A-Hummin' And A-Buzzin'

And a kazoo to you too. Remember an instrument that produces a-buzzing sound when played and consists of a small metal or plastic tube with a side hole covered by a thin membrane? Bet many have tried to play one. It was a real humdinger!

A kazoo is a handheld, novelty instrument usually made of tin or plastic. It creates a-buzzing sound when played. The tone quality of a kazoo is determined by the quality of the membrane or resonator. You don’t’ blow into a kazoo to create the desired sound; you have to hum into it.

A popular anecdote suggests that Alabama Vest, a formerly enslaved person resi...