Meet the 'Flute Guy:' Iron worker brings soothing sounds to downtown Minneapolis

'Flute Guy' brings soothing sounds to downtown Minneapolis

A construction worker in downtown Minneapolis has found a unique way to whistle while he works. He plays a musical instrument in some unexpected places and now has an audience in the millions. Meet Paul Harvey, the flute guy.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A construction worker in downtown Minneapolis has found a unique way to whistle while he works. He plays a musical instrument in some unexpected places and now has an audience in the millions. Meet Paul Harvey, the flute guy.

In the canyons of glass and steel that make up downtown Minneapolis, a symphony of sound fills the air. But in the middle of this orchestra of chaos, a principle player is finding harmony.

"I love the relaxation effect it gives me and other people as well," Harvey said.

At least once a week, Paul Harvey puts down his tools of the trade as an iron worker and picks up a flute. His notes drift through the skyscrapers calming nerves and soothing souls, especially his own.

"I have a relatively stressful job and to be able to de-stress and relax by playing some music that is soothing to my ears and other people's too is definitely a positive," he said.

Harvey found his first flute at a tourist shop in North Dakota seven years ago, and it immediately struck a chord. But it wasn't until he started working on a downtown high-rise three years ago that he realized the empty tower would make the perfect performance space.

"I walked over whistling because I'm a joyful person and I heard the echo in the building and I thought my flute would sound amazing here."

Harvey brought his flute to work the next day and started playing it in the vacant building during breaks.

He posted video of one of his performances on Reddit, and it went viral, turning him into an internet sensation.

"These instruments are gorgeous on their own but when you add reverb it gets you," Harvey said. "Being this tough looking guy iron worker big bloke that's just you know, you never expect to hear in the places I'm finding to hear soothing sounds."

Paul Harvey, downtown Minneapolis construction worker and flutist

Harvey now has more than 100 videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, which have millions of views. But he says his music has done more than just lift spirits. In one case, he believes it saved a life.

"One of the messages I'd received through Reddit was a lady who told me she was planning on ending her life that night and that she'd listened to the song, and it had touched her deep within her soul, and it had changed her perspective," Harvey recalled. "She said she couldn't go through with it, and she was thanking me, and I was like whoa. Shivers down my spine even to this day."

Harvey has brought his flute everywhere from an underground parking garage to the shores of Lake Michigan. And because he's never had a music lesson, he plays everything from covers to original compositions by ear.

"What I like about the instrument is it's very intuitive. You don't have to know music. You don't have to know songs. You can just play what your heart is feeling."

Harvey says he'll keep doing his impromptu concerts for as long as he can and continue to bring a little nature to this concrete jungle by melting hearts, as well as steel.

"It's just a way to communicate with people. You can even reach across language barriers," Harvey said. "I may just be an iron worker, but it seems to be doing something for some people."