Mike and Emily Stehle met 48 years ago in the news room of The Waterbury Republican in Connecticut and have been a couple ever since!
Six years ago, they joined the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society (TBUS) and learned to play their “jumping fleas” at beginner workshops. They are founding members of the original TBUS Band and the Pineapple Scruffs, Ukers for Life (a volunteer group that performs for Empath Health hospice patients) and the original Three Happy Ukers (August 2018-March 2020). Now Mike and Emily are a duo, 2 Happy Ukers, an acoustic band for hire.
Their mission: To provide joyous interaction with people using ukulele music. Both Emily and Mike teach free TBUS beginner uke workshops at the Safety Harbor Library and founded and lead the monthly “JamALONG” group. Both participated in Cynthia Lin’s 2020 online “100 Days of Ukulele Songs/Songs of Comfort Project.”
Mike’s music experience spans more than 50 years since he was lead singer and guitarist in a country western band, “The Real McCoys” while attending Sophia University in Tokyo.
Emily founded Uka-PALOOOZA! Florida, a one-day all-inclusive ukulele festival for ukers and non-ukers that started at the 2019 Florida State Fair. She is a former TBUS board member.
2 Happy Ukers specialize in leading family sing-alongs, particularly holiday and special occasion songs. Their repertoire includes music from the 20s to present day; the classics, country, Motown, folk, rock and roll and, of course, The Beatles!
