Tom Cochrane Harmonica

Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica, in key of F.

One of Cochrane’s best-known songs, “Life is a Highway” was written by the Canadian singer-songwriter after visiting West Africa with World Vision in 1989. Inspired to write an uplifting, “pep-talk” of a song for himself after his trip, it was an immediate success—selling millions of copies and spawning several cover versions over the years. This song marked the first time Cochrane played an F-keyed harmonica on a record, and the instrument seen here was one of two harmonicas used during the recording of “Life is a Highway”.