"The Night" was written by James Hill and performed by Uke Heads, a worldwide ukulele collective. Learn more about how Uke Heads works: ukeheads.com/about
"The Night" was written by James Hill and performed by Uke Heads, a worldwide ukulele collective. Learn more about how Uke Heads works: ukeheads.com/about
The nighttime is to lovers What the sea is to the sailor What a dream is to a dreamer Like you
And the bridle to the rider Is what the thorn is to the briar What the glove is to the fighter All bruised
Fortune is to the beggar What today is to forever What the wing is to the prayer Oh oh
And the is lie to the liar What the fan is to the fire What a good wine is to desire Oh oh
We've been gone, gone so long We've been gone, gone so long
Only the night knows who we really are Two satellites in freefall 'round a star Only the night knows who we really are Oo ooo
The world is to the wanderer What fall is to the summer what a son is to a father Oh oh
And dreams are to the tired What the song is to the choir What the bird is to the wire Oh oh
We've been gone, gone so long We've been gone, gone so long
Only the night knows who we really are Two satellites in freefall 'round a star Only the night knows who we really are Oo ooo
Only the night knows who we really are Two satellites in freefall 'round a star Only the night knows who we really are Oo oooUketropolis LIVE - February 2024James Hill2024-01-22 | Everyone is welcome at Uketropolis LIVE! I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!Uketropolis LIVE - January 2024James Hill2024-01-04 | Everyone is welcome at the first Uketropolis LIVE of 2024! I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!James Hill & Anne Janelle - Silent NightJames Hill2023-12-24 | Mohr / Gruber, arr. J. Hill From the album "The Midnight Clear" Hear the full album: youtu.be/zxEflk-AKAA Camera: Riley LamarcheJames Hill & Anne Janelle - The Midnight ClearJames Hill2023-12-19 | James & Anne's Christmas album, The Midnight Clear. With artwork by TAKI and animations by Marta Vorontsova.
0:00 Joy to the World 3:15 On A Cold Winter's Night 7:30 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear 12:03 Interlude 1 12:42 I Saw Three Ships / Il est né le divin enfant 16:36 Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming 21:03 A Day or Two Ago 25:33 Pat-a-pan 28:28 Interlude 2 30:33 Angels We Have Heard On High 34:35 Precious Little Baby Boy 39:19 Interlude 3 (Hey Ho, Nobody Home) 40:25 Golden Boys 45:19 O Christmas Tree 49:56 Silent Night
More Christmas videos: - James' version of "Hey, Ho, Nobody Home": youtu.be/A_IHA7BD3pA?si=HNG5LRcwu2Kmz8L7 - Anne's rendition of Joni Mitchell's "River": youtu.be/vOWGPLU33os?si=DeUco1ckWxSlmP4dukuLOUDLY - Crawdad SongJames Hill2023-11-30 | ukuLOUDLY is a global ukulele band... and you're invited! Join the band for free at https://www.ukuloudly.com. Crawdad Song (Trad., arr. James Hill), performed by 136 members of ukuLOUDLY.
Every few weeks, James Hill chooses a song from the Uketropolis catalog and arranges it in a wild and surprising way. Here's the best part: members of ukuLOUDLY get to play on the recording! It's free, fun and a great way to connect with other ukulele players. Learn more and join the band for free at https://www.ukuloudly.com.Uketropolis LIVE - November 2023James Hill2023-11-03 | Everyone is welcome at this free, live session. I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!Uketropolis LIVE! - October 2023James Hill2023-10-06 | Everyone is welcome at this free, live session. I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!Uketropolis LIVE! - July 2023James Hill2023-07-07 | Everyone is welcome at this free, live session. I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!Summertime: Behind-the-scenes!James Hill2023-06-16 | Join James live for a look behind-the-scenes of the latest Uke Heads single, "Summertime." Listen to the song here: youtu.be/SUSrIPwBgaw
No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah Summertime
No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah Summertime
Jet black GTO Got a bit of get-up-and-go Black light, stereo, summertime Hey, hey, what do you know? Everybody's at the show Easy come, easy go, summertime
No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah Summertime
Come on, baby, let's dance Pour yourself into your pants Jump right over the fence, summertime Give a little, give a lot Here we go, ready or not Sundown, soda pop, summertime
Summertime Summertime Summertime Summertime
No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Summertime Summertime Summertime Summertime
I'm goin' over the falls Stick a pin in a doll Hog tied and having a ball, summertime You can't take it when you go As above, so below What now? Heaven knows, summertime
No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah No, no, no, yeah, yeah SummertimeUketropolis LIVE! - June 2023James Hill2023-06-02 | Everyone is welcome at this free, live session. I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!Uketropolis LIVE! - May 2023James Hill2023-05-05 | Everyone is welcome at this free, live session. I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!Uketropolis LIVE - April 2023 [PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE]James Hill2023-04-06 | This week I will be live at 9am Eastern instead of our usual time. Everyone is welcome at this free, live session. I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!Slide Ukulele: Are You My Sunshine?James Hill2023-03-09 | Get 2 free slide ukulele lessons with James: uketropolis.com/slide
Ready for more? Check out the full Americana Ukulele course at uketropolis.com/americana. Learn clawhammer, three-finger bluegrass banjo picking, flatpicking, Travis picking and more. Interactive sheet music, backing tracks, printable TAB, plus support from James and the Uketropolis community. Giddyup!Uketropolis LIVE! - March 2023James Hill2023-03-02 | Everyone is welcome at this free, live session. I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!Uketropolis LIVE! - February 2023James Hill2023-02-02 | Everyone is welcome at this free, live session. I'll be answering student questions from uketropolis.com and, time permitting, questions from the chat. Bring your ukulele and let's explore the wide world of ukulele together!James Hill Live StreamJames Hill2023-01-30 | ...Ukulele Stank FaceJames Hill2022-12-04 | Wayfaring Stranger (Trad.) Recorded for Uketropolis Virtual Recital December 3, 2022 uketropolis.comUke Heads - Lie Di Die [Official Video]James Hill2022-11-08 | Uke Heads is a global ukulele ensemble working together to make beautiful music. Join the band at https://www.ukeheads.com! This gorgeous lyric video was created by animator Marta Vorontsova: imagikali.com
Lie Di Die by James Hill and Chris Parsons
Ooo ooo...
Glass elevators, tightrope serenaders Nothing could ever compare With the height that you took me to with your "I love yous" And with the smell of your hair
Rumblin' like a rocket Powerless to stop it Bright as a night in Times Square My worries grew smaller the higher we flew I didn't have time to be scared
But a flight is just a fall you walk away from You walked away...
And my heart is singing "Lie di die, di die, di die" Tonight in its cage Like a little bird with a broken wing Who might fly again someday
Ooo ooo...
Now my heart is like leather, tough as the desert Worn as a medicine ball Would you believe me if I told you he once Had a the voice of a porcelain doll?
The words are long-gone but if you draw near You can still hear his song through the wall Chickadee may you warble on sweetly Until I'm as grey as Old Montreal
A flight is just a fall you walk away from You walked away...
My heart is singing "Lie di die, di die" Like a little bird...
Oh, a flight is just a fall you walk away from You walked away...
And my heart is singing "Lie di die, di die, di die" Tonight in it's cage Like a little bird with a broken wing Who might fly again someday Like a little bird with a broken wing Who might fly again someday
Ooo ooo...Uke Heads Q&A #4: Recording and Submitting AudioJames Hill2022-05-26 | This week on the Uke Heads Q&A: how to record and upload your parts for each song on the Uke Heads album. Plus live Q&A; bring your questions and put them in the chat!
Uke Heads is my new album... and I'm inviting you to play and sing on it. The album is accompanied by a series of 1,879 portraits of the ukulele. The idea is simple: buy a Uke Head, play on the album. Uke Heads go on sale June 1, 2022 at noon PST at https://www.ukeheads.com.
Join me live every Thursday in May at noon Pacific right here on YouTube for casual Q&A about the project.
Links: Website: ukeheads.com Facebook: facebook.com/ukeheadsmusic Twitter: twitter.com/ukeheadsmusicUke Heads Q&A #3: Utility Now, Utility LaterJames Hill2022-05-19 | This week on the Uke Heads Q&A: utility! In other words, what you get (and what you don't get) when you become a Uke Head. Plus live Q&A; bring your questions and put them in the chat!
Uke Heads is my new album... and I'm inviting you to play and sing on it. The album is accompanied by a series of 1,879 portraits of the ukulele. The idea is simple: buy a Uke Head, play on the album. Uke Heads go on sale June 1, 2022 at noon PST at https://www.ukeheads.com.
Join me live every Thursday in May at noon PDT right here on YouTube for casual Q&A about the project.
Links: Website: ukeheads.com Facebook: facebook.com/ukeheadsmusic Twitter: twitter.com/ukeheadsmusicUke Heads Q&A #2: How to Purchase a Uke HeadJames Hill2022-05-12 | Next live Q&A is on May 19th at noon Pacific: youtu.be/iFTTGqYZj88. This week on the Uke Heads Q&A: the ins-and-outs of purchasing your Uke Head (NFT vs. non-NFT options, creating your wishlist, logging in, checking out, etc). Plus live Q&A; bring your questions and put them in the chat!
Uke Heads is my new album... and I'm inviting you to play and sing on it. The album is accompanied by a series of 1,879 portraits of the ukulele. The idea is simple: buy a Uke Head, play on the album. Uke Heads go on sale June 1, 2022 at noon PST at https://www.ukeheads.com.
Join me live every Thursday in May at noon PDT right here on YouTube for casual Q&A about the project.
Links: Website: ukeheads.com Facebook: facebook.com/ukeheadsmusic Twitter: twitter.com/ukeheadsmusicUke Heads Q&A #1: Overview and RoadmapJames Hill2022-05-05 | Uke Heads is my new album... and I'm inviting you to play and sing on it! The album is accompanied by a series of 1,879 portraits of the ukulele. The idea is simple: buy a Uke Head, play on the album. Uke Heads go on sale June 1, 2022 at noon PST at https://www.ukeheads.com.
Join me live every Thursday in May at noon Pacific Time for Q&A about the project.
Links: Website: ukeheads.com Facebook: facebook.com/ukeheadsmusic Twitter: twitter.com/ukeheadsmusicThree-song preview of my new album! (Uketropolis Podcast S2 E27)James Hill2022-04-29 | I'm inviting everyone to play and sing on my new album, Uke Heads! It's part community, part recording: 10 songs powered by you, me and 1,879 unique portraits of the ukulele. What a world. Learn more at https://www.ukeheads.com.James Hill Breaks Down His Unusual Christmas Single Hey, Ho, Nobody HomeJames Hill2021-12-11 | A guided tour of the song "Hey, Ho, Nobody Home." Vocals, uke, synth, drum machine. Watch and listen: youtu.be/A_IHA7BD3pAHey, Ho, Nobody Home (Official Video)James Hill2021-12-11 | Go behind the music in James' studio: youtu.be/6_5T7b9dtyI Listen on Spotify: tinyurl.com/5dz3t3rz jameshillmusic.com @jameshillmusiq
Hey, Ho, Nobody Home Traditional, arr. J. Hill
Hey, ho, nobody home Meat nor drink nor money have I none Yet will I be merry Hey, ho, nobody home Meat nor drink nor money have I none Yet will I be merry
A soul, a soul, a soul cake Please, good missus a soul cake An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry Any good thing to make us all merry One for Peter, two for Paul Three for Him who made us all
Hey, ho, nobody home Meat nor drink nor money have I none Yet will I be merry Hey, ho, nobody home Meat nor drink nor money have I none Yet will I be merry
The streets are very dirty My shoes are very thin I have a little pocket To put a penny in If you haven't got a penny A half-penny will do If you haven't got a half-penny Then God bless you
A soul, a soul, a soul cake Please, good missus a soul cake An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry Any good thing to make us all merry One for Peter, two for Paul Three for Him who made us all
O, bless the master of this house And the mistress, too And all the little children Who 'round your table grow The cattle in your stable The dog by your front door And all who dwell within your gates We wish you ten times more
Hey, ho, nobody home Meat nor drink nor money have I none Yet will I be merry Hey, ho, nobody home Meat nor drink nor money have I none Yet will I be merryIt Had To Be You (from Baritone Ukulele Jazz)James Hill2021-12-09 | Online course: Baritone Ukulele Jazz with James Hill Free lesson: uketropolis.com/baritonejazz Good news: baritone ukulele has the same chord names as guitar but only uses 4 strings to make those rich, jazzy sounds! In Baritone Ukulele Jazz you'll learn over a dozen jazz standards (including "It Had To Be You") with step-by-step video lessons with Yours Truly. Get started with a free lesson at uketropolis.com/baritonejazz. See you there.
P.S. Hoodie is from 1879 Apparel: 1879.coGoodnight Moon (free sheet music and play-along mp3)James Hill2021-10-29 | Sheet music and play-along mp3: uketropolis.com/goodnightmoon My weekly podcast: uketropolis.com/podcast This simple melody is one of the hardest things I've ever played. My fingers were literally throbbing in pain! Why? Find out in this episode of the Uketropolis Podcast: https://share.transistor.fm/s/bb5df8e2Happy Birthday to Uke (3 min. preview)James Hill2021-08-27 | Celebrate every student, every year! Full 15-minute guided tour of the course: youtu.be/abWtE6nEHYI Buy now: uketropolis.com/birthday
Full list of musical styles included: - Hawaiian - Techno - Heavy Metal - Hip-hop - Elvis - Reggae - Ska - Cowboy Ballad - Folk - Classical - Tango - Big Band JazzWhat happened on August 23, 1879?James Hill2021-08-11 | Celebrate the birth of the 'ukulele with 1879 Apparel! 1879.co FB / TW / IG: @1879apparel
On August 23, 1879, the clipper ship Ravenscrag arrived in Honolulu after 123 gruelling days at sea. Aboard were 427 men, women and children from Madeira in search of work and opportunity.
Rejoicing in their safe arrival, a passenger named João Fernandes burst into song, strumming a small, guitar-like machete (“mah-shette”). It was the first time such a sound was heard in Hawai‘i and it inspired the birth of the ‘ukulele which, by the late 1880s, was considered the national instrument of Hawai‘i.
1879 Apparel celebrates this historic moment and honours those who contributed to the development of the ‘ukulele. Little did the passengers of the Ravenscrag know that, for generations in their wake, the “jumping flea” would bring joy to countless people around the world.James Hill - Here Comes the Rain Again (Solo Ukulele) ☂️James Hill2021-05-16 | Recorded for the Uketropolis Virtual Recital, May 15, 2021. Take 3 free lessons with me: http://www.uketropolis.com/theukuleleway This arrangement from the book "Duets For One": http://tinyurl.com/yahqgtgt
The additional lessons I mention in the lesson will be available very soon. In the meantime, go to uketropolis.com/jazz and sign up to be the first to know when they're ready!Well get through this with music.James Hill2020-08-26 | Teacher Toolkit: uketropolis.com/toolkit FREE Ukulele in the Classroom E-Books: uketropolis.com/classroom Socials: @uketropolis
It's a tough time to be a teacher. Nobody knows what the school year will bring. It could be in-person classes. It could be online lessons. It could be both. Only one thing is for certain: you don't have time to prepare for everything.
You need something that will pivot with you, whether you're in-class or online. Something that helps you give awesome lessons no matter what. Here's some good news: all three levels of my classroom ukulele method are now free. They're free e-books available to anyone, anywhere. You never have to worry about books again!
Plus, I've just launched the Teacher Toolkit and think this can really help. It's the "secret sauce" that lets you pivot between online and offline and always give your students a great lesson. The Teacher Toolkit is like a teacher assistant and house band rolled into one. In every lesson you get video tips from me to share with your students, you get backing tracks for your students to play along with (this is especially important when you're teaching online and still want students to feel like they're playing with a group), you get interactive scores that let you speed up, slow down, loop sections for practise plus a virtual fretboard that shows exactly how to play everything. You can even create custom scores showing just the parts your students need to see and you can print or send those custom scores to your students. It's really amazing.
The best thing to do is just go and try it yourself at uketropolis.com/toolkit. You'll get a free backing track to try out with your students and 30 days to decide if the Toolkit is the right fit for you. There's really no risk and it might just be the life-raft you've been looking for.
It's a tough time to be a music teacher. But you're doing important work and you're not alone. I'm here for you, the Uketropolis community is cheering you on, and this Teacher Toolkit is designed specifically to help you meet the challenges of today's classroom.
Set list (all requests): 1. If Wishes We Horses (Hill) 2. The Brightest Lights (Hill) 3. Because (d'Hardelot) 4. Hand Over My Heart (Hill) 5. Ode to a Frozen Boot (Hill) 6. Assam / Like A Bird (Hill/Janelle) 7. For So Long (Hill) 8. We Can Make A Change (Janelle) http://www.WeCanMakeAChange.org
Thank you, everyone, for your support and love this month and always. See you again soon! xoJames Hill & Anne Janelle - Almost Home (new single)James Hill2020-05-20 | jameshillannejanelle.com Be well, friends. You're in our hearts. Special thanks to everyone who contributed footage to this video.
"I've been away so long / I'm navigating by the stars," opens Almost Home, our first single in the era of isolation. For years, easy travel had us chasing dreams. Then COVID-19 stopped the clock. Weeks of suspended animation. Time to reflect, to hear the birds, to dig our hands in the dirt and write new songs. "Let the Rockies be / Let the wild rivers roar." And yet for all the roots we grow, there's always a branch that reaches for the light. Today we're as home as we'll ever be: almost.
Lyrics: I've been away so long I'm navigating by the stars Every highway takes a toll And every bridge is a bridge too far.
If I can't go 'round Then I'm gonna go through 'Cause there ain't nothin' in this crazy world Will keep me from getting back to you.
A mile on the rails Is a mile on the road And the hands of time hold you down When you're carrying a heavy load.
I'm almost home. Ain't got far to go. Just 10,000 telephone poles and two more dreams. Let the Rockies be. Let the wild rivers roar. The only thing I ever know for sure Is that I never miss you more than when I'm almost home.
Goodbye Lake Louise, I hardly even knew you. The only trouble with blue-green eyes Is how they look right through you.
So hello, Lake Ontario Shotgun on your Greyhound bus Last call for Orillia Fall colours all around us.
A mile on the rails Is a mile on the road And the hands of time hold you down When you're carrying a heavy load.
I'm almost home. Ain't got far to go. Just 10,000 telephone poles and two more dreams. Let the Rockies be. Let the wild rivers roar. The only thing I ever know for sure Is that I never miss you more than when I'm almost home.James & Anne - Almost Home (Part 3)James Hill2020-05-20 | Live from our home studio May, 20, 2020. 4pm - 4:30pm ADT. http://www.jameshillannejanelle.comJames & Anne - Almost Home (Part 2)James Hill2020-05-13 | Live from our home studio May, 13, 2020. 4pm - 4:30pm ADT. http://www.jameshillannejanelle.com
Set List: 1. You Should See Me Now (Hill) 2. Keep the Customer Satisfied (Simon) 3. What Would You Have Me Do? (Hill) 4. After You've Gone (Layton / Creamer) 5. Promenade (Hill) 6. We Can Make A Change (Janelle)
Set List: 1. I'll Never Know 2. In the Morning 3. Smash the Window (by request!) 4. Time To Go 5. Beauty Remains 6. We Can Make A ChangePeace like an ukuleleJames Hill2020-05-02 | "Peace like an 'ukulele" is a free online course with James Hill. 7 video lessons + TAB & sheet music. uketropolis.com/peace
Ukulele is like a blanket. A shelter from the noise and uncertainty of life. A safe place to lose yourself in music. "Peace like an 'ukulele" is a free course to help you relax. Written and presented by James Hill. Play. Breathe. Repeat. http://www.ukulelepeace.comTonight You Belong To Me (In Memoriam)James Hill2020-04-22 | We are still in shock from the recent events here in Nova Scotia. Our hearts go out to the many family, friends, and loved ones of the victims; we are grieving with you. This is a lullaby of peace, meant to gently hold those who need it, especially the children whose lives have been forever changed.
"Tonight You Belong to Me" was the last song Lisa McCully performed on her Facebook page. The March 23rd video of Lisa singing the song with her children inspired us to record this version. May we grow closer through grief and find solace in music. “Although we're apart you're a part of my heart.”
Song by Billy Rose and Lee David (1926), arranged by James and Anne.The $1 Beginner Course with James Hill: Ready, Steady, UKULELE!James Hill2020-03-31 | Yep, just $1. 60+ minutes of video instruction for absolute beginners. http://www.readysteadyukulele.com
• 5 Lessons • 12 Step-by-Step Videos • 60+ Minutes of Instruction • No advertising • PDF Sheet Music • Chord Chart • Note-Finder Chart • and more!
What's the catch? There's no catch. The entire course is yours for a dollar. I hope you'll have an amazing learning experience and, once you've mastered the basics, I hope you'll visit Uketropolis.com to take other great courses like BOOSTER UKE, The Ukulele Way and UkuleleX. Enjoy!Two ideas. A million possibilities.James Hill2020-03-04 | Free sheet music (Theme from New World Symphony): uketropolis.com/new-world Free lessons with James: uketropolis.com Subscribe to the Uketropolis Gazette: uketropolis.com/blog
Special thanks to my son for lending me his prized DaSilva soprano for this video. http://www.ukemaker.com.Billie Jean Ukulele Tutorial (Part 2)James Hill2020-02-21 | Watch Part 1: youtu.be/xAIE70FhZLE UkuleleX: James Hill Teaches Extreme Ukulele Take a free lesson at http://www.ukuleleX.com
You've been asking for years and now it's finally here: the official Billie Jean ukulele tutorial with Yours Truly. Learn the whole riff, step-by-step: bassline, chords and drums!
You've been asking for years and now it's finally here: the official Billie Jean ukulele tutorial with Yours Truly. Learn the whole riff, step-by-step: bassline, chords and drums!
Since my video of Billie Jean went viral in 2010, I've been pushing the limits of the ukulele further every day. Now, for the first time ever, I'm revealing my extreme ukulele secrets in UkuleleX, an online ukulele course like no other in hopes of inspiring a new generation of players to be brave and to chart new territory.
Forget everything you thought you knew about the uke. What I'm going to show you in these lessons will unleash the little beast inside your ukulele and show you the dark side of this amazing instrument. http://www.ukuleleX.com
QUOTES FROM THIS VIDEO "Ukulele is like a cheap vacation." "Strum a chord and MAGIC! You're transported to someplace warmer. When it's cold outside that's exactly what you need." "Not every chord has the same warmth to it; some are just warmer than others."
ABOUT JAMES James Hill's early recordings established him as “one of the world’s top composers for the ukulele” (Rafe Mair, 600AM Vancouver) and a “rare peer” of Hawaii's’ premier ukulelists (John Berger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin) His later albums have “stamped him as a singer-songwriter and all-round musician of the highest calibre” (Rhythms Magazine).
A 'third-generation' Canadian ukulele player, James grew up in the town of Langley, British Columbia where he was a student of Jamie Thomas and Peter Luongo, themselves former protégés of ukulele visionary J. Chalmers Doane. After a decade spent honing his skills as a member of the Langley Ukulele Ensemble, James continued his study of music at the University of British Columbia where he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in 2003.
In the mid-2000s, James collaborated with J. Chalmers Doane, the trail-blazing teacher who first pioneered the use of ukuleles in Canadian schools, to create the acclaimed Ukulele in the Classroom method book series. In 2010, James and his father Barry, a retired school teacher, launched the JHUI Teacher Certification Program, the only course of its kind in the world. With Ukulele in the Classroom established as the gold standard for classroom ukulele pedagogy, James set his sights on creating a new resource that would focus on teaching the art and science of solo ukulele (i.e. playing melody, harmony and rhythm simultaneously on one instrument). The Ukulele Way, with its rich blend of print, audio, video and social media technology, was launched in 2014.
A singer, songwriter, educator and virtuoso instrumentalist, James Hill is a man on a musical mission. It's a mission that reaches beyond the concert stage and into communities, homes and classrooms around the world. After all, when the applause fades and the stage goes dark you can still hear the sound of ukuleles strumming happily into the night...