As those of you who’ve been following
my ukulele exploits know, not only did I fall in love with
George Formby, but I actually went ahead and joined
the George Formby Society, where it turned out I was only the 12th U.S. member.
Since we’re so spaced out across the country, we’ve yet to meet face-to-face, our only contact being via email, Facebook, and Skype. I’m sure we’ll meet someday. But you can meet them now, and by their wonderful playing see the long road I must travel before I’ll properly be able to play this four-string weapon which has captured my heart.
First up, Nashville’s
Johnny Foodstamp, covering the George Formby classic,
“Why Don’t Women Like Me?” Click to view
Next, Dan Breton from Springfield, Massachusetts, with a Formby signature song,
“When I’m Cleaning Windows.”
Click to view
Here’s New York City’s John Bianchi, with (what did you expect?) another Formby cover,
“In My Little Snapshot Album.” Click to view
And finally, there’s me, bringing up the rear, with my stripped-down version of “When I’m Cleaning Windows,” recorded on the five-month anniversary of the day I first picked up the ukulele.
Click to view
There you have it-one-third of the U.S. contingent of the George Formby Society. That means there are eight more out there with whom I need to make contact.
And I will. Oh, I will. For it is a proud and lonely thing to be a George Formby fan in the U.S.
But not for long, I hope.
Originally published at
Scott Edelman. You can comment here or
there.