A couple of years ago Patsy Monteleone set himself the task of covering 100 songs from the Great American Song book on ukulele. He’s been recording consistently great stuff and he’s final reached 100 (and done a bonus). You can listen and download them on his website (in the Box on the sidebar) for free. I highly recommend grabbing some.
If you’ve watched TV at all in the last two years, you’ll have noticed that ukuleles are used in 73% of ads. So no surprise that the 2013 award for Music in Advertising went to a uke-featuring ad: OK Go’s bit for Chevy. Their prize? A bunch of ukuleles.
Pictures: Ukulele Photoshop Contest, Formby doodles, Bruno Mars custom KoAloha.
Ukulele dominoes. If dominoes isn’t challenge enough for you try the board game for virtuosos.
First time I ever saw the OK Go bit, Al. Not keen on it at all. Had I come come across it earlier during my video searching would have watched a few seconds only and then bailed out.
Not even the tiniest bit clever in my view. Dumb music as well. Just the type to win awards, though.
On the other hand really like the Jonny Blu Fiat uke ad. Professionally made, clever, moves along briskly, and makes the OK Go vid seem like amateur hour. Well, it is amateur hour. Award notwithstanding.
2011’s Misty Miller Loewe ad also is very well done.
Of course, it’s possible to look at ukes in adverts as just one more sign that the wave has crested and we’re on the way down now. It’s a much more commercial and less innocent scene now than it was just a few years ago.
The goose that laid the golden egg is in danger of being put on life support.