Any Tune Will Do for This Happy Whistler

As one who can whistle both parts of “The Andy Griffith Show” theme simultaneously, without articles like Ann Gerhart’s “Where Have All the Whistlers Gone?” (May 22), a lone, polyphonic whistler certainly could feel archaic and idiosyncratic.

I must, however, take issue with adman Steven Herbst when he “refuses to demean his instrument by whistling any old jingle.” Lighten up, Steve. As the article says, “It’s happy-go-lucky. It’s jaunty. It’s loner art,” and there’s no shame in jingles. My instrument has whistled professionally for movies, TV, commercials and on the stage.

People have also followed my whistling down the street. For several years, as a member of the ‘50s group Sha Na Na, I toured internationally and shared joy with many people whose only common language with me was whistling.

I have whistling records of Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Otis Redding, John Sebastian and David Bowie, among others. My father, Lorenzo Barry, whistled and gave me the gift of stress relief that I would be hard-pressed to live without.

GUERIN BARRY

Los Angeles