AUTHOR: Kate Branum

Headline: Glenn and Friends Perform the Music of Simon and Garfunkel

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Nothing triggers nostalgia quite like a familiar, favorite song. Glenn Bulthuis Jr. and his band, Glenn and Friends, dedicate their time and energy to promoting that nostalgia by playing those foot-tapping, head-banging hits from the past that have kept a spot on many people’s’ playlists.

Bulthuis’ interest in playing music was sparked at age eight after seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. He said it was the way the Beatles played their instruments and sang that left a lasting impression. Shortly after the show, Bulthuis began playing the ukulele. By the time he entered the 8th grade, Bulthuis upgraded to a Sears Silvertone guitar and took a liking to the music of Simon and Garfunkel. 

Once in high school, Bulthuis linked up with his long-time friends, Steve Hilpert and Dorian Holley and began playing and singing music with them. Holley has been on tour with big-name artists such as: Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and James Taylor. He was also the lead singer in Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show Band” and is currently the vocal coach for the show American Idol. Bulthuis has done concerts with Holley in both Michigan and California. 

As a student at Calvin College, Bulthuis played guitar and sang around campus. In 1977, his senior year, Bulthuis was invited to perform a concert for the student body. Jack DeBoer, a music professor at Grand Valley State University, was a sophomore at Calvin at the time and recalled being recruited as the drummer for Bulthuis’ band.

“I was a sophomore at the time and he called me to play some songs in the show,” DeBoer said. “He put together a mock rock and roll band and we did five numbers at the close of the show, which were primarily acoustic in nature. Over the years, the band played a larger and larger part in shows. Now, we perform shows as an ensemble.” 

DeBoer has been with Bulthuis and the band for 36 years and plans to continue playing shows. 

From 1977 to 2012, Bulthuis’ band held shows at Calvin College. The group played a combination of “hits” of the day, along with original songs Bulthuis had written. 

“All three groups: the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and James Taylor have had a profound effect on my approach to music making,” Bulthuis said. 

Glenn and Friends recently played a show dedicated to the music of Simon and Garfunkel at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center on June 18.

Throughout the course of 3 hours, the ensemble recreated 28 popular Simon and Garfunkel jams, including some long-lost songs off of the duo’s first album. 

In between songs, Bulthuis spilled some history about Simon and Garfunkel and kept the audience entertained with jokes and stories from his past. 

“I really enjoyed the Simon and Garfunkel show we just did because we used about 15-16 folks to create all the sounds,” Bulthuis said. “There were a lot of really nice moments in the show.”

This summer, Bulthuis plans to play about six gigs as the leading singer for a 22-piece Big Band performing various songs by Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Simon and Garfunkel.

The group will also be singing at the next four Swing Dance Nights at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids which will be held on July 5, August 2, September 6 and October 4.

In the future, Bulthuis would like to combine music and comedy in a show that he can do in clubs for 100-200 people with DeBoer and lead guitarist, Pete Bardolph.

“I’d like to do another Van Singel show. I’m not sure what direction to take. Big Band? Music of Bob Dylan? Another ‘Music of the Beatles’ show? We’ll see,” Bulthuis said.