Local musician Mike Hind is on a roll — he is not only planning the launch of a six-album CD series, but is also anticipating the launch of his limited edition ukulele design at a big trade show next month.

The album series will take listeners on a journey through the decades, including covers from the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties, covers of other ukulele songwriters as well as one album full of original tracks.

As for the slimline eight-string ukulele that he has helped to design, it will be launched at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) trade show in Los Angeles at the end of January.

It’s hard to imagine that Mr Hind picked up his first ukulele in 2010. He was recently selected as a headliner at the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society’s Getaway show and also toured with the established group Flea Bitten Dawgs.

Last year he released an EP of original tracks produced by Bermudian Felix Tod and he has been spending his summers performing at The Dock at Fairmont Southampton’s Waterlot. Now he is preparing for what looks set to become a ten-date tour to the United Kingdom.

Speaking about the genesis of his new album series, Mr Hind said: “I was asking friends to think of songs I could cover and one asked me, ‘What’s the theme?’

“That gave me the idea to run a series. The album that I’m really excited about is basically songs by friends of mine who play the ukulele — singer/songwriters who have written songs that I have fallen in love with.

“One of the albums will be Seventies folk-pop stuff and I want to do a mellow take on some disco songs.

“I am writing my own music as well — I got inspired to write when someone told me to stop trying to write songs and just try to write down thoughts and ideas. I have a notebook that is very happily being filled and songs are coming away from that. There are a couple of Island-related songs, including one about North Shore.”

The albums will be rolled out starting at the end of February and will be available locally as well as through iTunes and BandCamp.com.

The mahogany ukulele line that he has helped to design will carry his signature on the back and, if all goes to plan, he will eventually create one using Bermuda cedar.

“I am pretty excited about it,” said Mr Hind, who plans to distribute almost 100 ukuleles through a Virginia firm. “MOKU Ukes, who are producing the line, have used my ‘specs’ and I had a hand in the design process.

“It has a slightly thinner neck with a flatter back. Mahogany is a lovely warm and rich wood; it makes the sound a little less bright but still holds the high tones.

“We are doing two versions: one in solid mahogany, the other will have cedar as well. What we are hoping to do is another limited edition with Bermuda cedar.”