gmhTODAY 15 gmhToday July Aug 2017 | Page 60

The jam includes playing and singing twenty songs together with the chord charts posted on the website by the 15 th of each month so they can be downloaded and practiced before the jam. Each month the song list is different. Starting in June there will be a Beginner Lesson before the jam, from 5:15 to 5:45. There isn’t any cost for the jam or for the lesson. The jam players are a mixed group of women and men from Gilroy and the surrounding area. When asked by TODAY to comment on how long they have been playing ukulele and to name their three favorite songs, here’s what a few of them said: Patty Stone from Gilroy has been playing for 50 years, off and on since she was a very young girl. Her three favorites are “Crazy,” “Calendar Girl” and “Red, Red Robin.” Grant Bennet from Gilroy says, “I’ve been strummin’ for seven years and love making music with friends. I love playing and singing Bring Me Sunshine, It’s Only a Paper Moon, and I Love You A Bushel and A Peck.” Dave Goddard from Morgan Hill has been playing three or four years, “It’s hard to keep track.” His three favorites are “When I’m Cleaning Windows,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and “Gulf Coast Highway.” Shannon Goddard, Dave’s wife (and just one of several strumming couples in the group) has played the same amount of time as Dave and her three favorites are “You’ve Got A Friend in Me,” “Hey There Georgie Girl,” and “Beyond the Sea.” Max Martinez from San Juan Bautista has been playing for over three years and his favorite is “Anything Country.” Terry Newman’s favorites right now are “America the Beautiful,” “Summertime,” and “Danny Boy.” Jane Rekedal from Aromas has been playing for a couple of years and likes “Teach the Children,” “Singin’ the Blues,” and “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.” Karen McDonald says, “I’ve been playing for three years with an interest group of AAUW Morgan Hill. We meet at people’s homes each week and have a great time. We are now practicing cowboy songs so the ones that are currently favorites of mine are “Ragtime Cowboy Joe,” “Cowboy’s Sweetheart,” and “Cattle Call,” which involves learning how to yodel. Linda Tarvin from Morgan Hill has been playing since she was six years old. She not only plays, but she is a “novelty performer,” playing solo and in costume for senior groups, and with the AAUW Morgan Hill group, Ukuladies. Susan Patereau says her three favorite songs are “Bring Me Sunshine,” “Banana Pancakes,” and “Ripple.” But she also real- ly really likes “You’ve Got A Friend in Me,” “Octopus Garden,” “Sing To Me” (the iPhone7 song), “I’ll See You In My Dreams,” “L-O-V-E,” “Rainbow Connection,” and so many more. Karen Chavez from Gilroy is a very accomplished player and says, “My three favorite songs right now are “You’ve Got A Friend in Me,” “What a Wonderful World,” and “Your Cheating Heart.” To become a part of a ukulele jam, just show up. Visit the Gilroy Ukulele Jam’s website at GilroyUkuleleJam.com, and join their Facebook group, Gilroy Ukulele Jam. You don’t need an invitation because everyone is welcome. gmh 60 GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN Splash into cool waters at the Morgan Hill Dennis Kennedy Aquatics Center in Morgan Hill! Enjoy the thrill of two waterslides, splashtastic water features and tackle the challenge of our inflatable obstacle course! New this summer – Poolside cabanas with food/beverage service! Visit www.mhaquaticscenter.com or call 408.782.2134. JULY/AUGUST 2017 gmhtoday.com