As a teenager in Yorkshire, England Ralph became self-taught on the chromatic harmonica. Later, while taking Applied Physics in Liverpool, he studied 5-string banjo with North Carolina folk musician Sara Grey. He came to Canada’s west coast in 1988 and, after a short solo period playing Appalachian mountain songs, he became a founding member of children’s folk music group Birds of a Feather. By 1991 he had created the character Ralph the Clown: an entertainer who carried—amongst other tricks of the trade—a ukulele inside a guitar case.
Fascinated by the untapped potential of the ukulele as an instrument for the general public Ralph discovered its suitability for conveying the music of the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s era. For the past decade he has been Canada’s King of the Ukulele (also the name of his first solo CD in which he vowed to bring respect to the ukulele!) Ralph’s appreciation of tin-pan-alley era songwriting influenced his own original compositions creating an ever-growing following of fans who appreciate the heart and wit he brings to his music.
Ralph has travelled to entertain audiences at international festivals and ukulele clubs. He formed the Vancouver Ukulele Circle, a monthly get-together of 100+ ukulele strummers in Canada, for 17 years.
Currently Ralph is living and working in Yorkshire, England in order to care for his parents who both live with diagnosed dementia. He continues to perform a wide variety of gigs including care home performances and his Big Singalongs.
