How the Mentone Ukes Came to Be

When I arrived in Alabama from California in 2017, I had with me a ukulele. One afternoon while spending time with Debra Fey, I placed the ukulele in her hands and said…

Mentone Ukes Founders Jerry Megli and Debra Fey

“Place this finger on this fret.” And she did.

I said, “Now strum once.” And she did.

A clear, crisp tone filled the air. I then said, “Congratulations! You just played the C chord! And now you know how to play the ukulele.”

Debra said, “That’s it?”

“That’s it,” I said.

She never looked back. After she got her own ukulele, we played every day, putting more and more new chords into our tool box and building a simple catalog of favorite songs. One day a curiosity came to mind: We wondered, are there others in the area who play or would like to learn to play the uke? We obtained permission from the Moon Lake Library to hold a one-time beginner’s ukulele session there. After obtaining their support, we placed an announcement in The Groundhog, advising of the event. We recruited Mickey Luck, another Mentone local, to lead the session.

On that given day, 20 people showed up, some with their own ukes and some without. We had loaner ukuleles available courtesy of the Moon Lake School. At the end of the session, we asked, “Would you all like to do it again in two weeks?” A resounding YES! was the response.

Folks, that was six years ago. And after having been designated the Official House Band of the Moon Lake Library, we still meet every two weeks, offer beginner lessons at the same time as our regular session, and perform at local events.

The Mentone Ukes will hold practice sessions at the Moon Lake Library on September 13 and 27 at 1 p.m. A free introduction to the ukulele is offered at the same time, and loaner ukuleles are available. Newcomers and beginners of all ages are welcome to attend! We hope you will plan to come out and support your Mentone Ukes on September 27 at 3 p.m. when we perform at the Shigley Amphitheater at Moon Lake Campus as part of the Mentone Americana Nights music series. For more information, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and on our website, www.mentoneukes.com. Strum and be happy! Y