KAOMI LEE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE WITH A SPECIAL MUSICAL GUEST.

>> KAOMI: THANKS, ERIC.

I'M HERE WITH DAN NEWTON, AN ACCOMPLISHED ACCORDION PLAYER WITH A WIDE-RANGING CAREER.

NOT ONLY DOES HE PLAY SOLO, LIKE RIGHT NOW, HE'S ALSO LEAD IN DAN NEWTON'S CAFÉ ACCORDIAN ORCHESTRA, AND IS A MEMBER OF THE HONKY TONK JUMP.

THE HONKY TONK JUMP WILL BE PERFORMING FOR FREE AT THE SCHELL'S STAGE AT WEST END MARKET ON AUGUST 28 AND 29, THAT'S NEXT MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

DAN, WELCOME TO "ALMANAC."

>> IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.

HI, EVERYBODY.

>> DID YOU FIND THE ACCORDION OR DID THE ACCORDION FIND YOU?

>> A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

I WAS A PIANO PLAYER 45 YEARS AGO IN A COUNTRY BAND AND GOT BOOKED INTO PLACES THAT DIDN'T HAVE PIANOS AND A FRIEND OF MINE HEARD ME COMPLAINING ABOUT IT AND SAID I HAVE THIS THING IN MY ATTIC THAT HAS A PIANO-SHAPED KEY ON IT, YOU SHOULD TRY THAT.

AND HERE I AM 45 YEARS LATER.

>> THIS INSTRUMENT IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND COLORFUL, IS THERE A STORY BEHIND IT?

>> THIS PARTICULAR INSTRUMENT IS THE WORK OF A St. PAUL RESIDENT NAMED KEN MAHLER, HE RUNS A MUSIC STORE ON RANDOLPH AVENUE, IT'S CALLED THE "PLANET SQUEEZE BOX."

HE DESIGNS THEM, HAS THEM CUSTOM MADE IN ITALY AND SHIPS THEM TO HIS STORE HERE IN St. PAUL, AND HE FINISHES THEM AND I'VE BEEN PLAYING THIS ONE SINCE 1999.

>> Reporter: OKAY, DAN.

TAKE IT AWAY.

>> THANK YOU.

HERE'S A SONG ABOUT THE LAST HOT DAY OF THE SUMMER.

I LIVE JUST ACROSS FROM COMO LAKE ON THE FAIRGROUNDS AND WROTE THIS A FEW YEARS AGO ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THE FAIR ENDED.

♪♪ ♪ NOW IT'S THE LAST HOT DAY OF THE SUMMER, I'M SWEATING LIKE THE FAIR'S BIGGEST HOG ♪ THERE IS A WARM WINDS BLOWING ACROSS COMO LAKE ♪ SMELLS LIKE A 10-DAY-OLD CORN DOG ♪ ♪ IT'S THE LAST HOT DAY OF THE SUMMER, JUST TRYING TO CATCH A BREEZE ♪ AND THE BARBECUE SMOKE FROM MY NEIGHBOR'S BACKYARD'S GONNA BRING ME DOWN TO MY KNEES ♪ ♪♪ ♪ IT'S THE LAST HOT DAY OF THE SUMMER ♪ THEY SAY THE AIR QUALITY IS LOW ♪ WHEN THE LEAVES TURN BROWN AND THEY TUMBLE TO THE GROUND ♪ YOU'LL WONDER WHERE DID SUMMER GO ♪ ♪ IT'S THE LAST HOT DAY OF THE SUMMER I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO STAY COOL ♪ BUT WHEN THE WINTER COMES AROUND AND I THINK BACK ON THE DAY I'LL THINK THAT I'M JUST A NATURAL FOOL ♪ ♪♪ ♪ IT'S THE LAST HOT DAY OF THE SUMMER, AND WE'RE WONDERING IF IT'S EVER GONNA END ♪ BUT WHEN THOSE ICE DAMS FORM AND YOUR CAR WON'T START ♪ YOU'LL WISH THAT IT WAS SUMMER AGAIN ♪ ♪ IT'S THE LAST HOT DAY OF THE SUMMER ♪ AND I'M SWEATING LIKE THE STATE FAIR'S BIGGEST HOG ♪ THERE'S A WARM WIND BLOWING ACROSS COMO LAKE, ♪ SMELLS LIKE A 10-DAY OLD CORN DOG ♪ ♪ OR IT SMELLS LIKE SOME ROASTING CORN, OR THOSE SQUISHED SWEET MARTHA COOKIES YOU FIND ON THE GROUND ♪ ♪ OR MAYBE IT SMELLS LIKE THE BIGGEST HOG AT THE FAIR, WHO KNOWS ♪♪