It’s been a chilly Spring, often dipping to 50 degrees as the sun begins to set, but the Chestertown Ukulele Club cheerfully meets every week to jam outside Jamie Hurley’s Washington Avenue home. For the past two years, ever since Covid disrupted their customary indoor sessions, members of this musical group have gamely gathered outdoors, even during the winter months, to play their instruments and sing along.
“The Chestertown Ukulele Club Has Been Playing Year ‘Round in Spite of Covid”. Left to right: Gale and Barbara Quist, Cheryl Hoopes, John Guthrie, Doug Gates, Jamie Hurley, Mare Schumann, Leslie Raimond, Linda Davis, Lolli Sherry.
“Call it crazy, but as long as the temperature is going to be around 50 and it isn’t raining I send out an email and people just show up”, says Jamie. “I guess it’s a good example of ‘if you build it they will come’”. It helps of course that she provides a roaring fire pit, a couple of propane heaters and warm-from-the-oven cookies to ward off the chill.
Created 10 years ago by ukulele enthusiast Jamie and led by her brother Ford Schumann on his guitar, the group now has 55 members. For years they got together and played in what’s affectionately known as “Jamie’s Parlor”, spending a couple of hours warmed by good music, friendship and hot soup. But Covid changed all that and now the music takes place outdoors, often accompanied by enthusiastic song birds as well as a gutsy backup rhythm provided by Doug Gates on his authentic washtub bass.
Leaders Jamie Hurley and Ford Schumann warm up the group on a chilly evening.
Ukulele clubs have sprung up all over America in recent years, perhaps because this popular instrument is so reasonably priced yet capable of supporting extraordinary musicianship. A scroll through YouTube will find a ukulele cover of almost any song you can think of.
The Chestertown club’s songbooks reflect the members’ wide musical interests. Any given week will find them playing selections ranging from Fats Waller to the Beatles, Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan, Irving Berlin to the Grateful Dead. Traditional Hawaiian songs are also in their repertoire and the club is often invited to play at local luau parties. They traditionally kicked off the monthly Open Mic sessions at the Garfield Center and played at other local events.
Are you interested in trying it out? Newbies are enthusiastically welcomed and even offered a loaner “uke” if needed. For more information contact Jamie at [email protected].
Gretchen F Stroh says
best group of friends ever