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Glenn
Colton is an artist who writes songs and performs concerts for
children,
yet his fans overwhelmingly agree that his body of work is
NOT children's music as it is traditionally defined.
His music could be described as a blend of 70's AM Gold, with a little
Jimmy
Buffett,
and just a dash of Mr. Rogers thrown in for good measure.
He's a high energy
guy. Glenn believes in the power of healthy choices, and
invites his young
audiences to open their ears, their hearts, and their eyes to his music
and his
message.
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.
By mail, Glenn
can be reached at -
Glenn Colton Shows
PO Box 588
Orchard Park, NY 14127
"I
really have a great appreciation for you. You are a very talented
guitar player.
I now can't wait to have you back next year! Thank you so much."
Billy Bean, Principal, Lockwood Elementary, Gainesville, NY (May,
2011)
6
strings + 10 fingers + 6000
shows
= a million smiles!
(1967)
(1973)
(1977)
(2009)
(Today)
From
Bobby Sherman to Neil Young to Jimmy
Buffett to Harry
Chapin,
My story goes like
this. . .
YOUNGER
DAYS...
  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 1972,
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.
After three 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, and by the end of my
first lesson, I was singing "Tequila Sunrise". Tom's influence
on my life was profound 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 would often perform
Neil
Young songs during my
free periods. 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 store
and played in various bands on the weekends (that's me on the far right
with my band "Ovation").
In
1984,
an unexpected "bump in the
road" forced me to leave my
comfort zone, and helped set the stage for a
wonderful musical journey.
Ironically, the
journey that began all
those years ago continues to this day. Here's what happened...
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
bar
shows 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.
I wanted to be the next Jimmy Buffett.
So...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 things to the next level.
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"I'M NOT GOING TO BE
SOME GUY WITH A TEDDY BEAR AND A GUITAR"
(I'VE GOT A DUCK!)
Between
1989 and 1993 I held various day jobs while
at the same time honing my skills as a children's
entertainer. My original music would be
educational, without being too "preachy". I began studying Harry Chapin's body of work and was incredibly inspired by his
ability to blend music and lyrics into songs that touch the
heart.
Consequently, I
continued writing songs and performing,
always with the dream that someday I might pursue a career in music
full time, as Harry did. It happened in 1993
when I founded Glenn Colton
Shows -
Educational Concerts for Kids. Memories of my Long Island
experience taught me that "the risk is never greater than the fear", so
I went for it.
Ironically, Harry Chapin lived on Long Island, too.
Any
doubts I may have had about pursuing
my 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.
During these years, I would often recall a 1985 conversation I had with
my Grandfather who had been a successful attorney for the Long Island
Railroad. We were walking along the shoreline one afternoon
discussing the past. He casually mentioned his regret in "not
taking more chances" with his professional endeavors, and shared a few
dreams he wished he would have pursued.
His words had a profound impact on me, and would be a source of
inspiration in the years that would follow. Thank you, Poppa....
Glenn
performing a Halloween concert drerssed as Fred Flintstone (1986)
Glenn
goes for the high note, singing the
National Anthem
before
an almost (ahem) sold-out
Buffalo Bisons game in 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 35,000
copies (cassettes, books & CDS) throughout the
United States. It humbles me to think that at any given time of
the day, folks out there are grooving to one of my songs (perhaps even
right
now someone is listening to my big hit, Mr. Ducky Wucky).
 
Glenn
(1993) A Buffalo Bills sweatshirt as a backdrop
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 were at a record-breaking level, the
shows went well, and my author visits were in full swing!
Additionally, my Cyber Safety Show received positive
reviews. I booked out-of-town shows a few times each month, but
most of
the time I was exactly where I wanted to be...with my family.
2009
- I was inducted
into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame!
2010 - My new
show is called "The Test Prep Rally" and has been well received.
I'm working on an accompanying workbook for intermediate grades...more
to come! I put the finishing touches on my
"Red Ribbon/Drug Free Schools Show -
A celebration of a safe and drug-free lifestyle." Mr. Ducky Wucky
T-Shirts are here!
On 11/14/10, we captured one of my shows with a 3 camera HD
shoot. The Live in Concert DVD is now available!
2011 - I was
awarded the prestigious SAANYS "Friend of Education Award".
2012 - In a burst
of creative energy, I have two brand new products available.
First, there is my 20
track CD "Song Boat" that was released digitally worldwide on January
19th. And second, there is my new e-book in the Amazon Kindle
store entitled "BARK" realeased on January 24th.
I believe the greatest
challenge
for a song
writer is to find an audience, to find folks who enjoy listening to
your body of work.
Let's face it...there is a wealth of amazing music out there for folks
to choose from!
To all the
parents, teachers, principals and kids who ask me to perform at their
schools, and believe in what I do,
I offer a most sincere
THANK YOU!
By
inviting me to present positive
musical messages to your kids throughout the years about
possibilities and following your dreams, you
have allowed me to do the same. We've had quite
a ride!
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 2009)
Live in Falconer, NY (2010)
Glenn
is a proud sponsor of
The
Original Buffalo Fuzzy hat!
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Kind words from clients...
"Glenn,
your talent extends well beyond your musicianship. You deserve to
be congratulated for your ability to keep a packed auditorium full of
youngsters entertained, attentive, singing & dancing. . .but still
calm!"
(J. Heyden, Teacher, School 89, Buffalo, NY)
"Glenn,
It makes me proud to think that in some small way I have touched your
heart and because of that you
are
touching
the hearts of others."
(Leo
Buscaglia, Ph.D)
"What Glenn Colton
is to our school, the Beatles were to the world!"
(Tom
Slaiman, Principal, Theodore
Roosevelt School)
"Thank
you for agreeing to fly to the island of Bermuda and perform for the
children at Art
In The Park this year.
(Shelly
Hamill, Art In the Park, The Island of Bermuda)
Walberta
Park Elementary in Syracuse has taken
the lyrics to one
of my songs and painted a permanent mural in their
cafeteria!
What an honor!
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
& Glenn Colton (1992)
Glenn's Dad, Jeff
Colton (2010)
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