“Showtune Favorites” is the first trumpet show that I ever created and performed, and about 8.5 years later, on 10 August 2026, I finally performed it for the residents of Edmonds Landing by Cogir (Independent & Assisted Living in Edmonds, WA).
In this show, I perform two dozen hit songs from musicals and movies that were popular in the residents’ era. Those who remember the words will sing along, and others in the audience may hum the tunes as I play. Along the way, I tell some jokes, and after the show, I pass out a handout of 25 jokes, riddles, and limericks. In this case, a man in the second row from me leapt out of his chair, took the handouts, and distributed them to his peers for me. People often do that. It is so kind.
Courtesy of Edmonds Land by Cogir
One lady came up to me with the joke handout in her hands and said, “This is what we need around here! Laughter. We need to laugh more! Thank you.”
The lady with the beautiful voice, who knew the words to every song, also came up to talk with me. She said how much she enjoyed singing those wonderful songs. I thanked her and praised her voice. Another lady, standing nearby, said hearing her sing was encouragement for others to sing, also. It was obvious she must have performed those songs in musicals in the past. That’s so much fun when a talented, experienced singer bursts out like that.
Courtesy of Edmonds Land by Cogir
A man in his 90s said to me, “You have a nice embouchure.” I thanked him and said, “You must have played.” Yes, he played both trumpet and cello. Such an unusual combination, I thought. Must be a story there. “Then you can do the next show,” I said. Smiling, he passed.
Another man in his 90s, sitting in a wheelchair, was wearing a Korean War Veteran cap. His first career was 28 years in the U.S. Army in artillery. His second career was teaching at a junior college. His father had done the same—two careers, one in the Army and one teaching in college. Amazing. Fewer stories like that now. Changes.
You can see why I love playing music for such good people. I tell them, “I’m going to keep doing this as long as I’m able.” They say, “Do it,” and we grin.
This was a very fun event! The audience was responsive to my songs and jokes, and judging by the banter among them, they all seemed to know and like each other. The more I played, the bigger the crowd! I’m talking about my performance of “Where Were You, Back Then?” at Vineyard Park at Mountlake Terrace on 17 July 2025.
“Where Were You, Back Then?” is comprised of 15 hit songs that appeared in musicals, movies, and recordings during 1947-2008. I name the year and ask the audience members to remember their own lives during that year. Then I read some major events in the world that happened that year. Sometimes, I tell what was going on in my life. Then I play the song I’ve selected for that year. For example, 1956—Actress Grace Kelly marries Rainier III, Prince of Monaco—“I Whistle a Happy Tune” from the musical, The King and I. I used my trumpet, pocket trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn, sometimes with mutes. Meaningful fun!
For awhile now, I’ve been wanting to perform one of my six trumpet shows at Mirabella, Seattle. My chance came this spring, thanks to Diana Rawls, Activities Director. On 11 April, I performed “Showtune Favorites”–about two dozen songs from popular musicals and movies familiar to the residents.
Why did I especially want to play there? Because it’s operated by a non-profit organization, occupies a whole city block in downtown Seattle, and is still quite new, opening for business only 15 years ago. I’m impressed!
I used four of my five horns–Getzen trumpet, Super Olds cornet, ACB flugelhorn, and Jupiter pocket trumpet (but not my Getzen bugle). I’ve owned the flugelhorn for only two and a half years, but the cornet for 71 years—Holy Cow! My parents gave it to me when I was a freshman in high school, and it took me to the Texas All-State Band when I was a senior. Love that horn! (Thanks again, Mother and Daddy, may they rest in peace.)
Besides At-Home Care, Mirabella, Seattle offers Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation. Residents from all levels came to my performance. One couple among the audience has lived there since it originally opened!
Photos are courtesy of Mirabella, Seattle. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
Two retirement communities in Mountlake Terrace got the same treat last summer—my one-hour trumpet show, “Showtune Favorites”! They’re located within a few blocks of each other, and I appeared at the second one 9 days after I had performed at the first one. Vineyard Park at Mountlake Terrace residents saw and heard it first (on 27 July), and Mountlake Terrace Plaza residents followed next on 5 August.
The show is one of six different ones in my repertoire. It consists of 25 favorite hit songs from musicals and movies that appeared during the residents’ era. It takes them back to many pleasant memories, and my jokes bring a few chuckles. I loved it, and so did they. As soon as I played the finale, a resident said aloud, “We want him back!”
In early July, I performed my one-hour trumpet show, “I Stand for the Flag,” at five different retirement communities in the Greater Seattle area. Naturally, they clustered around Independence Day, the Fourth of July. In order, they were:
Merrill Gardens at the University, Seattle (1 July)
Aljoya, Mercer Island (2 July)
Fairwinds Brighton Court, Lynnwood (4 July)
Emerald Heights, Redmond (7 July)
Merrill Gardens at Burien (9 July)
This show consists of 25 patriotic marches, songs, and bugle calls. I wore my VFW Post 1040 uniform and played three instruments (my Getzen Eterna Severinsen trumpet, Super Olds cornet, and Jupiter pocket trumpet) and used three mouthpieces (Yamaha Vizutti, Bach 8C, and Denis Wick 4).
Courtesy of Overlake Terrace Assisted & Senior Living
This spring, Overlake Terrace Assisted & Senior Living, a retirement community in Redmond, invited me back for a second trumpet show, 28 months after my first performance there shortly before Christmas in 2018 (please see my blog post of 23 December 2018 in the Archives in left column). Then Covid shut everything down, everywhere in 2020.
That first show was “Things Remembered,” featuring mostly Christmas carols and songs. This one, on 23 April, was “Showtune Favorites,” featuring hit songs from musicals and movies. I have six different shows, each with about two dozen familiar songs from the residents’ era.
For these shows, I use my Getzen trumpet, Super Olds cornet, Jupiter pocket trumpet, and (sometimes) Getzen bugle.
On Memorial Day, 31 May, I’ll be back there again in my VFW uniform, to sound “Taps” at their ceremony. I’ll use my beautiful Getzen bugle.
Fairwinds, Redmond, a Leisure Care Retirement Community
About 30 residents of Fairwinds, Redmond gathered on 16 November to hear my trumpet show, “Showtune Favorites.” For one hour, I played 25 hit songs from musicals and movies of the residents’ era, such as “Over the Rainbow,” “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” “Bali Hai,” “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Hello Dolly,” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” And along the way, I told a few jokes.
I brought three horns—my Getzen trumpet, Super Olds cornet, and Jupiter pocket trumpet—along with a Denis Wick 4 mouthpiece to make the cornet sound like a flugelhorn. And I used either a Harmon and straight mute for certain tunes. Fun!
Randee Young is the Guest Services Manager at Fairwinds, Redmond. When I return here someday, I’ll perform a different show—I have six.
Fairwinds, Redmonds
This facility is among the family of 53 Leisure Care retirement communities located in 18 states (https://www.leisurecare.com/our-communities). There are 9 in Washington state. Fairwinds, Redmond offers independent and assisted living accommodations and amenities in the Education Hill neighborhood. There are 22 floor plans and two dining venues, along with a private dining room, fitness room, pool, theater, salon, game room, activity room, patio, and garden. The size of the apartments range from 468 s.f. for a studio to 1,504 s.f. for a two-bedroom with den. Please see https://www.leisurecare.com/our-communities/fairwinds-redmond.
Two photos of the entrance (below) were taken by me. All others in this article are courtesy of Fairwinds, Redmond. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
For my final trumpet show in 2018, I performed “Things Remembered” at the Aegis of Lynnwood Retirement Community on 14 December for an audience of about 25. In the past year, I’ve presented either this 1-hour show or another, “Showtune Favorites,” at 8 different retirement communities in Lynnwood, Bothell, Redmond, and Mercer Island. I want to do more in 2019—it’s wholesome and fun! And I have prepared a third, entirely new show, “In Retrospect,” for return appearances at retirement communities where I’ve already performed.
“Things Remembered” is my Christmas show. It consists of a dozen Christmas songs, mixed with a dozen hit songs from musicals and movies that are well-known favorites among the residents of all retirement communities—songs like “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz,” (1939), sung by Judy Garland, and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), also sung by Judy Garland. The residents sing-along and chuckle at a few of my jokes, too.
I play one cornet and two trumpets, sometimes with a Harmon mute, and use four mouthpieces. One mouthpiece, the Wick 4, makes the cornet sound like a flugelhorn, so in effect, I play four horns during the show.
Aegis of Lynnwood
Aegis operates 31 facilities in Washington (16), California (14), and Nevada (1), according to the website, http://www.aegisliving.com. In Washington, all 16 retirement communities are in the Greater Seattle area. Six more new ones are planned to open through 2021. Aegis Living ranks in the coveted list of Top 50 Best Places to Work in America in 2017, amid 600,000 companies on the employee review site, http://www.Glassdoor.com.
My Christmas trumpet show is called “Things Remembered” because, by using some old favorite songs, I walk the audience through the common pattern of life that we all share—living single, falling in love, getting married, raising a family, celebrating Christmas year after year, laughing at jokes, overcoming adversity, facing retirement, and celebrating the fantastic blessings of life in America during our wonderful time in human history. On 1 December, the first day of Advent this year, I performed this show for an audience of 25-30 residents and staff at Overlake Terrace Retirement Community in Redmond.
The show consists of 24 songs, half from musicals and movies and half about Christmas. All are favorites of the age group living today in retirement communities. They sing along as I play. And as they listen to me play and talk, they recall where they were and what was happening when they first heard and learned those songs—“Things Remembered.”
For variety and fun, as appropriate for each song, I play three instruments (two trumpets and one cornet) and use four mouthpieces and one mute. One mouthpiece makes my Super Olds cornet sound like a flugelhorn, so in effect, it’s like playing four different instruments for them.
Overlake Terrace provides independent, assisted living, memory care, and respite services. For more information, here is the link to the website: https://www.stellarliving.com/overlake-terrace/. And for a tour of the interior of the facilities, please see the photo gallery here: https://www.stellarliving.com/overlake-terrace/photo-tour/. The 14 photos show the main lobby entrance, café, and dining room; model bedroom and living room; family rooms, library, exercise room, activity room, and movie theater.
Overlake Terrace is part of Stellar Senior Living, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The group consists of 8 retirement communities, including two in Washington (Redmond and Kent), two in Utah, two in Idaho, and one each in Colorado and Arizona.
The photos below are courtesy of Overlake Terrace. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
Thanks to the Activities Director, Katie Matthews, I had the privilege on 5 July of presenting my one-hour trumpet show, “Showtune Favorites: Hit Songs from Musicals and Movies,” to about 30 residents of the lovely retirement community, Vineyard Park at Bothell Landing (VPBL). Judging by the audience response during the performance and the many cordial compliments I received afterwards, it was a success!
According to its website, VPBL offers senior living services for independent and assisted living in 87 private studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom apartment suites, ranging in layout and size up to 949 square feet, complete with kitchenettes and private baths. These services and amenities are included:
High speed internet connection
Cable TV
Weekly housekeeping and daily trash removal
Weekly personal laundry and linens
Utilities
It was voted Best of Northshore for 2014. The renowned, dynamic Northshore Senior Center is located a short walk away. With more than 10,000 members, this center is one of the largest on the West Coast. VPBL residents receive a complimentary membership to the Northshore Senior Center, with it large curriculum of activities and functions. Please see http://www.northshoreseniorcenter.org/.
The show consists of 24 songs, half from musicals and movies and half about Christmas. All are favorites of the age group living today in retirement communities. They sing along as I play. And as they listen to me play and talk, they recall where they were and what was happening when they first heard and learned those songs—“Things Remembered.”
For variety and fun, as appropriate for each song, I play three instruments (two trumpets and one cornet) and use four mouthpieces and one mute. One mouthpiece makes my Super Olds cornet sound like a flugelhorn, so in effect, it’s like playing four different instruments for them.
![vpb13[1]](https://glennstrumpetnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/vpb131.jpg)
Glenn's Trumpet Notes 