Saguaro Land: This Arizona instrument maker can create didgeridoos from agave stalks
Download mp3 (14.22 MB)Saguaro Land is a series from The Show looking at the Sonoran Desert — the lushest, hottest desert in the world that happens to be our home.
In the newest installment, The Show learned about using the desert to make music.
Years ago, Kyle Bert was given a didgeridoo for Christmas. It’s a long, thin wind instrument made out of wood, with a mouthpiece and a bell.
Bert had no idea how to play it, but had fallen in love with the sound. Unfortunately, his dog broke the didgeridoo. So, Bert decided to try to figure out how to make them. He found out agave stalks can be used, and actually have a really good sound.
That was all more than two decades ago. Bert, who grew up in Tucson, is the owner of Desert Mountain Didgeridoos. He estimates he’s made around 700 instruments in the 25 years he’s been doing it. He joined The Show, with some didgeridoos, to chat about what makes the agave stalk so good for this instrument.
