Shaw, Ralph

Born in Canada as the son of a German mother and English father, Shaw grew up in the UK, returned to Canada after studying physics and became a soloist and entertainer with a banjo ukulele since the 1990s. His first stage character developed for children was Ralph the Clown. Since then, as the self-proclaimed King of the ukulele, he mainly performs songs in the style of the 1920s to 1940s, also using a taro patch. He also performs outside of Canada.

Shaw also teaches, writes a ukulele newsletter and has published several books on the ukulele.

I'll never quite understand how such a man came to be: a physicist-turned-clown-turned-ukulele-ambassador-and-teacher. Ralph is a genuine mystery. He's a man with a knack for engaging an audience and keeping them right in the palm of his hand. He's also a man who's able and willing to help others understand the art of performance. He's a rare mix, our Ralph: an uber-talented performer with the soul of a teacher.

James Hill