Ukulele Heroes - Roy Smeck

Next in my series of ukulele heroes, a short bio on Roy Smeck, known as "The Wizard Of The Strings".

Roy Smeck was born in 1900 in Reading, Pennsylvania and was a self taught but highly skilled player of the guitar, banjo, and ukulele.

In his twenties he broke on to the Vaudeville circuit and was known to wow crowds across the USA, playing a variety of stringed instruments.  A complete showman, Roy would be know to spin his ukulele and play it behind his head - an early day Jimi Hendrix!

He went on to make a number of hit records and starred in several films in the twenties and thirties and was a regular guest on the Ed Sullivan show.  His love of the ukulele led him to provide celebrity endorsement for the Harmony ukulele company.

Roy died at the age of 94 and was inducted into the ukulele hall of fame.