Date: February 24th 2010

From: DFW International Community Alliance
on behalf of Lone Star Uke Fest
Contact: Noel Tardy 214-924-0408
info@LoneStarUkeFest.com
www.LoneStarUkeFest.com

Lone Star Uke Fest and Music Camp comes to Dallas, April 29 -May 1, 2010.

The LONE STAR Ukulele Festival and Music Camp will come to TEXAS April 29 - May 1. The event, which benefits the Ukes in the Classroom – Texas programm is the second major such endeavor by the Dallas Ukulele Headquarters and will be held at the Holiday Inn Select (Galleria), 2645 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, TX .

“Hawaii meets Texas Swing in Dallas – ukulele style!” according to Noel Tardy, co-chair of the event, who explains that activities for musicians and beginners will include uke classes on blues, swing, Hawaiian music, “Gypsy” Django style uke and Tin Pan Alley music as well as Hawaiian lap steel guitar, performance and chord theory. The Concert will highlight the instructors and performers, while Jam sessions, open-mic night, a silent auction and exhibitor booths will round out the Festival’s selection of events for entertainment and learning. Each student receives a goodie bag and Jam Book included in registration. This outstanding local event features some of the top musical talents in the country as well as international recording artist James Hill from Canada. Performers include Gerald Ross/Michigan, Kimo Hussey/Hawaii, Pops Bayless/Austin, Ukulele Bartt/California, Deb Porter/Texas, Mark “Spanky” Gutierrez/Nebraska, Derick Sebastian/Hawaii, The Wahooliga
ns/Texas and local musician Dennis McBride.

The ukulele weekend will culminate on Saturday in a barbecue dinner/concert. Special room rates are available at The Holiday Inn Select, 2645 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, TX 75243 . With an emphasis on fun and hands-on instruction, the Lone Star Uke Fest and Music Camp provides a variety of ways to make music in a friendly, and supportive environment. ”Coming to the Camp is an inexpensive and easy way to begin learning about the ukulele in the beginner classes or to improve skills in the more advanced classes. “Musicians find that joining a Ukulele Jam group helps build community, and makes people happy in these uncertain times”, said Noel Tardy owner of UkeLadyMusic.com, who is a performer, teacher, and Ukulele dealer in North Texas. “There is something appealingly light about it, (playing the Ukulele)”, said Jim Beloff, author of the book, The Ukulele: A Visual History. Beloff also remarks in an article by Allen Salkin, published August 8, 2008 in the New York Times:
“There is lightness and sweetness about the sound of a Ukulele, and it doesn’t hurt that the association people have is with Hawaii, which is a beautiful place. It’s kind of a vacation in your mind.” Come to the Lonestar Ukulele Festival, and take a vacation with us the weekend of April 29 - May 1. For more information check out www.lonestarukefest.com