Rachel Manke has been playing the ukulele for over 20 years. It's the passion that has fueled adventure and friendships in her life. She is a skilled player in a vaudeville vein who has taken flourish and technique from that stage into various genres. She has appeared on stages that range from the New Jersey Uke Fest and Strummin' Man to Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. A little bit country, a little bit everything else, a whole lot of funny, and a touch of sentiment.
Rachel started in the late 90's on a $25 Hilo soprano and came to the uke world via the founders of the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum. She first studied with Joel Eckhaus, directly learning from the well known student of the famed Roy Smeck. Ever since, she has continued to learn and perform, and is now a respected teacher as well, having taught at camps such as California Coast Music Camp, Puget Sound Guitar Workshop and the Port Townsend Uke Fest. She has a penchant for Tin Pan Alley, old-time music, and is a master of the old-school uke chord solo flourish.
Rachel lives in Coastal Virginia. If you want to know more about her….well that’s what Google is for! :)
Does Rachel have a cd? Yes! Her album, "Other Duties As Assigned" is available through Elderly, CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon. Want more info? Send her a note.
What does Rachel play? Sopranissimo: Ohana O'niño (and then some!) Sopranino: Ohana SK - 2, Ohana Pequeno Sopranos: Earnest Mainlander, Glyph Ukelenco, 1950’s Martin 0, Firefly banjo uke, Ohana SK-75R Concert: Ohana, CK-70G, Ohana CK-38 Tenor: Outdoor Ukulele Baritone: Ohana BK-70
Thanks to Nat Quick for this photo.
Cover art by Brendan Albetski of helltobreakfast.net