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Ukuleles are one of the world’s hottest instruments, including here in Chattanooga

Edward Bergin, left, and Kathy Kessler play ukuleles at Mountain Music on Broad Street. Bergin and Kessler have only recently begun playing the instrument.
Edward Bergin, left, and Kathy Kessler play ukuleles at Mountain Music on Broad Street. Bergin and Kessler have only recently begun playing the instrument. Edward Bergin, left, and Kathy Kessler play ukuleles at Mountain Music on Broad Street. Bergin and Kessler have only recently begun playing the instrument.

By Barry Courter 5 min read

If your only image of the ukulele is Tiny Tim playing “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” or if you see it as just a toy for kids, check out Jake Shimabukuro playing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

Or if you think the instrument was just recently discovered by the same young, hip, music-loving crowd that recently invented live music and craft beer, look up Roy Smeck, a 1930s-era player who could teach guitar gods Steve Vai or Eddie Van Halen a thing or two about shredding.

The truth is: The tiny instrument has been around for about 140 years, and it is currently one of the hottest-selling instruments in the world, including here.

“I sell more ukuleles than any other instrument in my shop,” says Darren Patrick, owner of Mountain Music in St. Elmo.

And it’s not a new trend. From 2009 to 2012, annual sales of ukuleles – or ukes, as many prefer – went from 501,000 to more than 1 million in the U.S., and sales have continued at more than 1 million per year since.