Glenn
Colton is a performing artist, song writer, and author.
Since
1992, he has performed over 6000 high energy educational concerts.
That
is about 1,000,000 kids, teachers & parents who have
experienced
the magic!
Glenn
live at KCH Elementary, Marcellus, NY (9/30/08)
Glenn
believes in the power of healthy choices,
and
invites his young
audiences to open their ears, their hearts, and their eyes.
His
body of work celebrates respect,
responsibility, friendship, good manners, and many other character
building
traits that will help kids achieve a happy
and abundant life.
Let's do the math -
1 book, 5 CDs, 6
strings, 10 fingers, 20 years,
500 songs, 6000 shows
= a million smiles!
Here
is how it all started...
(1965)
(1973)
(1977)
(1984)
(2008)
I was born at a very
early age, and my love for music started in 1969 when
I was six years old. My dad had an old nylon string guitar
and knew how
to play four chords (G-Em-C-D). Our ritual went something like
this: He would strum slowly at first, laying down a nice
groove. I would slowly twist and glide across the room to the
beat. He would then start strumming faster and faster as I would
try to keep up, dancing to the music until it was too fast for me and
I'd fall to the floor. We would laugh, I would stand up, and we
would do it again, and again...and again. One day I asked my dad
if I could
keep his guitar in my room. He was happy to share.
In 1973, I asked my parents if
I could start taking
guitar lessons at Music Mart, a local music store near our home.
They agreed on two conditions; I would practice everyday AND earn
the money for my lessons by doing extra jobs around the
house. I assured them that I was willing to do whatever it
takes!
After two
years of lessons at Music Mart, our family moved to the town of
Getzville. With
all the changes, that old guitar sat quietly in my closet until a
fortuitous day in 1976.
In middle school that year, I played 1st trumpet in the school
band. There I met Tom Lorentz, a
student teacher from a local college. I started taking guitar
lessons that year from Tom. I remember that by the end of my
first lesson, I was singing "Tequila Sunrise". As a seasoned
performer, Tom had a profound impact on my future. His influence
cannot be understated, and we remain close friends to this day.
 
Glenn Live (1981)
3 Generations
of Coltons jamming! (1984)
Glenn on
guitar, Grandfather on keyboard & Father singing
THERE
WERE MANY PEAKS & VALLEYS...
In high school, I continued to grow as
a musician. I played
guitar in my high school jazz ensemble, formed a 3 piece rock band
named HANK, and was often seen performing Neil Young songs during my
free periods (solo acoustic). In the fall of 1981 I enrolled at Buffalo State
College where I discovered the world of open mics and coffee
houses. I worked part time at a retail watch & clock store
and played in various bands on the weekends. Then in 1984, an unexpected "bump in the
road" forced me to leave my comfort zone, and set the stage for a
wonderful musical journey.
It
was early July and I had just quit
my job as a summer camp counselor
in the Catskill Mountains. I was feeling down because I had
arrived the week earlier as a veteran counselor
at
Camp Echo.
Camp Echo was an eight week sleep away camp that caters to the families
in the suburbs of New Jersey and Long Island. My memories from
the previous summer included everything from overnight canoe trips to
being selected Captain of the soon to be championship Olympic team, the
Mighty Bulls of Spain. The last place in the world I planned to
be that evening was knocking on my dad's door in Connecticut sheepishly
telling him I left Camp Echo...but there I was. I quit because it
was the exact same summer I had lived before. It was like being a
part of an eight week non-stop movie that you've seen before.
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Glenn performing solo acoustic
on Eastern Long Island (1986)
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After
I explained to my dad what
happened, the logical question was:
what now? I still had the summer in front of me. Sure, I
had
plenty of time before the fall semester, but time can be a scary thing
when you haven't got a clue how to fill it (and earn your tuition in
the process). It was really just an offhand remark by my dad that
started the chain of events. He said something like, "How about
going to Greenport and seeing if you can get some jobs singing in the
restaurants?" After all, my grandparents had a summer cottage
there and I could (hopefully) stay with them rent free. The town
of Greenport is a summer vacation destination on Eastern Long Island.
Today I can say it
was a turning point in my life, but at the time I
was scared. Scared of the unknown, scared of the prospects of
performing without a band, just scared of doing something I had never
done before. Looking back on the events that led me to Long
Island that summer, I have to smile. Without realizing it, my dad
pointed me in a direction that would change my life. Not only did
I earn twice as much as I would have at Camp Echo, but I returned for
the next five summers!
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WELCOME TO THE SHOW...
During the summer
months of 1984
- 1988 I
performed seven nights a week, and I had a blast! These summer
tours gave me the
opportunity to sharpen my performing skills, expand my repertoire, and
pay my tuition. In the fall, I would return home to continue my
education at Buffalo State College. In 1985 I earned a Bachelors Degree in
Business. In 1986, I offered to perform a free
concert at the elementary school I attended as a kid. In
1987, I earned
my certification in Elementary Education. As a full time student,
I supported myself performing in various bands and as a solo act.
In 1988, I began my career as
a third grade teacher at Key Largo Elementary. As much as I loved
the tropics, I started visualizing how much fun it would be to combine
my love for music and teaching...and take it on the road.
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IF YOU DON'T TAKE
YOUR CHANCES...
Between 1989 and 1993 I held various day jobs while
at the same time honing my skills as a children's
entertainer. I continued writing songs and performing,
always with the dream that someday I might pursue a career in music
full time. It happened in 1993
when I founded Glenn Colton
Shows -
Educational Concerts for Kids. Memories of the Long Island
experience taught me that "the risk is never greater than the fear", so
I went for it. Any doubts I may have had about pursuing
this dream were erased in 1995 when I met a lovely teacher at
one
of my school shows. Two years later (almost to the day), we were
married.
Glenn singing the National Anthem before an
almost sold-out
Buffalo Bisons game (2001)
RAISE OUR VOICES,
FOR HEALTHY CHOICES...
The years of 1995 - 2005 were a time of
growth as I created and marketed high energy, live, educational
concerts to elementary schools everywhere. After performing over
6,000
live concerts for kids, I have released ten full length
recordings of original material, and have sold in excess of 30,000
copies (cassettes, books & CDS) throughout the
United States.
 
Glenn
(1993)
Live at
The Buffalo War Memorial Auditorium (1997)
QUACK
QUACK...
In 2006, The Mallard
Media
Group was formed and I published my first book/CD
entitled, Mr.
Ducky Wucky - The
Wonderful Secret. I
divided my time between
performing about 300 live concerts a year, promoting the book, and
presenting author
visits.
In
2007, I experienced
the
busiest performing schedule in the history of Glenn Colton
Shows.
In
2008,
bookings are steady, the
shows
are going well, and my author visits are in full swing!
Additionally, my Cyber Safety Show is getting positive
reviews. I will occasionally book out-of-town shows, but most of
the time I am exactly where I want to be...home with my family.
I'd like to
close with an observation that I cannot ignore: The greatest
challenge
for a song
writer/performing artist is to find their audience, to find folks who
will open their ears, mind, and hearts. To all the
parents, teachers & principals who have invited me to their schools
year after year, I would like to offer a most sincere
THANK YOU! By inviting me to present positive
musical messages to your kids about
how nice it is
to have a job someday that you enjoy, you
have allowed me to do the same. We've had quite
a ride, and I do believe the best is yet to come! See you soon...
1 book, 5 CDs, 6
strings, 10 fingers, 20 years,
500 songs, 6000 shows
= a million smiles!
Musically yours, Glenn
Live
in
Buffalo
(2007)
Live in Forestville with a special helper (2008)
Live
in Concert (2008)
The
Summer Fun Show at the YMCA Camp in OP! (Summer 2008)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * *
Order your own
Buffalo Fuzzy Hat today at
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Kind words from
clients & friends...
"Glenn,
It makes me proud to think that in some small way I have touched your
heart
and because of that you are
tou ching
the hearts of others."
(Leo
Buscaglia, Ph.D)
"Thank
you for agreeing to fly to the island of Bermuda and perform for the
children at Art
In The Park this year. It is memorable performances like yours
that
makes Art In The Park the
unique and positive event that it is!"
(Shelly
Hamill, Art In the Park, The Island of Bermuda)
"Many of the
teachers said
that it was the best assembly that they've seen here! Thanks
again, see you here again soon, I'm sure!"
(Patrick Root,
Fricano Elementary, Starpoint CSD)
"I have
some teachers who are very excited we are having you back at School
Five!
I even got a couple screams! I can't wait to hear when the
kids
find
out!"
(PTO,
School 5, Dunkirk, NY)
"Thank you again for doing the show last
Thursday here at Fletcher. The students are still talking about
it. Oh...who am I kidding...the faculty is
still talking about it as well. Everyone had a great time!"
(M. Volpe, Librarian,
Fletcher Elementary School, Tonawanda, NY)
"What Glenn Colton
is to our school, the Beatles were to the world!"
(Tom
Slaiman, Principal, Theodore
Roosevelt School)
"Thanks
so much for making our 10th Anniversary of Morning Program such a
special event. Our students and faculty truly enjoyed your
performance and that is certainly a tribute to you as a professional."
(Chuck
Hild, Elementary Principal, Portville Central School)
 
Mr. Ducky Wucky Live in Ducktown (2006)
Glenn Live in Colden, NY (2006)
The
students & staff at Walberta Park Elementary in Syracuse have taken
the lyrics to one
of my songs and painted a mural in their cafeteria!
Glenn & his band from High school, (HANK) then & now!
(2006
& 1981)
"We haven't changed!"
Glenn
& his band from 1990-1993, (The Dooleys) then & now!
(2008
& 1991)
"We haven't changed!"
Jeff
Colton & Glenn Colton
Hit the big tine! (1992)
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