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Suzanne Ladouceur, of St. Clair Shores; Amy Fiddler, of Harrison Township; and Colt Weatherston, of Grosse Pointe Farms, practice with the ukulele group. Fiddler says she takes her ukulele with her everywhere she goes.
Photo by Kristyne E. Demske
ST. CLAIR SHORES — Walking into the atrium of Lake Shore Presbyterian Church on a Wednesday afternoon is like taking a trip to the islands.
Visitors are greeted with soft sounds of ukuleles accompanied by voices lifted in the welcoming songs of the Lakeshore Ukulele Strummers, a group of players who have been playing together at the church since 2019 and perform throughout the community.
June Taylor, of St. Clair Shores, said there were ukulele groups in Garden City and Waterford, but there was nothing nearby.
“It was real obvious there was nothing on the east side of Detroit,” she said, “so we started playing on somebody’s patio. We put an ad in the paper, and if it wasn’t for C & G Newspapers, we wouldn’t have this many people.”
The group has grown to about two dozen members playing all different kinds of ukuleles: baritone, electric bass, tenor, concert, soprano and banjolele. They also have a cowbell and harmonica to accompany them.
Pat Ihrie, of Grosse Pointe Woods, said she knew the group needed a place to meet, so she approached the pastor of her church, Lake Shore Presbyterian, 27801 Jefferson Ave., to ask about using the space each week.
The Rev. Adam Grosch said they were happy to oblige.
“Every Wednesday, you can count on being serenaded,” he said.
Members say they enjoy having the chance to get together each week and share their music.
“I played the guitar all my life,” said Anita Sohaski, of St. Clair Shores. “I learned some chords and came to the group. I like the softness of the instrument.”
The ukulele is a very accessible instrument, said Karen Dillaman, of Grosse Pointe Woods.
“You can play something after 10 minutes of instruction. We have people that have been playing two months and 60 years,” she said.
“There’s safety in numbers, because you can screw up and nobody can hear it,” joked Sue Goeddeke, of Harrison Township, the group’s leader.
Hazel Park resident Sandy Krueger said she saw someone playing a ukulele in the park one day and thought it looked like fun. Now, she said, she belongs to three ukulele clubs.
“I’ve only been playing (for) a year and four months, and I own 10 ukuleles,” she said.
While the group had to shut down in March 2020, some members continued to meet via Zoom. They began meeting outside that summer and resumed their gatherings in the church in the summer of 2021. Members range in age from in their 50s to 90s, and the Lakeshore Ukulele Strummers are always looking for new members to join them when they play from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.
“This is the best ukulele group in southeast Michigan,” said Ron Masino, of Livonia. “I’ve played in five or six other groups, (but) this is the most fun and the best sounding.”
This summer, the group will play at the Selinsky-Green Farmhouse Museum’s annual Garden Tea Party, from 2-4 p.m. June 29. Tickets for the party are $8 for adults and $4 for children under 12 and can be purchased at the St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, by June 21. The museum is located behind the library.
The group will also perform free concerts at 7 p.m. July 25 in Wahby Park, 24800 Jefferson Ave., in St. Clair Shores, and at 1 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Harrison Township Public Library, 38255 L’Anse Creuse St., Ste. A.
