memories of our āukuleleā cruise around the Hawaiian Islands on the Golden Princess.
Best Regards
Oh, goodness; it’s so great to hear from you! I have many, many wonderful memories as well! That was a special time, wasn’t it?!
I hope you both are doing well. I know you’re enjoying summer while we’re freezing our buns off! But shoots are starting to poke their heads out of the earth and there’s still light in the sky at 5 pm, so Spring is on its way! Mahalo!
We are both well thanks Colleen. We have cruised since then but nothing competed with our Golden Cruise.
It is meant to be summer here but we are getting such a mix of weather with the top of the North Island experiencing dreadful and dangerous flooding. We have just spent five weeks touring the South Island with friends in our Motorhomes and weāre lucky to have great weather all the way. Our travels are staying a lot closer to home these days.
Cheers
Gae and Jim
Sending love Collene! What a legacy Mike left! I need a uke circle. That would be my wish for this year.
A uke circle can be magical! Where do you live? There are groups in every corner of the globe. I’ll bet if you put the word out, you’d get responses. Good luck with that! Mahalo! (And thanks for spelling my name right!) š
Thank you for your email about World Uke Day. I did not know that Mike Lynch started it. I began playing uke almost 7 years ago and Mike Lynch was my first teacher via YouTube. I learned so much from him. His style of teaching was also very comforting, with the chirping birds in the background. I came to love this man just from his videos. I miss him and was so sad when I had heard he passed. How can I share on Facebook this information on his starting World Uke Day? He should be shared. Thank you.
Hi Susan,
Many in the ukulele community know that Mike started it and he received quite a few posts from folks all over who have celebrated it through the years since. You can simply repost Mike’s video if you want. I think it has a ‘Share’ in the corner with some choices.
Would love to know how you end up celebrating it, yourself! Mahalo!
5 yrs, that’s flown, I always watched Mike’s uke videos on YouTube, a very talented and lovely man, well l hope the angels up there know how lucky they are Mike’s joined them, and i hope they’ve swapped their harps for ukelele’s ,good night and god bless you Mike, keep on strumming.
Steve from England
Aloha Steve! I believe that heaven, for Mike, would be to teach the ukulele to everyone! It’s a sweet thought. š Mahalo!
Thank you very much, Colleen, and Happy World Ukulele Day to you! I have all the books I purchased from Mike and created binders of the “loose” music I got from him, and I’m still enjoying all of it.
Kind regards,
Darlene Mercer
I like them in binders, too, Darlene. I can organize them any way I like…and if I’m limited on space while traveling, I can pull out the ones I like. If you want, you can post how you celebrated. Mahalo!
Dear Collene,
How lovely to hear from you!!!
I often think of Mike – he was very kind to all of us aspiring ukulele players and I often think of him.
I’m a member of the Banjo Ukulele Society in the UK and we will be celebrating and remembering Mike by posting our humble performances of ukulele songs.
His legacy lives on!!
Mike.
That’s great, Mike! How can I view your posts?