- Hello everybody! - Group: Hello.
- Everybody, let's hear your first pitch.
Doo, doo, doo, doo.
- This group started and evolved out of a chorus
that I directed.
So what we're going to do now is we're going to do
a few of our songs.
About eight years ago I said,
"Look, we have to do simpler music.
"We have to still have fun
"but we really need to do something
"at a little easier level.
How about I teach you the ukulele?"
[strumming ukulele]
* Walk right in, Sit right down.
Hi, I'm Mary Backus.
I am the director of the Ukuladies.
* Those were the days my friend.
* We thought they'd never end.
We're located in Milwaukee and we're a very open group.
* La, la, la, la, la-la, la, la, la, la, la-la
Five years ago, I would have said,
"We are a group of older or even elderly women."
I mean I'm 76.
Now we're attracting younger women as well.
Remember it's very legato, everything smooth.
I am a retired music teacher but I am still teaching.
* When you see hanalei
The ukulele is-- it's a very easy instrument to play.
* You will be in heaven.
The sound is nice.
We are able to harmonize.
* Every breeze, every wave
I'd say more than 50% come in
and have never sung in a chorus, never played an instrument.
[ukulele music and singing]
* Get over...
It's very attractive to women
who want to participate, have fun, make some fun music.
It's a very democratic group, and do some performing.
We are so happy to be here.
We are so thrilled to be invited
by Summerfest Seniors to be here.
This year we went to Summerfest.
* Walk right in, sit right down.
* Daddy, let your mind roll on
* Walk right in
Summerfest was pretty much a ball.
We really had a good time.
* Roll on
I think we kind of represent
a group of women that are kind of fearless.
They're learning something new.
So if you like to sing
and you're willing to purchase a little instrument for $20 to $40
and you want to practice,
you probably qualify for our group.
And that's how it is.
* Love me do, love me true
* But you gotta love my ukulele too, oh yeah.
* You gotta love my ukulele toooooo
[two closing notes]
Group: Wooo!