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In My Life with Lil Rev

Out in Montana at the Battle of Little Big Horn, Custer memorial State Park. Our travels are far and wide, 40,000 miles in 2012 to be exact. Why not do some site seeing while we are out and about!

Lil Rev is pictured here with Mike Upton and Rick Carlson of Kala during my winter of 2013 Ukulele Tour of CA.

They say its not wise to pick favorites, but i apologize, Uncle Ralph Fox was simply the best uncle i have ever known. He was funny, cool, seasoned, and down to earth. A former Milwaukee Country Bus Driver for some 30 years. I shall never forget all of the wonderful Friday night Fish fry's at the Elk's Lodge! Don't forget the crackers Ralph! We miss you!

Harvey Taylor is a prolific Milwaukee Poet and Musician. I am honored to call him friend. His words have oft lit a fire in my belly! Here he is drumming with Sove

In New York visiting the Tenement Museum. This is where it all started for my people, long before Sheboygan, WI was ever a thought, most settled on the lower east side of Manhattan, worked in the garment factories, became peddlers, or merchants of various sorts! Its important to know your roots man!

Hanging with the great Peggy Seeger at her performance in Shawnee, KS at Mountain Music Shoppe circa 2009. Peggy like her kin (Mike Seeger & Pete Seeger) knows so many cool old tunes, its a real treat to sit and listen to her!

Paul Melrood is another one of my local heroes. Paul has been my Yiddish mentor for ages and helps me with pronunciation whenever i am working on a new piece that needs clarifying. I am indebted to Paul for the time he has given me so graciously.

For years i toured in a tiny little Toyota Scion (think of a box on wheels) with a luggage rack on top! The first year my daughter was born we all traveled the country in this car as well. This car got great gas mileage, but let's face it! 40,000 miles a year is alot of gas no matter how you stack it!

Life on the road has taken my family and i to so many cool places. Here's my little woman outside the Western Folklife Center in Elko, NV; home to National Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival! We finally got to stop off here in 2012 on our way home, after three months of winter touring in the South, Southwest and West

Way out west in CA with Ukulele Bartt sharing an evening at The Coffee Gallery, in Alta Dena. Bartt is a major player in today's ukulele revival!

At The Bay View Historical Society with my good friend Larry Penn. Larry is often regarded as the the father of folk music here in WI. He has been a massive influence on all of us!

My pal Andy Cohen, is one of the finest old time blues pickers around. Here we are at The Fox Valley Folk Festival, in IL, circa 2011

At Surround in Sound Studios in Milwaukee, WI with Local Musician and dear friend Will Branch. Will has been a long time friend, editor and sometime music making cohort. He is also one of the finest children's entertainers in the country.

This is my buddy Dr. Martin Jack Rosenblum of Shorewood, WI. Marty is a Yiddish Bard, Poetic Genius, Rock N History scholar and all around pal. He has written liner notes to numerous projects for me and continues to be a music historian par excellence in my inner circle of local influence.

R.I.P Art Thieme & Lil Rev Circa 2009 in Peru, IL. I've always said Art was one of the most influential Songsters to influence my repertoire and approach to Folk Music. He was a Banjo Player, Guitarist, Storyteller, Musical Saw Player and The Single Greatest Pun teller in the world. I will miss Art. He died in May of 2015.

Lil Rev & Lyle Ritz at The 2008 Portland Ukulele festival. Lyle was inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame and the real highlight for me was inviting him to play a few tunes in my set. Lyle is a real pioneer on the ukulele and i count him as a major legend.

Lil Rev hanging with his Jewish Soul Sister," Barbara Silver of The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.

Co-Author of Fiddle Tunes for Ukulele John Nicholson is one of my best friends and collaborators. We've been making music together for over 20 years. I am grateful to John and he's inspired me in so many ways. Its good to have local music pals like John. We also play together as a trio w/ John 's wife Susan Nicholson.