Glenn’s Trumpet Notes

News & Tips for Trumpet & Cornet Students

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Posts Tagged ‘songs’

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Ooops! Late for a Trumpet Show? Yes, First and Only Time in 8.5 Years!

Posted by glennled on June 11, 2026

Island House, Mercer Island

From having driven 25,000 miles a year all over the Greater Seattle area during most of my 37-year real estate career, I know how long it normally takes me to drive to Mercer Island from my home—only 30 minutes in light traffic (no slowdowns). So, on Saturday, 30 May, I left 45 minutes early, planning to arrive one hour before starting time. I was zipping along on I-405 until I neared Kirkland. Ooops! the freeway was closed at 85th. There was a mandatory detour due to a major construction project. All that freeway traffic jammed bumper-to-bumper onto the surface streets with all their stop signs, one-way signs, and traffic lights.

Photo by Adam Reger, Island House, Mercer Island

Five minutes before the show was due to start, I called ahead to Island House, Mercer Island to let them know I’d be late, and would someone please announce that it was due to the incredible traffic hangup, and apologize to the audience, and tell them I will be there within 10-15 minutes? I pulled into the parking garage one hour and 55 minutes after leaving home!

In eight and a half years of playing shows at 42 different retirement communities all over the Greater Seattle area, I had never been late. I had started every show on time. But here, by the time I set up my four horns, music stand, P.A. system, and displays, I got started about 20 minutes late, with no time to warm up. My fault. Should have known about the big construction project. I wonder how many other hundreds or thousands of drivers were offering their apologies, too, that day.

But the audience was forgiving, attentive, and polite, as I performed one of my seven one-hour trumpet shows called “In Retrospect.” Its 24 songs prompt the audience to reminisce about their lives and remember where they were and what was happening when those songs were popular. And more than that, each song tells a story or sends a message or both.

For example, the song “I’ve Got the World on a String” is about someone who’s in love and is ecstatic. We’ve all felt that. And “Stormy Weather” is about disappointment and rough times. We’ve all experienced that. And “What a Wonderful World” sums it all up: “I hear babies cry, I watch them grow; they’ll learn much more than I’ll ever know, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world. Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”

It was my second appearance at Island House, M.I. I used my Getzen trumpet, Super Olds cornet, Jupiter pocket trumpet, and ACB (Austin Custom Brass) flugelhorn.

Island House, M.I. offers assisted senior living and short-term stays (please see Senior Living in Mercer Island, WA | Island House) in studio, one-, and two-bedroom units. It is part of the MBK family of retirement communities located in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado (www.mbkseniorliving.com).

Photos are courtesy of Island House, M.I. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

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“Happy Songs Only!” at University House, Wallingford in Seattle

Posted by glennled on June 8, 2026

Lobby,University House, Wallingford
Glenn Ledbetter, Trumpeter

It was great to come back—this was my fourth performance at University House, Wallingford (UHW) in Seattle. I returned on Friday, 29 May, to present my one-hour trumpet show, “Happy Songs Only!” It’s a collection of 26 spirit-lifting songs that are very familiar to the residents of retirement communities. I used four horns in this performance–my trumpet, cornet, pocket trumpet, and flugelhorn. Two residents at the show told me they also play trumpet!

My previous performances were all of my show, “I Stand for the Flag,” on or about Memorial Day and Veterans Day in 2019, 2021, and 2022. I now have 7 different trumpet shows and am working a new one to premier in 2027.

UHW has a very pleasant, spacious lobby and Olympic Auditorium (see photos). UHW was developed in 1997 by Eli and Rebecca Almo, real estate developers specializing in retirement communities. They now have a family of 8 such communities in the Greater Seattle area (please see http://www.eraliving.com). The sister community to UHW is University House, Issaquah (please see my blog post of 30 March 2019). Both communities have affiliations with the UW Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work and the UW Retirement Association for the benefit of their residents. There is an emphasis in their programs and services on a “lifetime of learning.” Please see http://www.eraliving.com/about/health-wellness-partnerships/.

UHW offers independent and assisted living care services. It has 146 maintenance-free, senior residences in one or two-bedroom floor plans, ranging from 530 to 1,040 sq. ft. Please see http://www.eraliving.com/communities/wallingford/floor-plans/.

Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

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First Performance at Vineyard Park at Queen Anne Manor in Seattle

Posted by glennled on April 16, 2026

Queen Anne Manor, Seattle

We stretched our recognition of St. Patrick’s Day by one day, 18 March, so that I could perform my trumpet show, “St. Patrick’s Day Celebration,” at Queen Anne Manor in Seattle. It was the 41st retirement community in the Greater Seattle area where I’ve performed since I began doing this 8 years ago.

This show consists of 26 Irish ballads, jigs and reels and one limerick, two riddles, and 10 Irish jokes. I use four horns: trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, and pocket trumpet. Many of the residents said they have Irish ancestry. They knew the songs and sang along as I played, and they laughed at my jokes.

Queen Anne Manor captures first prize for being the oldest building where I’ve performed—built in 1911. Originally, it was three stories, and a fourth was added ten years later in 1921. At first, it was the site of the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital, founded by Anna Herr Clise. She had lost her son, Willis (5), in 1898 to inflammatory rheumatism. At the time, there was no physician or hospital in Seattle that specialized in pediatric care—no facility to treat crippled or malnourished children.

In 1907, the 23-woman Board of Trustees of the newly formed Children’s Orthopedic Hospital Association adopted a policy to accept any child, regardless of race, religion, or the parents’ ability to pay. The hospital operated at temporarily locations until its new building was completed. Queen Anne Hill was chosen for its superior air quality, up high in fresh air, away from downtown yet served by streetcars. It had 40 beds. That increased to 78 beds in open-air wards upon completion of the fourth floor. President F.D. Roosevelt, a polio victim, visited in September 1932, during the Great Depression.

The hospital relocated to the Laurelhurst neighborhood in 1954. After that, the building was occupied by a King County Health Department clinic (1954-1968) and then county offices and a morgue until 1980, when the building became a retirement home with private apartments. The place has been modernized and yet retains characteristics of its 115-year history.

For more information about Vineyard Park at Queen Anne Manor, please see Assisted Living in Queen Anne, Seattle, WA | Vineyard Park at Queen Anne Manor | CarePartners Senior Living. It is one of more than 30 communities in Washington and Arizona in the Care Partners Management Group, home based at Mercer Island. In Washington, there are 20 facilities, located from Lynden to Everett to Seattle to Bremerton to Tacoma to Covington and in Spokane.

Some photos are courtesy of Queen Anne Manor and others were taken by me. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Third Performance at Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre

Posted by glennled on April 6, 2026

Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre
Entrance

On 6 March, I returned to Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre (MGRC) for the third time to perform my new one-hour trumpet show, “Happy Songs Only!” It is comprised of 26 songs, and the two which I usually cite as samples are “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life” (1899, written during the recession) and “Cheek to Cheek” (1935, written during the Great Depression). This show calls for four instruments—cornet, flugelhorn, pocket trumpet, and trumpet. I vary the sounds by using various mouthpieces and mutes.

MGRC advertises “A beautifully balanced lifestyle…Our residents love it here.” It’s quite large with 208 apartments, “like a hotel,” said a staff member. It offers studio, 1- & 2-bedroom apartments for independent living, assisted living, memory care, and transitional care. Learn more at https://www.merrillgardens.com/senior-living/wa/renton/merrill-gardens-at-renton-centre/.

There are 12 Merrill Gardens communities in Washington state, and I have performed at four of them multiple times. Merrill Gardens, the parent company, has communities in 16 states. Learn more at https://www.merrillgardens.com.

Photos are courtesy of MGRC. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Fifth Performance at Edmonds Landing by Cogir Retirement Community

Posted by glennled on April 4, 2026

Edmonds Landing by Cogir

Hey, I’ve been here before—my fifth appearance—but 2 March was the first time I’ve ever performed “Happy Songs Only!” for the residents here. I love coming back to Edmonds where I lived for 21 years.

The staff set me up in the dining room with the audience’s chairs arranged in theater style. And then the clock rolls around, the seats fill up, and off we go with 26 spirit-lifting songs. I use four horns—my trumpet, pocket trumpet, cornet, and flugelhorn—and the people sing along or hum the tunes.

Of those 26 songs, the two samples I usually cite are “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life” (1899, written during the recession) and “Cheek to Cheek” (1935, written during the Great Depression).

And then there’s “Make Someone Happy,” sung by Jimmy Durante as the credits roll at the close of the movie, “Sleepless in Seattle” (1993). The ending lyric is “Make someone happy and you will be happy, too.” There’s a formula for ya. Sounds good…but it’s idealistic. The x-factor in the equation is that other person, right? And sometimes, the x-factor can turn negative. So, I agree with those who say that in the end, each of us is responsible for our own feelings, are we not? Still, it’s a great song, like “When I Fall In Love,” and I won’t eliminate either of these idealistic gems from my repertoire. We ought to fall in love, and we ought to contribute to another person’s happiness. Right?

Photos are courtesy of Edmonds Landing by Cogir. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Timber Ridge at Talus on Cougar Mountain in Issaquah

Posted by glennled on April 2, 2026

Early arrivers at The Talus Room, well before my trumpet show

What a wonderful place to perform, and what a wonderful place to live! Situated in Issaquah upon the lower, eastern side of Cougar Mountain above State Highway 900, the Timber Ridge at Talus retirement community is a gem. On sloped terrain, it has 8 floors plus an underground garage on two levels.

For my first appearance there, I performed my new show, “Happy Songs Only!” on 20 February. My audience in the auditorium, named the Talus Room (see photo at left), was about 80 residents. It’s a superb venue, the staff was expertly helpful with the lights and sound equipment, and the crowd was warmly receptive. They sang along (and hummed) as I played 26 familiar songs on my four horns, trumpet, pocket trumpet, cornet, and flugelhorn, and laughed as I told a few jokes. In our age group, who doesn’t remember songs such as “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life” (1899, written during the recession) and “Cheek to Cheek” (1935, written during the Great Depression)?

This is the 38th retirement community in the Greater Seattle area where I have performed one or more of my 7 shows.

The maps above and photos below are courtesy of Timber Ridge at Talus. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Third Performance at Quail Park in Lynnwood

Posted by glennled on March 31, 2026

Three photos courtesy of
Qual Park, Lynnwood

It’s always fun to perform for the residents at Quail Park in Lynnwood. On 13 February 2026, I did so again, for the third time. The secluded campus is on a hilltop, so driving along the street below you’d never know it was there except for the sign pointing the way uphill along a short county road that turns into a private drive. Once there, it’s a nice surprise— it’s gated and not only is there a large, main building, but also there are cottages. Looks like an exceptionally pleasant place to live. And judging by the residents’ response to my new one-hour trumpet show, “Happy Songs Only!” that must be the case.

The show consists of 26 spirit-uplifting songs. All were written before 1978. That’s the year that Jacques Morall, Henri Belolo, and Victor Willis wrote “Y.M.C.A.,” the “youngest” song in the show’s repertoire. When I was developing this show, I was surprised by how many of the positive-message songs were written in times of trouble and stress—the recession of 1899, WWI, the Great Depression, and WWII. Maybe songwriters were offering diversion, encouragement, and hope through entertainment. Anyway, I presented the songs as if they were messages from our peers, parents, and grandparents. We heard them, and it’s good to be reminded, for example, of “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life” (1899) and “Cheek to Cheek” (1935).

Quail Park has 258 apartments and 26 cottages for a total of 284 units (see Quail Park of Lynnwood Assisted Living Facilities, WA | Living Care). Here are some of my photos of the grounds. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Premier Performance of “Happy Songs Only!” Trumpet Show at Revel Issaquah

Posted by glennled on March 29, 2026

Revel Issaquah

Sometime in January, an idea captured my imagination—how about doing a one-hour trumpet show comprised of nothing but happy songs? So, I developed it and began to offer “Happy Songs Only!” to several retirement communities. The first to bite was a gem—Revel Issaquah. And thus came the premier performance on 7 February.

The beauty of it is that the residents know all 26 songs and can sing (or hum) along as I play. I use four horns—trumpet, pocket trumpet, cornet, and flugelhorn. The oldest song was composed by an Englishman, Harry Dacre, in 1892. “A Bicycle Built for Two” is 134 years old!

We’re old, but not that old, yet we all remember that song from our childhoods. The memories swam back and the hearts swelled as the residents sing, “Dasie, Dasie, give me your answer do…” And so it continues, song after song, for a whole hour.

Revel Issaquah is the 37th retirement community in the Greater Seattle area where I have performed my trumpet shows. It is a first class facility (https://www.revelcommunities.com/communities/issaquah). There are 146 units, offering independent living for people 55 and over.

It is part of The Wolff Company, a fully-integrated real estate investment company headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona (https://www.awolff.com). The firm is invested in several senior living communities in the western states and New York. It has a branch office in Seattle, and there are also Revel communities in Lacey and Spokane, Washington.

Photos are courtesy of Revel Issaquah. Please click on any photo to enlarge it and in some cases, read captions.

Patios and Balconies
BBQ
Outdoor Dining
Ovation Restaurant

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Veterans Day Honored at Mountlake Terrace Plaza—My Third Performance There

Posted by glennled on March 25, 2026

Courtesy of Mountlake Terrace Plaza

On Veterans Day, 11 November of any given year, I always have more than one opportunity to perform my one-hour trumpet show, “I Stand for the Flag,” at various retirement communities, partly because I’m a Vietnam veteran and I wear my Honor Guard uniform as VFW Post 1040 Bugler. But it’s first come, first served, and last year, Mountlake Terrace Plaza (MTP) booked me first. I played 24 patriotic marches, songs, and bugle calls before a large audience in the dining room in the afternoon. I used five horns—trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, pocket trumpet, and bugle.

It was my third appearance at MTP. In August 2021, I performed my show, “Showtune Favorites,” and in July this past summer, I performed “In Retrospect.” You can easily read my blog articles about these two appearances by searching “Mountlake Terrace Plaza” in the box at the upper right of this page.

For me, it was unique to see that Anne Paine, Director of Wellness Programming, had displayed a “Missing Person Table” at the entrance to the dining room. As of this performance, I had performed six different one-hour shows at 36 retirement communities in the Greater Seattle area, and I’ve never seen that Table set anywhere else. Most other activity directors probably have never heard of it. And I have also seen it set when I sounded “To the Color” and “Taps” at several ceremonies at Edmonds Community College.

According to the National League of POW/MIA Families, the “Missing Man Honors Table” carries the message that American Prisoners of War and Missing in Action from the Vietnam War shall never be forgotten. The table, its empty chair(s), and its contents are all symbolic, and a proper candlelight service can be conducted. At the table at MTP, there were two empty chairs and place settings, a white tablecloth, three American flags, the New Testament and Psalms, a red rose, a burning candle, and a flyer that explains the symbolisms. For more information, please see https://www.pow-miafamilies.org/the-missing-man-table.

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, “At present, less than 81,000 Americans remain missing from WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Gulf Wars/other conflicts. Out of the less than 81,000 missing, 75% of the losses are located in the Indo-Pacific, and over 41,000 of the missing are presumed lost at sea (i.e. ship losses, known aircraft water losses, etc.).” At present, the number from the Vietnam War is 1,566. For more information on the government’s efforts to identify the missing, please see https://www.dpaa.mil.

The photos below are courtesy of Mountlake Terrace Plaza. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

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My 7th Trumpet Show Performance at Fairwinds Bright Court in Lynnwood

Posted by glennled on March 22, 2026

Fairwinds, Brighton Court, Lynnwood

My mother-in-law lived at Fairwinds Brighton Court (FBC) in Lynnwood for a couple of years, and that permanently endeared me to this vibrant retirement community. So, I was delighted to return there on 10 November 2025 for another performance, my seventh. FBC is the current leader for my total appearances among the 36 communities where I’ve presented at least one of my six one-hour trumpet shows. This time it was “I Stand for the Flag” because the next day was Veterans Day.

“I Stand for the Flag” calls for five horns—trumpet, pocket trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, and bugle. I play 24 patriotic marches, songs, and bugle calls, and I invite the audience to sing along (or hum). Who doesn’t know “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Over There,” “God Bless America” and many more such?

FBC’s staff, led by Colleen Loveridge, Program Supervisor, are always expert in setting up the room and equipment that help make the shows successful. The audience is always sizeable, engaged, and responsive. They know and like each other. In short, it’s fun for them and fun for me. “See ya next time.”

Photos are courtesy of Fairwinds, Brighton Court. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

Bistro
Dining Room
Salon
Gazebo

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