Magical year continues for Unlikely Strummers
By Guest
So far, 2026 has been a very “unlikely” year for one group of area musicians: the Unlikely Strummers, an award-winning ukulele band featuring amateur players from across southern Massachusetts and eastern Rhode Island.
The group, directed by Canton resident Cynthia Miller, is featured in the just-released issue of Ukulele Magazine, an industry publication for ukulele players all over the world. The article highlights the group’s unexpected combination of versatility and musicality, blended with comical antics and community service, noting that the same players who mastered an all-ukulele arrangement of Queen and David Bowie’s classic “Under Pressure” also waddled a 5K in inflatable pink flamingo costumes while singing and playing, and raised $5,000 for their favorite nonprofit. Unlikely, indeed!
But this recognition is just one piece of a remarkable year for these area musicians, who all volunteer their time for the group’s 85-90 performances per year. They had their first recording studio date in January, then took the stage at the Center for the Arts in Natick (TCAN) in February to perform with the Irish fusion band Gadan on their North American tour. In April, they returned to TCAN to open for international ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. This is the group’s second time opening for the acclaimed artist who has collaborated with icons such as Mick Fleetwood, Jimmy Buffet, Yo-Yo Ma, and Willie Nelson.
Just weeks after their date with Shimabukuro, Miller and the Unlikely Strummers co-hosted, along with ukulele groups from Waltham and Dover, NH, the second annual New England Ukulele Festival — a major benefit event for the Ukulele Kids Club (UKC), a nonprofit that donates ukuleles to children’s hospitals for music therapy programs, as well as providing at-home lessons for medically fragile children. The one-day event, drawing ukulele players and fans from across New England, raised over $20,000 to support the UKC’s mission.
Now, the group is busy preparing for another Unlikely first: On May 30, they will perform in the first of a three-concert series with the Warwick (RI) Symphony Orchestra (WSO) in a program entitled “Memory Lane,” which will feature original works for orchestra, a set of ukulele ensemble selections, and three commissioned arrangements for ukuleles and orchestra. Concerts will take place over three weekends, at Providence College; Gaspee Days in Warwick’s Pawtuxet Park; and the Washington County Fair, in Richmond, RI, benefiting Hasbro Children’s Hospital.
The Unlikely Strummers, now entering their 10th year, are the winners of the 2019 New England Battle of the Ukulele Bands and have been featured on Chronicle, WBZ News, CBS News, and NBC-10, as well as several area radio stations. They are a year-round favorite in the area, performing annually at Boston Harborfest, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and Roger Williams Zoo, and can be found bringing their brand of unexpected entertainment at fairs, festivals, and private events throughout the Greater Boston and Providence areas. The group is also known nationally for their trademark surprise serenades, “You’ve Been Uked!” To find out more, visit them on Facebook or at their website, unlikelystrummers.weebly.com.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=134089
Posted by Guest
on May 22 2026. Filed under Featured story.
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