Old to New Uke Legends 'Next June is 25 years after IZ's passing'

Next June 2022 will mark 25 years after IZ's passing.

Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole rendition of 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' original music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E. Y. Harburgnow now holds over 1 Billion Youtube views and stands as a legacy song for the mighty ukulele.

Israel who passed in the summer of 1997 is still to this day a well known ukulele player and his haunting vocals bring to life an already classic piece of pop music culture. Next June 2022 will mark 25 years after his passing. Let us hope the ukulele community are planning some key events to kickstart a passage of remembrance for the legend. 

New Blood

Billie Eilish 19 and Elise Ecklund 24 are now both modern day advocates of the ukulele with their own releases of signature ukes, readily inspiring the next generation of ukulele players. We salute you!

"The rules of the ukulele are simple, and basically if you know three chords you can play almost any song" Billie Eilish

Billie with this quote encompasses the simplistic qualities of the ukulele and why it is such a gateway instrument into the world of playing a musical instrument and allowing people to connect not only with their own emotional being that music can resonate within, but also is the ignition to allow communities to connect by creating music together, competing and jousting with the ever expanding digital age we so eagerly embrace. 

Elise Ecklund is well known as a You-tuber covering many different songs entertaining audience to the fun and lighter side the uke has to offer. Like this 22 songs on the ukulele video below.

So let us celebrate an old uke advocate (Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole) and two new refreshing uke legends (Billie Eilish and Elise Ecklund) who are holding the mighty uke banner up high into the years to come.