# Bands where the lead singer plays a non-traditional instrument **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 8, 2025, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715 "2025-01-08T04:07:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/1 "2025-01-08T04:07:38Z")
By non-traditional, (I’m thinking of rock bands) I mean other than guitar, bass, drums, or keyboard. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull being a flutist would count. A lead singer that occasionally bangs on a tambourine wouldn’t be in the spirit of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/2 "2025-01-08T04:09:23Z")
David LaFlamme of It’s a Beautiful Day played the violin. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/3 "2025-01-08T04:16:50Z")
Singers Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman of The Hooters (“All You Zombies,” “And We Danced”) both played the melodica and mandolin; Hyman also played the accordion. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/4 "2025-01-08T04:35:22Z")
And Allison Krause and Charlie Daniels also play stringed instruments. Terry Kirkman, who sang some for [The Association](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Association?wprov=sfti1#Crest), played woodwind intruments like the recorder. “Weird Al” frequently plays the accordion (and Billy Joel has, also, played [on occasion](https://youtu.be/ge9fZeMFrUo?si=fSmYfEeKY5HpPK6B)). ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/5 "2025-01-08T04:43:08Z")
John Popper (Blues Traveler) plays harmonica. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/6 "2025-01-08T04:44:58Z")
Neil Young plays the banjo sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/7 "2025-01-08T04:45:23Z")
The [Dropkick Murphys used bagpipes.](https://youtu.be/7Yg8MuaWMT0) ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/8 "2025-01-08T05:07:43Z")
I don’t know if this counts since it was only on one song (that I’m aware of), but Jimi Hendrix played the kazoo on Crosstown Traffic. I also think he gets some credit for playing the guitar with his teeth. The guitar might not be a non-traditional instrument, but playing it that way is certainly non-traditional. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/9 "2025-01-08T05:15:49Z")
If we’re going there, then Jimmy Page using a violin bow on his guitar. Or, better yet: [![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m81wew2J2N1qhkufzo4_250.gifv) ](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m81wew2J2N1qhkufzo4_250.gifv) ETA: oops, neither Page nor Tufnel is the lead singer of his band. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/10 "2025-01-08T05:39:11Z")
Sven Regener of German band _Element of Crime_ plays the trumpet. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/11 "2025-01-08T05:48:20Z")
Fred Schneider of the B-52s plays a toy piano. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/12 "2025-01-08T05:56:22Z")
John Sebastian played autoharp on a few of the Lovin’ Spoonfuls songs as well as on other artists albums. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/13 "2025-01-08T06:03:36Z")
Karen Carpenter played the drums. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/14 "2025-01-08T06:17:38Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > “Weird Al” frequently plays the accordion (and Billy Joel has, also, played [on occasion](https://youtu.be/ge9fZeMFrUo?si=fSmYfEeKY5HpPK6B)). They Might be Giants also play the accordion on occasion. Ben Folds plays the piano, which isn’t exactly traditional for a rock band (unless piano counts as “keyboards”). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/15 "2025-01-08T06:21:09Z")
Rindy Ross, lead vocalist for Quarterflash played the saxophone. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/16 "2025-01-08T06:22:46Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Karen Carpenter played the drums The OP excludes drums. It’s also pretty common (Phil Collins, Don Henley, Sheila E,…) ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/17 "2025-01-08T06:37:41Z")
I considered “piano” an extension of “keyboards.” Otherwise I would have mentioned it when I mentioned Billy Joel. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/18 "2025-01-08T06:46:28Z")
John Batiste plays the melodica, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/19 "2025-01-08T07:27:41Z")
Colin Meloy of the Decemberists plays both harmonica and bouzouki. ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/20 "2025-01-08T08:00:24Z")
Mathias Malzieu of Dionysos plays the theremin and glockenspiel [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715.md?page=2)