The founders of Hoylake’s Summer Strum ukulele festival are taking part in a mass singalong of the classic lullaby ‘You Are My Sunshine’, to celebrate World Ukulele Day today.
Musicians from ten Merseyside ukulele bands, including Wirral band Broken Strings, will join together for the biggest open air uke jam Liverpool city centre has ever seen.
Pat Ross-Davies, from Newton, West Kirby, singer with Wirral band Broken Strings who will be performing on the day, co-founded the Summer Strum ukulele festival five years ago along with Emma Owen.
Pat said: “You can’t help but smile when you pick up a ukulele, as George Harrison said. It’s wonderful for improving wellbeing, and giving people a sense of purpose, it creates new friendships and spreads waves of positivity throughout the community.
“We hope lots of people will come along to listen and it will put a smile on their faces.”
It comes 80 years after You Are My Sunshine was first recorded in 1939, and will be the highlight to a day of free ukulele gigs in aid of Clatterbridge Cancer Charity’s Go Green appeal.
Performances will take place at six busking locations in and around the Liverpool One shopping and leisure complex, from 1pm until 5pm, at South John Street, the John Lewis steps, the Bierkeller, Key Court, the Galleria, and Paradise Street.
All ten bands will join together for the singalong, on the John Lewis steps leading down from Chavasse Park, at 3pm.
It‘s set to be one of the biggest open-air gatherings of ukulele players Liverpool city centre has seen, in a bid to spread the joy ukuleles brings to so many people.
The idea to get the city smiling with a singalong was inspired by George Harrisons’ love of the ukulele. The Beatle wrote: “Everybody should have and play a ‘uke’ it’s so simple to carry with you and it is one instrument you can’t play and not laugh!”
As well as raising money for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity’s Go Green Appeal, the bands involved in Liverpool’s World Ukulele event hope to encourage more people to pick up the instrument, enjoy music and maybe join one of Merseyside’s growing number of ukulele clubs and bands.
They also hope to raise awareness of other ukulele events happening in the region including the annual Summer Strum, which will celebrate its 5th anniversary, at Hoylake rugby club in July.
The Liverpool World Ukulele Day event will run from 1pm and finish at 5pm. There will be further evening performances by some of the bands inside the Bierkeller from 7pm until 10pm.
More information about the day can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2165151760468360/
For more information about the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity Appeal visit: www.clatterbridgecc.nhs.uk/charity/fundraise/lets-go-green-clatterbridge
