In the January 31, 2011 issue of TIME magazine is a story titled “A String Thing,” about our favorite four-stringed instrument. The author, Tim Morrison, quotes several uke players about why they love the jumping flea.

[Record producer Roger] Greenawalt left New York for San Francisco to stay with his cousin, an amateur musician who had ukuleles around the house. “I started playing one and just started feeling un-bummed-out,” he says. “Even playing depressing songs, the ukulele cheers you up. It’s like a happiness machine.”
[Player Jake] Shimabukuro, who now tours 10 months a year, says he’s often approached in airports by people curious about his instrument. “There’s friendliness to the ukulele that’s very rare,” he says. “If everyone played the ukulele, the world would be a better place.”

Except for a stub, the article, unfortunately, isn’t available online unless you’re a TIME subscriber. But it’s always good to see the uke getting recognition in the mainstream media, outside its band of enthusiasts. We’ve already known for quite a while that keeping a ukulele nearby always helps. —by Walter