A few people asked about the instrument I played this past Sunday.

It's called a "melodica". Made popular by Hohner in the late 50's, it's popped up in reggae, folk, and pop music now and then over the last 5 decades. Most melodicas have two octaves, and they have a warm tone. They were used heavily in Asia and Europe to teach children music theory and basic music skills.

I first found one in a studio owned by Shane and Shane called Spaceway outside of Dallas, TX. Our producer at the time encouraged us to try it on a track and we did...

I've hung on to it over the years and pulled out for special sets, especially those when we strip the electric guitars back and use more folk-style instruments.

There you have it. A brief history on a fun little instrument...Watch for a reappearance at Christmas!