Finding Minnesota: Twin Cities Ukulele Clubs

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- When the winter blues start to set in, some people turn to sun lamps or supplements to lift their spirits.

Others, though, find simple joy in a simple instrument.

The Twin Cities Ukulele Club holds six jams a month, strumming away on cheerful little instruments that can conjure up images of island sun.

"You never see someone playing a uke without a smile on their face," Tony Anthonisen, the group's founder, said. "It's joyous. It sounds fun to me."

Anthonisen, 68, learned to play when he was in his 60s, hoping to teach the same skills to his grandchildren. They weren't interested, though, so he formed the club about four years ago.

Mostly, they play bluegrass and old-time songs.

"It's a great way to get into participating in music. And that's where the fun is," Anthonisen said. "Plus you make some really good friends."

Nancy Mattson of Anoka played guitar as a teenager and had a friend invite her in recent years to try the ukulele.

"I've heard some research that it keeps you young and healthy to go back and do things that you did earlier in your life," she said, "and I think it's worked for me. I think it's been great."

Sales of ukuleles have been surging over the past 10 years. They're relatively inexpensive and easy to learn.

"You only need to know about five or six chords and that's it," Anthonisen said.

Gary Erickson of Coon Rapids said he's hooked.

"I got one really cheap and I started playing," he said, "and now I have a dozen of them."

From week to week, the group has everyone from artists to business people showing up to play.

Don Venne is a former district court judge.

"I almost always had a ukulele in chambers for about the last 12, 13 years of it," he said.

The Twin Cities Ukulele Club hosts six jams a month at two different community centers in Minneapolis. People are free to just drop in - even beginners - and all ages are welcome.

There are other ukulele clubs in the metro as well. Here's a list.