WWHarrisonStUkulelePlayers

Website copyright 2008. G. Wong-Monaco. For more info, contact: GiGi Wong-Monaco @ wonderwallemporium@yahoo.com
WONDERWALL Music Shoppe & Emporium 325 Harrison Street Oak Park IL 60304 Ph: 708.948.7986

E komo mai ~

Our Mission: To Spread the Aloha and Joy of Ukulele Playing!

Who We Are: We are members from the Oak Park Ukulele Meetup Group who started out by coming to the Thursday night meetups and wanting to gig out. Thus, the 'performance group - The Harrison Street Ukulele Players was formed.

How It Started: Officially established in the Fall of 2008 by Honolulu native, GiGi Wong-Monaco, co-owner of W O N D ER W A L L. GiGi formed the Oak Park Ukulele Meetup Group in October 2008. Three months later, in early January 2009, the producer for CBS Chicago Early Morning News called GiGi, asking for ukulele players to come play 'live' for Barack Obama's upcoming inaugural celebration. (See photo on home page.) Since then, the group has been growing and is open to any current member of the meetup group.

In November, 2009, WXRT Terri Hemmert became our first 'Honorary Ukulele Member' (H.U.M.) Terri was so honored by this, she even announced it 'live' on her "Breakfast With The Beatles Sunday radio show!

Milestone ~ One day in the Spring of 2008, GiGi had a brilliant idea....'set a record for the most ukulele players onstage' at the 2008 Fest For Beatles Fans' Battle of the Bands. (YouTube.com) Throughout the summer, friends and new friends met and practiced every Thursday evening. Word got around (thanks to the support of WXRT DJ Terri Hemmert!) and we ended up with 28 players from all over the country, including a very special guest,
a British bloke and a Rutle at that, Neil Innes! After this amazing time, the local Chicagoland players decided to continue to meet up and 'gig out'. And both ukulele groups have been growing in numbers ever since.

George Harrison
once said that
everyone should
play an ukulele....
and we agree!

WONDERWALL'S
Harrison Street Ukulele Players!
aka The Oa k Pa rk 's Uk u l e l e Me et up Gr o up!

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Sitar Emporium Wonderwall Music Shoppe & Emporium

Members of the Harrison Street Ukulele Players performed live on
WBBM CBS2 Chicago "Early Morning News" Show for the upcoming inauguration of President Obama.
Jan.16, 2009. (It was -17 below 0 that morning!)

Songs We Play: The Beatles and their solo works, 60's, Pop (The Monkees, Hollies, etc), 70's, Pop , Rock, Hawaiian Songs (Traditional/'Hapa Haole'), 40's, 50's, Tin Pan Alley, Holiday/Christmas Songs, Movie/Film Soundtracks, and more.

A few events/venues we have played::
CBS 2 Chicago 'Early Morning News', 2009.
Fest For Beatles Fans-Battle of Bands, 2009-present.
Blockbuster's BEATLES ROCK BAND Release, 2009.
Here Comes The Sun Cancer Awareness Event, 2009.
Oak Park 4th of July Parade, 2009, 2010, 2011
Beatles 'Get Back' Art ShowmNiles Public Library, 2010.
Old Town School of Folk Music - Brendan Hedges Scholarship Fundraiser, 2010.
"The Mighty Uke" film, Gene Siskel Film Center, 2010.
Forest Park's 'Holiday Walk', 2010.
HELP! JAPAN Fundraiser for Red Cross, 2011.
WDCB 90.9 "Folk Festival - Bob Dylan Birthday", 2011.
FitzGerald's 31st American Music Festival, 2011.

Available for private parties, weddings and other events.
(And no, Terri Hemmert does not do gigs with us.)

For bookings and other information, please contact:
GiGi Wong-Monaco, 708.948.7986
Email: hsup2008@gmail.com

Basic Ukulele Lessons by GiGi Wong-Monaco.
Inquire at Wonderwall. GiGi is the founder of the Oak Park Ukulele Meetup Group; member of Ke Ali'i Victoria Ka'iulani Hawaiian Civic Club; and Kupa'a Pacific Island Resources.