Jack Norton is an American filmmaker, television producer, musician, songwriter, and author. He is the director of the 2015 film Jug Band Hokum. He is best known as the co-creator of the Emmy Award-winning preschool television show and brand, (The

Zinghoppers The Zinghoppers are a multi-platform children's brand that focuses on creating content for preschoolers and families. The show includes three animal characters: Olo, Coconuts and Penelope. The Zinghoppers have released CDs, DVDs and maintain an ac ...

). He co-directed and co-starred in the PBS show, "Totally,

!" Norton is of Dutch and

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

descent. He grew up in a musical family. His babysitter was Tiny Tim, who gave Norton his first ukulele. Blues singer Leon Redbone taught Norton how to play guitar and authors Nick Tosches and Hubert Selby, Jr. were family friends. After high school, Norton studied Early Childhood Education and his experience as a preschool teacher helped form the educational principals found in the Zinghoppers music. Norton's senior thesis (entitled, "The Childhood Dignity Movement"), helped form the Zinghoppers core goals of "educating, entertaining and engaging" young children. While in college, Norton's love of hip-hop culture and dance music led him to attend raves and underground rap house parties. Electro, hip-hop, Disney pop and dance music serves as the basis of Norton's musical influences. The Nortons moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2009 to begin production of "Totally, Zinghoppers!", a series for public television. In 2015 Norton announced his directorial debut with Jug Band Hokum, a documentary film that stars Brooklynd Turner and Anne Baggenstoss and follows the lives of band members competing in the Minneapolis Annual Battle of the Jug Bands. Guests appearing in the film include

Garrison Keillor Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (; born August 7, 1942) is an American author, singer, humorist, voice actor, and radio personality. He created the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) show ''A Prairie Home Companion'' (called ''Garrison Keillor's Radio ...

(of Prairie Home Companion fame), Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and others. In 2017 it was announced Norton's next film will be ''Infinite Chaos'', a feature-length

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

. Four songs written and performed by Jack Norton and Kitty Norton are included in The Florida Project a 2017 film by Sean Baker. Jack's work as a musicologist and historian has led him to publish biographies on

Emmett Miller Emmett Miller (February 2, 1900 – March 29, 1962) was an American minstrel show performer and recording artist known for his falsetto, yodel-like voice. Miller was a major influence on many country music singers, including Hank Williams, Jimmie ...

, Freddie Fisher (

Schnickelfritz Snicklefritz may refer to: * "Snicklefritz", a song by the Amity Affliction from '' Chasing Ghosts'', 2012 * Snicklefritz, a cat character on the TV series ''The Big Comfy Couch'' See also * The Schnickelfritz Band ''Gold Diggers in Paris'' is ...

) and Stan Fritts of the Korn Kobblers. His work "Cornstars: Rube Music In Swing Time" earned the prestigious Certificate of Merit for “Best Historical Research in Recorded Popular Music” from the Association for Recorded Sound Collections. Norton's best-selling series, "Dirty Little Comics" is a pictorial history of

Tijuana bibles Tijuana bibles (also known as eight-pagers, Tillie-and-Mac books, Jiggs-and-Maggie books, jo-jo books, bluesies, blue-bibles, gray-backs, and two-by-fours) were palm-sized pornographic comic books produced in the United States from the 1920s to ...

and underground

adult comics The catch-all term adult comics typically denotes comic books, comic magazines, comic strips or graphic novels that are marketed either mainly or strictly towards adult (or mature) readers. This can be because they contain material that could be ...

from the 1920s through the 1950s.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Norton, Jack (conductor) American children's musicians Living people Musicians from Los Angeles Place of birth missing (living people) Year of birth missing (living people)