Uke-box heroes
These days, it seems celebs of all stripes have joined the ukulele invasion. Whether they've been playing for years, or just recently started to uke out, here's a quick list of high-profile plinkers:
Dallas-based realtor Ebby Halliday. And yes, there's even YouTube video of Halliday, 98, regaling a real estate crowd with a twist on Happy Days Are Here Again.
George Harrison. He was a huge fan and would often bust out his uke while entertaining at home. Before he died in 2001, he performed a few ukulele songs on his final studio album, Brainwashed (released posthumously).
Paul McCartney. In tribute to his fallen Beatle bandmate, Sir Paul played Harrison's Something on ukulele during his 2001 U.S. concert tour.
Actress/musician Zooey Deschanel. "I thought it was such a nice sound that I didn't want it to lose its place in pop music today, so I just wanted to learn it," she told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin last year. "I'm not a great ukulele player, but I've played it a lot live."
Billionaire/philanthropist Warren Buffett. He's even teamed up with the female empowerment outfit Girls Inc., to travel around giving lessons.
Eddie Vedder. He used the uke to write (and play) Soon Forget on Pearl Jam's 2000 Binaural album.
Taylor Swift. Yes. Even Grammy goddess Taylor Swift can be seen on YouTube playing Fearless in concert on the uke.
Jack Johnson. No surprise that this coffeehouse surfer is an avid player.
Jason Mraz. He plays uke on various songs, but his I'm Yours spawned a gajillion YouTube DIY covers. Proceed at your own risk.
Bruce Springsteen. He's uked up Growin' Up, and reportedly, Thunder Road. In 2005, after playing I Wanna Marry You to a Minneapolis crowd, the Boss noted: "It's time to bring the ukulele back; size does not always count."
Bette Midler. You think it'd be a no-brainer for this Honolulu native, right? But the 64-year-old only picked up the instrument a few years ago, to learn it for her 2008 Las Vegas show.
The list goes on, with names like Conor Oberst, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, Elvis Presley, Ani DiFranco, William H. Macy, Pierce Brosnan, Illeana Douglas, Tony Danza, Jason Castro, Cybill Shepherd and Jolie Holland.
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