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Brothers Want To Blow Dad's Harmonica Hoard On Troops

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The Associated Press

Published: November 26, 2007

FORT LAUDERDALE - The sons of a former harmonica player want to pass along hundreds of his instruments to troops overseas.

Herb Shriner's 53-year-old twin sons, Wil and Kin, found about 400 vintage harmonicas in their father's warehouse near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

They told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel they considered donating the instruments to schools or to youth groups, but now want to send them to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"It beats sending them tubas," said Wil Shriner. "They're pretty easy to pick up and play."
Herb Shriner and his wife died in a car crash in 1970. Known as the "Hoosier humorist," Shriner hosted a radio show, a TV variety show and a game show.

The harmonicas were made by the Hohner Co. in Germany in 1949. Made of wood and brass, the blues harps are about 5 inches long and feature Herb Shriner's nickname, "Hoosier Boy."

"It's a gift to maybe lighten up a tough day. It just slips into the pocket," said Wil Shriner's wife, Rebecca Baughman.

Wil and Kin Shriner are both actors. Wil Shriner has taken his comedy act to the "Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" and other shows, and he wrote and directed the film adaptation of the Carl Hiassen children's book "Hoot." Kin Shriner plays Scott Baldwin on "General Hospital."

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