The ukulele is making a comeback. Yes, you read that right. Country, pop, and alternative musicians play it, New Jersey has a festival for it, and sometimes people even propose with it.

Some call it a fad, others call it a trend, but Gerald Lemay says the ukulele has staying power. Plus, it’s fun to play.

“It’s almost impossible not to play a ukulele and not smile,” said Lemay.

A multi-instrumentalist, Lemay offers ukulele lessons as well as guitar, banjo, piano, and trumpet at his shop in Marion.

“People relate immediately to this instrument because it’s like a tiny guitar,” he said.

Lemay has been a teacher for most of his life. He holds a PhD in electrical engineering, focused on musical sound synthesis. He also studied musical technology and taught at the university level for more than 20 years.

“What I find fascinating about music is it lets you do both sides of your brain,” said Lemay. “The artistic part – composition, performing, playing what it is you feel. And then there is the part that is very intellectual and can be very mathematical. The two can work together.”

Lemay picked up the ukulele after his daughter purchased one.

Now, he has built much of his music business around the small four-stringed instrument.

An entire wall of Lemay Music is devoted to ukuleles, which come in soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. In addition to lessons in Marion, Lemay teaches in Drummondville, Quebec.

Lemay commutes between Marion and Drummondville, where he moved to get in touch with his French-Canadian roots.

While many cut their musical teeth on the recorder, Lemay said the beauty of the ukulele is you can sing and play.

“All the music theory, scales, harmonic progressions, timing – all of that can be and is teachable with the ukulele,” he said.

It’s also easier to learn than the guitar, which can be especially intimidating for younger players.

“In my opinion, it’s a nice entry level instrument to learn music,” said Lemay. “A handful of chords and you’re off and running.”

That doesn’t mean the uke, as it’s often called, is limited to a starter instrument or an Elvis film set in Hawaii.

“There are styles of performing with this instrument that you just wouldn’t believe are doable,” he said.

Ragtime, jazz, rock, and even Bach can be played on the ukulele.

As with any instrument, Lemay said it has endless facets.

“I have yet to meet someone with any instrument who has said, I’ve mastered it. There’s nothing else to learn,” he said.

Lemay offers regular lessons from April to August, and is at his shop on a monthly basis throughout the rest of the year. He connects with clients via mail, email, and Youtube while in Quebec.

Lemay Music is located at 119 Wareham Road. For more information, contact Gerald Lemay at 774-678-8865 or email LemayMusic@verizon.net.