NJ's Glen Burtnik from The Orchestra

Glenn Burtnick, a musician, singer, and songwriter, is returning to the area to perform with his popular group, The Orchestra. They cover the music of Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and have been together for over a decade. Burtnick also performs with a group called The Weaklings. They have a new single coming out and will be playing a show in South Orange. Additionally, Burtnick will be providing the music for the New Jersey Hall of Fame ceremony. There is a documentary film about The Orchestra that tells their story. You can stay updated on Burtnick's projects by following him on Facebook or Instagram. Great to welcome back to the RNJ Morning Program, a guy who I've had the privilege of knowing and following his career for a number of years, and have had the opportunity to take so many different stages across New Jersey and Pennsylvania and so many shows that he's been doing, so many projects over the years that he's had so much success with, and he's going to be coming back to our area a little bit later on this month, with a really popular group that covers really some of the best music of all time. He's a New Jersey native, and he's back with me here on the program this morning to talk about a concert coming up in late October, and it's great to get a couple minutes this morning with musician, singer, songwriter Glenn Burtnick, who is back with us here at RNJ Radio. Glenn, it is Burt Barron. How are you, my friend? Good to talk to you again today. Good morning, Burt. I'm happy to see you. Likewise. Yeah, always good to have you on the air. You know, so many shows, you've played Mayo Center, you've done a lot of the venues here in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, just kind of going around and staying busy and contributing to so many different things, but one of your projects called The Orchestra, where you and just so many great, talented musicians bring to life all these classic songs of ELO, you're coming back to the State Theater in Easton in just a couple weeks, and for anybody that has never seen The Orchestra live in concert, it is absolutely just an amazing performance. A number of years, Glenn, that you've got with this version of the band called The Orchestra? Gee, yeah, I guess it's been, wow, I guess it's been over a decade now. Wow. The original bassist from The Electric Light Orchestra, Kelly Groket, passed away suddenly, and they called me, and I had to kind of bone up on my ELO music, but I've been with them ever since. And the band does include the original violinist, Mick Minsky, too, that, you know, he was in ELO, but we play those songs lovingly and carefully and energetically. Yeah, definitely, and as I've seen you do this performance before, and it is just so much fun, and anybody who's going to be in attendance at Easton's historic State Theater in just a couple weeks is in for a real treat, and I'll give out some ticket information in just a few moments, but I can recall, Glenn, you and I having conversations over the years and about how being a part of The Orchestra has led you to places around the world that, you know, where it's amazing, where the music just continues to flourish. You've been to places, South America, you've been to the nations of Europe with this music, and I can recall some years ago a trip that you took to New Zealand, and for a guy that's been around the world playing music, you recalled this trip to New Zealand as being just one of the best times musically that you ever had in your life, and that's what this band has meant to you, a chance to get out internationally and just play some music for global audiences, which is really a cool thing. Yeah, oh, it's amazing, and, you know, music is the universal language, and it's just so lovely, it's beautiful to go to another country far, far away and play songs and have this connection with thousands and thousands of people. Mine is a fortunate life. I'm glad you feel that way, because there's a lot of people that are like, well, you know, but I can tell you have such a passion and you have so much love for what you do, which I think is really a special thing, but I want to urge people to get their tickets as soon as possible for the show, which is coming up, it's October 26th, it's a Thursday night, just a couple of weeks from now, at the beautiful State Theater in Easton, Pennsylvania. If you've never had a chance to go there, this is the show that you want to see as maybe being your first one, and there is a link where you can purchase tickets by visiting theorchestraband.com and go to the tour dates, and after that it's off to Western Pennsylvania for another show, but you want to get to the show in Easton, Pennsylvania on October 26th with Glenn Burtnick and the orchestra who will be there. Among your other projects, Glenn, a group called the Weaklings, who I have literally been a fan of since day one, and I'm so glad that you and your fellow Weaklings are still out playing shows and making music, and you've got some news you wanted to share this morning on the Weaklings front? Well, yeah, I mean, actually, Friday the 13th, which is just in a few days, we'll be at the South Orange Performing Arts Center, SOPAC in South Orange, and we also have a new single coming out called Brian Jones, which the video and the song will be released on Friday, so this week is a big Weaklings week as well. Yeah, sounds like it, and just so much great success and just making new music and playing all over the place, and it's really just great to keep on top of what's going on with Glenn Burtnick nowadays. He's with me here live at the R.N. Shea Morning Program. A couple shows coming up. We mentioned the show with the orchestra. That's at the State Theater, the 26th. You heard about the show there with the Weaklings, and Glenn, all is right with the world once again, because I understand you're going to be providing the music the night of the New Jersey Hall of Fame ceremony, and you bring such an energy, and you bring just such a cool vibe to this ceremony, and I was so excited to hear that you're going to be doing the music once again this year for the New Jersey Hall of Fame induction, which is real exciting. Yeah, it's an honor to be asked, and I put together an orchestra, and we perform a number of songs, you know, not unlike the Academy Awards where, you know, if somebody walks on stage, you give them music to walk up to the podium with and to walk off, and then there will be a few performances by great artists as well. So, yeah, it's a big job. It's a lot of work, but I do enjoy it. Yeah, there's something special about that night. So many things going on with New Jersey native Glenn Burtnick, and it's always great to catch up with him here in the program. Is there one central place, Glenn, where people can go and stay on top of all your projects, or do you have to just kind of bounce around and see what you're up to with a particular project? You know, if I were more organized, there would be a place. You look me up on Facebook or Instagram, and you can usually find out what's coming up. Great. Okay. Well, we'll stay on top of everything. So that orchestra show coming up again October 26th, State Theater, Easton. Tickets and info at theorchestraband.com. Glenn Burtnick, oh, one other thing, too, about speaking of the orchestra, a documentary film that came out last year that kind of chronicles the work of the orchestra since it came into being? Yeah. You know, it's funny you mention that, because I kind of forgot about it. Like, you know, you shoot it, we shot it, you know, maybe a year or three or four ago, you know, and you move on, and then it's like, hey, they finished the movie. So that was lovely and a really exciting thing to be a part of. And it really does tell the whole story of this really great band that I work with. Well, I'll be sure to check it out. And let's add film star to your extensive resume of professional accomplishments, movie star Glenn Burtnick. Now, we'll put that in there, too. Glenn, always good to talk to you, my friend, and keep up the amazing work that you're doing. And we'll definitely see you on the road in the coming weeks and months. But thank you so much for the time today. Thanks so much, Burt, and good health.