Ukulele club

The ukulele is an unassuming instrument that resembles a small guitar, though it has fewer strings. The first time Linda Shange picked one up, she fell in love.

The North Idaho resident was vacationing in Sun City, Arizona, when she decided to attend a local ukulele club meeting, even though she’d never played an instrument in her life. “I’m not musically inclined,” she said.

Still, she wanted to check it out. She found herself intrigued by the instrument, which is seen by many as a great first instrument to learn. She said the large club meeting was set up in such a way that people could get lessons according to their playing level and then participate in a jam session.

“I was so impressed at how it was set up for seniors and they were so encouraged,” she said. “Even if you only played a chord or two chords, you felt like you were playing. It was so much fun.”

She attended a few meetings and took a few lessons, but then the COVID pandemic hit and the meetings stopped. Shane found herself wishing she could replicate the experience at home.

Recently, Shane stumbled across a musical performance in a local mall and met ukulele player Lynda Arnold. She asked Arnold if she would be interested in helping her start a local club and help teach people to play the ukulele and Arnold agreed. “She heads up the songs and the teaching,” Shane said.

The Coeur d’Alene Ukulele Club was founded in May and currently meets every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hayden Library, though it has also met at On Site for Seniors in the past. Shane said the group is working on settling on a permanent location, but meeting at the library works well because it has some ukuleles that can be checked out. “We can borrow them at the library for the class,” she said.

Shane said she believes playing the ukulele has been growing in popularity in recent years.

“It’s getting as popular as pickleball,” she said. “It’s taking off. It’s for all levels of play.”

Shane, like others, likes that the instrument is so beginner friendly. “It’s about the easiest instrument you can learn,” she said. “It’s just a great family thing. You can take a ukulele anywhere.”

She is looking forward to learning to play the ukulele better while surrounded by people who share her interest.

I need to work on rhythm, I need to work on strumming, I need to work on everything,” she said. “I am definitely a beginner, but I’m very excited about being with others to play and have fun.”

The group doesn’t take itself too seriously, Shane said. In fact, their recently chosen motto is “Uke can do it.”

“We’re there to learn and have fun,” she said. “We pretty much try to cater to beginners. We’re just a fun group.”

She put a free listing in two local newspapers to help spread the word about the group, which is so new it doesn’t have a website or Facebook page. Currently, between 12 and 14 people have been attending each week. “It grows every week,” Shane said.

Like the club she attended in Arizona, the Coeur d’Alene Ukulele Club offers lessons to new players and has a jam session each meeting. Shane said she’d also like to offer workshops in the future.

“We always jam together,” she said. “Right now, that’s a lot of what we do.”

There are plenty of songs that can be played that only require one or two chords. Some, like “Wheels on the Bus” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” are children’s songs. Other songs that are easy for beginners include “Buffalo Gals,” “London Bridge” and “Amazing Grace.”

“There are so many songs that we play,” Shane said.

Those interested in learning more information about the club can attend an upcoming meeting or call or text (208) 691-9524.

Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com.