Biography
Lyle Ritz maintained a sincere regard for the ukulele even though the instrument was routinely dismissed as a novelty within its native Hawaiian context. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he trained on violin and tuba during childhood. While enrolled at college in California he secured employment at the Southern California Music Company in Los Angeles. Assigned to the “Small Goods Department,” he managed harmonicas and assorted accessories, yet the ukulele soon became his central passion. Throughout the 1950s he performed current popular songs alongside light novelty pieces. Guitarist Barney Kessel, then serving as an A&R executive at Verve, heard Ritz perform live and arranged an immediate recording contract. Verve therefore issued How About Uke? in 1957 and 50th State Jazz in 1959. The albums achieved strong popularity in Hawaii yet attracted scant notice on the mainland beyond committed jazz collectors. Ritz consequently ceased professional ukulele work and turned to bass.
During the 1960s and 1970s he enjoyed steady employment as a Hollywood session musician. His bass appears on Herb Alpert’s “Taste of Honey,” the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” and the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” three examples among roughly 5,000 recordings. Additional opportunities later arose in television and film scoring, where his instrument contributed to the soundtracks of The Rockford Files, Name That Tune, and Kojak. One uncommon ukulele engagement required him to record the parts Steve Martin would mime in The Jerk. Appreciation for Ritz’s earlier recordings continued to spread slowly through Hawaii. Ukulele player and producer Roy Sakuma tracked him down in 1985 and arranged an appearance at an island festival. Ritz had been unaware that his Verve albums had acquired legendary standing in Hawaii, yet the discovery prompted returns to the same festival over the next three years. In 1988 he elected to “retire” to the islands with his wife while continuing to perform; Roy Sakuma Records released his third album, Time, that year. In 2004 Verve reissued How About Uke?
During the 1960s and 1970s he enjoyed steady employment as a Hollywood session musician. His bass appears on Herb Alpert’s “Taste of Honey,” the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” and the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” three examples among roughly 5,000 recordings. Additional opportunities later arose in television and film scoring, where his instrument contributed to the soundtracks of The Rockford Files, Name That Tune, and Kojak. One uncommon ukulele engagement required him to record the parts Steve Martin would mime in The Jerk. Appreciation for Ritz’s earlier recordings continued to spread slowly through Hawaii. Ukulele player and producer Roy Sakuma tracked him down in 1985 and arranged an appearance at an island festival. Ritz had been unaware that his Verve albums had acquired legendary standing in Hawaii, yet the discovery prompted returns to the same festival over the next three years. In 1988 he elected to “retire” to the islands with his wife while continuing to perform; Roy Sakuma Records released his third album, Time, that year. In 2004 Verve reissued How About Uke?
Albums
Live
