Ukulele

Leroy «Roy» Smeck (6.2.1900-5.4.1994) was an virtuoso on banjo, guitar, steel guitar and especially on ukulele, therefore he's got the nickname «Wizard of the Strings«.

In 1926 Smeck appeared in one of the first music videos ever made: Don Juan, starring John Barrymore, released by Warner Bros.

Smeck was the inventor of the Vita-Uke and other stringed instruments, marketed by the Harmony Company.

He made more than 500 records and if this is not enough, Smeck was the author of many instruction books for all the instruments he was playing.

Some of them are still available as for instance «4400 Guitar Chords» or «Ukulele Method for Chord and Melody Playing«.

Ain't She Sweet was published in 1927. It became a Tin Pan Alley standard and it is a typical song of the Roaring Twenties. Here is a wonderful version with an unusual sound: ukulele pure – no additional instruments!

You can find the songs of the series also on my Spotify playlist. Official hashtag of the series: #djcsotw

Do you like the «Song of the Week» series? Share your thoughts below.

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