From the pages of Life, July 9, 1925 (this is of course the old humorous Life, not the later news magazine), John Held Jr. illustrates the popularity of musical instruments among “college chaps.” The uke, mandolin, and guitar are still going strong, the others less so. (Please click to enlarge.) (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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“Tillie the Toiler” was once a popular comic strip, and held forth on newspaper comics pages from 1921 to 1959. It inspired books, movies, and pinbacks (as you can see above). It was drawn by Russ Westover, who, like many cartoonists, had worked his way up to a daily strip through the sports page. Tillie […]

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I will be teaching two special four-week ukulele classes at Brooklyn’s Jalopy Theater this fall. The first, Uke 1.5, is a bit more advanced than Uke 1, and may help pave the way to those greater heights. The other, Uke 3, is for those who want to go further than Uke 2. Both will focus […]

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The Ullage Group is pleased to present a memorial screening of Les Blank’s short films. Sadly, Les died of bladder cancer this past April, leaving behind an astonishing film legacy that has been largely unseen due to the unconventional length and subject matter of his films. Harrod Blank will also be present to discuss his father’s work […]

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I’ve been posting information here, from time to time, on Bobby Edwards: a singer-songwriter who became somewhat of a local legend in Greenwich Village in the ‘teens and ‘twenties.  He also made his own cigar-box ukes, which he sold at souvenir shops in the Village.  I had resigned myself to the idea that none had […]

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A sad and surprising piece of news was reported in the Kokomo Daily Tribune, October 21, 1926.  Bobby Edwards, the avatar of Bohemia, got a job.  I only hope it didn’t last. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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I’ve found another picture of Bobby Edwards online; we can add it to the archive. There he is in the back, to the left, cigar box uke in hand. This was at the Garrick Club, sometime in the ‘teens. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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From the audience, Angela Alverson captured a snippet of the recital at the Jalopy Theatre.  My beginning uke class made its first public appearance with this blues chorus.  From left to right: Katherine, Rachel, teacher, Carrie, Ana, and Ashley.  They’re on their way! Another of my uke students, Robin Hoffman, keeps a blog of her […]

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Doug Skinner will be performing at the Fabulous Jalopy Theatre, in Brooklyn, on March 12 at 9 pm.  I’ll sing mostly Skinner songs, with perhaps a couple of covers.  I’ll be on uke and cuatro; David Gold will join me on viola. I’ve asked the incomparable Brian Dewan to share the evening with me.  He’ll […]

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Our Edwards fiesta draws to a close now.  I’d like to leave with an intriguing note for the Forteans out there: in 1915, Theodore Dreiser threw a party for Edgar Lee Masters.  Fort attended; and Bobby Edwards entertained on his ukulele.  A photographer from the New York World was also there; I may have to […]

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