Posted on 09/26/2022 1:15:21 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Images of a surprise ukulele lesson on a recent Southwest Airlines flight from California to Hawaii appeared online last week and promptly received a roasting from keyboard comedians.
The notion of an unsolicited music lesson while seated on a six-hour flight was too much for many naysayers, who criticized the cheerful promotion — a crossover between the airline and Guitar Center, which provided the instructors and ukuleles — as a gimmick worse than death.
What the knee-jerk reactors missed was that this experience, while a commercial for two mega corporations, was a harmonious, unique memory for a full flight of passengers inbound for Hawaii.
“For anyone who wasn’t there, they can make it out to be as great or awful in their head. But if you were there in person, it was nothing but smiles,” said Ryan Miyashiro, a Guitar Center teacher who was one of the three instructors on the flight. “The lesson itself was a quick 20 minutes. It happened in the middle of the flight, and it was a nice break from what you’d normally be accustomed to doing on a long flight.
Miyashiro has worked at the Guitar Center in Pearl City, on his home island of Oahu, for the past year and a half. He celebrates the instrument’s rich history and its ties to Hawaii’s culture. He said he began learning to play years ago when he lived in the Bay Area but would feel homesick.
He was a top candidate from Guitar Center’s leadership to lead this in-flight lesson, both for his ability to teach large classes and for his passion for sharing music with new learners.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I’d rather have a ukelele lesson flight than a crying baby flight.
And I’d rather have a crying baby flight than a screaming woman flight.
I’ve had the last two. I’ve never had the ukelele lesson flight.
I’m holding out for bagpipe lessons on my next flight to Edinburgh.
LOL...that was my very first thought, too.
...except for the urge to call the vuvuzela blower the derogatory term for vulva.
Bother IZ That’s the man! He does “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” like no one else. Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole was with the Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau on some of his recordings.
And here is Somewhere Over the Rainbow...
Did they play “River of Jordan” for any sick children on board? With a shorter instrument the player is less likely to catch an IV line and pull it out.
at which point Bluto Blutarski stood up and yelled “Uke Fight!!!!!!!!”
Ugh. I’d probably just want to take a nap. Hope I never run into this.
Why so many face diapers, I wonder? Maybe because the flight left from California.
LOL....I was wondering the SAME thing ;-)
Agree!
“Ryan Miyashiro”
I wonder what Ryan’s pronouns are?
I know. Right?
“I’m looking forward to the report from the bagpipe flight... it’s a transatlantic, all the way to Edinburgh. :D”
Get ready for 6 hours of Scotland the Brave!
Hot Cross Buns
Forgive my ‘irreverence’ but looking at the size of that late singer, I cannot imagine it ending as the usual coffin burial. I would suspect there was a cremation, if not use of other more ‘earth friendly’ measures. No Pallbearer should be expected to hoist that kind of mass, then slowly march in a procession.
Yes, his ashes were spread at sea. They had a memorial service and then a ‘last wave ride’. See post 3.
I was at as community music festival over the weekend. My son in law just joined a jazz band and the prior acts were running over. The act before my SIL’s group was doing his own Rap Music on a Ukulele.
We left to get something to eat and got back in time for some for some fantastic Jazz. The keyboard player was a big fan of Oscar Peterson and he could improvise just like the man himself.
I could teach anyone with a modicum of talent to play the Uke in 1 hour. They’re pretty dang simple.
It would be worth the jail time.
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