How wonderful to meet Elizabeth, a lovely woman whose BIG ukulele dream is to see ukulele change the world with peace and love! Unusually, I am sharing Elizabeth's biography simply because it really shows the growing passion and evolution of her ukulele journey. There are so many wonderful pieces to this story, including a Youtube Music channel link (below) and hints and tips on variou travel spots & musical highlights. I'm sure you can relate to this charming story and I hope it encourages your own ukketastic travels! Aloha.
Ukulele biography
2009
Boughtfirst ukulele February Tanglewood tenor from Professional Music Systems Hobart
Attendedfirst ukulele festival July Cairns- Seaman Dan, Matt Dahlberg, Azo Bell,purchased art uke
2010
PerformedCygnet Folk Festival with The CBs
PurchasedBeltona tenor resonator ukulele from Beltona NZ (online)
PurchasedGoldtone tenor banjo ukulele from Elderly Instruments US (online)
EstablishedYouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethShannonAUS
2011
PurchasedPeter’s first ukulele Tanglewood soprano Professional Music Systems Hobart
PurchasedTanglewood baritone from Professional Music Systems Hobart
2012
AttendedMelbourne Ukulele Festival, purchased art uke
Startedplaying for a friends’ mother at an aged care facility
2013
AttendedOrewa Ukulele Festival New Zealand ‘Ukulele Heaven’, played in the whiteboard concert
PurchasedCook Islands ukulele from Auckland Market
2015
AttendedMandorah Ukulele and Folk Festival, played in whiteboard concert
PurchasedKanile’a K-1 T with pickup from Music City Cairns
2017
Attended Geraldine UkuleleFestival New Zealand
Subscribedto Kamuke Ukulele Magazine and Ukulele magazines (2017-2021)
2020
Pausedregular performances at aged care facility
Retiredfrom paid work
2021
Restartedperformances at aged care facilities – currently 5 homes in Hobart, 1 innorthern Tasmania, 1 in Brisbane (annual)
Attendedfirst Launceston Ukulele Jamboree
2024
AttendedMelbourne Ukulele Festival
Other
Also hostAnnual Thanksgiving house parties/sessions, attend Cygnet Folk Festivals, AustralianCeltic Festival 2023, Melbourne Celtic Festival 2024, National Folk Festival2026, Uke to Bridge online group
Key messages
Look at the whole package – in tune ukes, singing, personality, musicality, dress-ups:Communicate!
Volunteer,mix with other people, instruments, styles. Have fun!
Aloha travellers, today I have a lovely conversation with a music teacher from Warkworth. Not the Warkworth castle in the Uk or the prison in Northumberland either. Grab a cuppa and come with me for another uketastic chat with a fellow ukist from Warkworth New Zealand, the very lovely Dianne Morgan.
Aloha travellers, today we're leaving the shores of Australia to talk with one of our many international ukulele friends. In the province of Saskatchewan there is a lot to see & experience. Our guest today will tell us more about her home and the joy of playing ukulele with friends both near and far. I hope you enjoy meeting Pam.
Friends, for those of you who venture further afield in the South Pacific you may have travelled to New Zealand and met our guest for todays podcast, Cathie Dunsford aka the Riff Queen. Cathie has a wonderful life story and journey with ukulele so, make yourself a cuppa and take a seat for 26mins as Cath tells you about her life, travels, writing, music and love of kai moana.
Thank you Cathie for your time and fabulous stories. It was great connecting with you!
PS: Apologies for my barking heeler dotted throughout this recording.
Aloha travellers! It's a jammed packed uke yarn today as I talk to the vivacious Bernie Newman. Bernie shares some lovely stories about living , loving & uking in Townsville. Where to sightsee, where to meet up for a jam and how to keep up to date with all things TUG! This is a FUN happy yarn so do yourself a new years favour and tune in now! If you love ukulele & travel, you won't regret it!
Aloha travellers, we catch up with Kim Burns a community ukulele leader in country Victoria, Australia. In 2025, Kim is stepping down from one project to take up another with new bandmate Kath! It's no laughing matter! This Kath and Kim duo is destined to do ukeTastic things as their new band persona 'Vintage Vixens' ventures into diverse opportunitites.
Aloha travellers, it's my pleasure to introduce to you Cameron Murray, a lovely chap, great ukulele player and ambassador for all things ukulele. This is the first of many fun conversations so sit back and enjoy learning a little bit more about the man behind KamUke.
Ukulele provides an opportunity for creatives to express themselves in many ways. There are ukulele soloists, duos, trios bands and orchestras, choirs with ukes etc etc. Today travellers, we're yarning with a ukulele performer whose uketastic brand is streaming content online across all platforms including TikTok. Join me now as we head to Sydney to meet Gabrielle Johnson creator of Gabrielle Johnson Music. Main links below.
Aloha travellers, today we're leaving the South Pacific to travel to the other side of the world. Our destination is Coventry a city in the Midlands of the UK. We're talking to John about his experience as a classically trained musician and why he now plays ONLY his ukulele. This is an inspirational story which I'm excited to share with you. Thanks for your time John and Aloha to you for your time and openness.
Aloha travellers, today we're spreading our wings and heading to Santa Cruz, California to meet Daniel a professional musician who shares his ukulele magic in the most precious of situations with amazing results. Join me now as we enter Daniels wonderful world.
Aloha travellers, today we're talking with Kim Burns, Musical Director of Goldfields Ukestra in Bendigo, Victoria. Hear Kim's best sightseeing tips as well as her hopes and dreams for ukulele players. Travellers are welcome at anytime of the year so sit back and enjoy this lively conversation, 100% due to Kims joyful ukulele passion.
Professional ukulele educator, performer and percussionist Tom Harding aka Tom the Pom shares his thoughts about; ukulele, people, places and his big dream for the future. It's a wonderful yarn folks, enjoy!
Aloha travellers, today is the first episode of season two. I thought long and hard about how , what, when and why I'd publish in this season and then there were so many great opportunities I threw my hands up into the air and said 'Let's start talking to our international Uketastic neighbours'.
Today we are travelling to Eugene, Oregon. There we find a lovely lady who is a bit of a kindred spirit. For her, the thrill of playing with other people AND organising events fills her cup to over flowing. Melody chats about her motivation, love of people, different festivals and her BIG ukulele dream that involves The Beatles.
Join me now as we find Melody sitting on her porch, brightly dressed and sporting a very fine ukulele on her lap. Thanks for listening folks.
Aloha travellers, join me for a conversation with a wonderful young singer, songwriter, teacher and performer Erin Harrington aka Miss Elm. Erin is from Brisbane. Her joy is singing, her sound is unique and her passion is to express herself creatively through the music she curates, produces and releases. Don't forget to support our artists. Follow, Like and Listen to the music that is created for your listening pleasure.
Aloha travellers, today's yarn is full of energy and life! The Honeybees are a ukulele trio from Melbourne, Victoria. They are finding thier sonic space and sound together and also in the world of performance , festivals and giging. I hope you'll enjoy today's yarn and that you'll join the Honeybee Buzz not only here but somewhere LIVE in your not to distant travel calendar. Aloha
Aloha travellers, today we travel to Melbourne and meet a classroom music teacher in a school where Ukulele is super cool. We're talking to Dan, the ukulele event director of Hills Ukulele Festival , current president of The Australian Ukulele Teachers and Leaders Association (AUTLA) all round nice guy and crazy ukulele fanatic. Pull up a seat and get you favourite beverage this is a beaut 'hump' day tale.
Aloha travellers, today we hop across the ditch to glorious New Zealand and then shuffle on down to the South Island. There we'll meet Karen, a fabulous woman and ukulele grou leader for 18 consecutive years. If you're looking for somewhere to play uke in NZ, consider this .......
Aloha travellers, here we go here we go here we goooooo!! Get the inside outside scope from Jackie Anifandis about the method in her madness when creating; ukulele events, communities and safe spaces to learn how to find your own ukulele voice.
Aloha travellers! Join me for a thirty minute yarn with Darren a Kiwi born Aussie residing in Ballarat living out his best ukulele life with partner Lisa, a super performance group (MUK) and Australia's second longest running ukulele festival (MUF). The episode airs two days before the festival starts on March 15th - March 17th. We wish Darren and the team all the best for a most memorable melbournian Melbfestival.
Aloha travellers! Today we head to the Mornington Peninsula of Victoria to yarn with Sally Carter one of Australia's leading ukulele teachers and performers. In this episode Sally shares her origin story and some very uketastic moments and inspirations.
Sally will be talking to us once a quarter focussing on what she's been doing, where she's been travelling and how ukulele communities are responding to her creative ukulele teaching style. Thanks for listening travellers.