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We've had a lot of requests to add some past history on our groups, my music and this adventure we've be on for over ten years now! We'll be adding a lot to this page - so be sure to stop back often in the next few months. Thanks!
2008 Toot! Toot! All Aboard!
CD		 Conductor Jack And Friends
New name for the Mullets, first album of "family music"		 Wonderiffic
USA
2007 Hop! Hop! Hop!
CD		 The Zinghoppers, featuring Conductor Jack
Debut album featuring songs from the kids' TV show		 Wonderiffic
USA
2006 Our Secret Song
Unreleased		 Jack and Kitty Norton
Recorded in Nashville, this album remains unreleased		 Sony/BMG
Australia
2006 Snowflakes
CD		 The Zinghoppers, featuring Conductor Jack
Songs from the kids' TV holiday special		 Wonderiffic
USA
2006 Meet The Zinghoppers
CD EP		 The Zinghoppers, featuring Conductor Jack
Five songs from the upcoming kids' TV show		 Wonderiffic
USA
2006 Destination Unimportant
CD		 Bejae Fleming
Jack is credited as a co-writer on this project		 Trailer Records
USA
2006 Songs Of Faith And Inspiration
CD		 Jack Norton
Solo album of traditional gospel hymns		 Norton Family
USA
2006 Audience Requests And Fan Favorites
CD		 Jack Norton
Solo album recorded live of original songs and comedy		 Norton Family
USA
2006 Live & Havin' A Heck Of A Time
DVD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
Live concert DVD with music videos		 Norton Family
USA

2005		 Friendship Road: Tsunami Relief
CD		 Compilation: Various Artists
Jack contributed two exclusive songs to this project		 ARC Intl.
USA
2005 Jandek: Down In The Mirror
CD		 Compilation: Various Artists
Jack contributed an exclusive song to this project		 Summersteps
USA
2005 Bound For Glory
CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
"Bluegrass-gospel" album by the Mullets		 Norton Family
USA
2005 Roll On, Cowboy!
7" vinyl EP		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
Four "vaudeville-bluegrass" songs		 Norton Family
USA
2004 Beaners: One Week Live, Vol. 3
CD & DVD		 Compilation: Various Artists
Jack contributed two exlusive songs to this project		 Beaners Central
USA
2004 Sorrow Is A Pitchfork
Limited Edition Fan Club CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
Featuring guest DJ/band, Fog.		 Norton Family
USA
2004 Junkyard Jazz
Limited Edition Fan Club CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
Available only at live shows		 Norton Family
USA
2004 White Dog Hunch
CD (reissue)		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
Includes five previously unreleased songs		 Norton Family
USA
2004 Wizard Oil
CD (reissue)		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
Same as 1999 released, with new artwork		 Norton Family
USA
2004 Schnickelfritz Live!
CD		 The Red Hot Terriers
This is a live bootleg in circulation uncredited to Jack		 XYZ Records
Canada
2003 Living In The Ground
CD		 Ben Weaver
Jack is credited as producer and guest musician		 30/30 Industries
USA
2003 Wizard Oil Vaudeville Co., Pt. 5
CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
An hour radio show sent to NPR affiliates		 30/30 Industries
USA
2003 Wizard Oil Vaudeville Co., Pt. 4
CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
An hour radio show sent to NPR affiliates		 30/30 Industries
USA
2003 Wizard Oil Vaudeville Co., Pt. 3
CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
An hour radio show sent to NPR affiliates		 30/30 Industries
USA
2003 Wizard Oil Vaudeville Co., Pt. 2
CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
An hour radio show sent to NPR affiliates		 30/30 Industries
USA
2003 Wizard Oil Vaudeville Co., Pt. 1
CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
An hour radio show sent to NPR affiliates		 30/30 Industries
USA
2003 Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
Soundtrack to award-winning Fringe Festival show		 30/30 Industries
USA
2003 Bathtub Gin
Poetry chapbook, with CD		 Compilation: Various Artists
Jack contributed an exlusive song to this project		 Pathwise Press
England
2003 Ode To Your Charms
7" vinyl EP		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
Four "bluegrass-vaudeville" songs		 30/30 Industries
USA
2003 Into The Forest: Will Oldham Songs
Two-disc CD box set		 Compilation: Various Artists
Jack contributed an exlusive song to this project		 Tract Records
Japan
2003 Songs From A Jack Of All Trades
12" vinyl LP		 Jack Norton
Ten original folk songs, with homemade artwork		 30/30 Industries
USA
2002 Hollerin' At A Woodpecker
CD		 Ben Weaver
Jack is credited as producer and guest musician		 Burnside DC
USA
2002 Bi-Fi Records, Vol. 1
CD		 Compilation: Various Artists
Jack contributed an exlusive song to this project		 Bi-Fi Records
USA
2002 Live At The Spider Lounge
CD		 Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys
Live house party concert in Winona, Minnesota		 30/30 Industries
USA
2002 Holy, The Abyss
Limited Edition Fan Club CD		 Jack Norton
Seven original folk songs, with homemade artwork		 Unit 3 Records
USA
2002 The Highway Ended
Limited Edition Fan Club CD		 Jack Norton and Ben Weaver
Jack contributed five songs to this album		 30/30 Industries
USA
2002 Airplanes In My Basement
CD		 Jack Norton
Twenty original folk songs, with homemade artwork		 30/30 Industries
USA
2002 Songs From An Empty Tomb
CD		 Jack Norton
Pre-release version aired on John Peel's BBC Radio 1 Show		 Carrot Top
USA
2001 Mayslack's Prime Cuts
CD		 Compilation: Various Artists
Jack contributed a song to this project		 SlaxTrax
USA
2001 Dance Real Slow
CD		 Jack Norton
Music set to the words of hobo poet Tumbleweed Spritz		 30/30 Industries
USA
2000 Dave Van Ronk Live In Milwaukee
CD		 Dave Van Ronk
This is a live bootleg concert featuring Jack		 Mad Cows
Canada
2000 White Dog Hunch
CD		 Jack Norton
Fourteen original folk songs, with homemade artwork		 Unit 3 Records
USA
1999 El Camino Blues
CD		 Ben Weaver
Jack is credited as producer and guest musician		 Unit 3 Records
USA
1999 Ben Weaver
Promotional CD		 Ben Weaver
Jack is credited as producer and guest musician		 Unit 3 Records
USA
1999 Wizard Oil
CD		 Jack Norton
First pressing mistakenly credited to "Paul Dandy"		 Unit 3 Records
USA
1998 The Complete Records, Vol. 1 & 2
Two-disc CD box set, with chapbook		 Emmett Miller
Jack is credited as project producer and author		 SDG Records
USA
1997 Vaudevillian Eccentric
Cassette EP		 Jack Norton
Jack's debut recorded @ Arts High School, Minneapolis		 SDG Records
USA

2008

  • 6/3/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Smyrna TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 6/4/08 - Kingsport Public Library, Kingsport TN (appearance with "The Zinghoppers Live Show!")
  • 6/4/08 - Kingsport Public Library, Kingsport TN (appearance with "The Zinghoppers Live Show!")
  • 6/5/08 - La Vergne Public Library, La Vergne TN (appearance with "The Zinghoppers Live Show!")
  • 6/5/08 - La Vergne Public Library, La Vergne TN (appearance with "The Zinghoppers Live Show!")
  • 6/6/08 - Gallatin Public Library, Gallatin TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 6/6/08 - Gallatin Public Library, Gallatin TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 6/7/08 - Edmondson Pike Branch Public Library, Nashville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 6/8/08 - CMA Music Festival Fan Fair, Nashville TN (appearance with "The Zinghoppers Live Show!")
  • 6/8/08 - Mexicali Grill, Franklin TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 6/11/08 - East Nashville Farmers Market @ Turnip Truck, Nashville TN (band show as "Conductor Jack And Friends")
  • 6/17/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Hermitage TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 6/20/08 - Cookeville Children's Museum, Cookeville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 6/21/08 - Whole Foods Natural Marketplace, Franklin TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 6/24/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Murfreesboro TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 6/29/08 - Mexicali Grill, Franklin TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/1/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Brentwood TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/2/08 - Whole Foods Natural Marketplace, Franklin TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/7/08 - Gardner School Of Brentwood, Brentwood TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/8/08 - Lancaster Christian Academy, Smyrna TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/8/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Smyrna TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/9/08 - Green Hills Branch Library, Nashville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/10/08 - Gardner School Of Louisville, Louisville KY (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/11/08 - Gardner School Of Nashville, Nashville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/15/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Hermitage TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/18/08 - Cookeville Children's Museum, Cookeville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/22/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Murfreesboro TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/24/08 - Martha's @ Belle Meade Plantation, Belle Meade TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/25/08 - Whole Foods Natural Marketplace: Green Hills, Nashville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/25/08 - Songwriter's In The Round @ The Way With Coffee, Cookeville TN (band show as "Conductor Jack And Friends")
  • 7/26/08 - Bellevue Branch Library, Nashville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 7/30/08 - Whole Foods Natural Marketplace, Franklin TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/5/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Cookeville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/6/08 - Whole Foods Natural Marketplace, Franklin TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/8/08 - RiverGate Mall Kids Club, Goodlettesville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/12/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Smyrna TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/15/08 - Cookeville Children's Museum, Cookeville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/16/08 - Birthday Party, Nashville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/16/08 - WRLT 100.1 FM "The Lightning", Nashville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/16/08 - Whole Foods Natural Marketplace: Green Hills, Nashville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/19/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Hermitage TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/21/08 - Family Center @ Dollar General Corporate Campus, Goodlettesville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/26/08 - Chick-Fil-A, Murfreesboro TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/31/08 - Mexicali Grill, Franklin TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")
  • 8/31/08 - Bluebird Cafe, Nashville TN (solo show as "Conductor Jack")

    Additional Selected Venues...

  • BBC Radio 1, London, England
  • Party for New England Patriots at Superbowl XLII, Glendale AZ
  • Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul MN
  • South Dakota State Fair, Huron SD
  • Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul MN
  • CMA Music Festival, Nashville TN
  • First Avenue, Minneapolis MN
  • Mall Of America, Bloomington MN
  • Hopkins Center For The Arts, Hopkins MN
  • Nashville Zoo, Nashville TN
  • Minnesota Zoo, Bloomington MN
  • International Festival de Musique, Paris, France
  • The Arts Centre of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • Bloomington Center For The Arts, Bloomington MN
  • Mesa Arts Center, Mesa AZ
  • Minnesota Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival, Richmond MN
  • The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville TN
  • The Old Log Theater, Excelsior MN
  • Historic Temple Theater, Viroqua WI

  • July 23, 1979 - Jack Emmett Norton born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

  • Winter 1989 - Jack joins his parent's bluegrass band, playing lead guitar and mandolin. The group tours the United States and Canada. Norton plays in the band for five more years.

  • September 1993 - Jack's debut EP is released, the album was recorded when Norton was fourteen years old.

  • November 11, 1993 - Jack meets his new neighbor, Tiny Tim. The two become good friends, and Tim becomes Jack's musical mentor and ukulele teacher. Years later, upon his passing, Jack is given one of Tim's infamous ukes.

  • August 18, 1995 - Norton acts as best man in Tiny Tim's third marriage.

  • April 15, 1996 - Jack and his girlfriend (and now wife) Kitty start a jug band duo at the Arts High School in Minneapolis.

  • May 10, 1997 - Jack's first public performance on the streets of Minneapolis neighborhood Dinkytown. Later that month Norton is invited to play at the Walker Art Center.

  • September 1997 - Jack performs in England, Germany, France and is featured at the International Festival of Music in Paris.

  • October 2, 1997 - Debut album, "Wizard Oil", is released. The recording includes legendary bass sax and tuba player Vince Giordano (from Leon Redbone's band) and John Gill on trombone and tenor banjo (formerly with Tom Waits and Woody Allen). Named "Album of the Year" by the readers of Tradition Magazine.

  • January 1998 - Jack tours Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic performing free vaudeville shows on the streets.

  • Spring 1999 - Upon returning to America, Jack begins touring with Ben Weaver. Ben and Jack would perform many shows together, record and tour off and on for several more years. Recording highlights include working with folk singer Greg Brown, and musicians Peter Ostroushko, Bo Ramsey and Tony Glover. One memorable live performance ends with Jack accidentally setting his hair on fire. Thankfully, just outside of the theater there was two feet of snow on the ground for Jack to stop the blaze.

  • October 1999 - Jack tours with folk legend Dave Van Ronk for his final American tour.

  • March 2000 - Jack's debut New York City performance, opening act is a young unknown pianist named Norah Jones.

  • May 2000 - Second album, "White Dog Hunch" is released. Recorded for $100 in a chicken coop in Iowa, this album (with hand painted collage cover art individually made from wood, cardboard and chicken wire salvaged from a dilapidated barn on the Norton's farm property) would eventually sell over 15,000 copies and be named "Album of the Year" by the readers of City Pages in Minneapolis.

  • June 2000 - Jack's debut in Nashville at the legendary Bluebird Cafe, he is one of the youngest artists to appear at the songwriter's showcase.

  • Summer 2001 - Releases three albums in three months. Summer tour includes opening for Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

  • December 31, 2001 - The Minneapolis Star Tribune names Jack "Artist Of The Year".

  • March 2002 - Billboard Magazine publishes an in-depth article on Jack Norton, an exceptional achievement for an independent singer-songwriter with no major record deal.

  • August 2002 - "Roll On Cowboy", Jack's first 7" vinyl EP, is released.

  • October 2002 - Jack records a collection of gospel songs at his farm in rural southern Minnesota. The collection is recorded direct to tape using WWII-era recording equipment. An early pre-release demo version of the album ("Songs From An Empty Tomb") is leaked to legendary British DJ John Peel, who plays the album in its entirety on his award-winning BBC Radio 1 program.

  • September 2003 - Jack writes "Interview with the Author", which is published by Random House in a memoir which later that year wins the PEN Award.

  • May 2004 - Jack, accompanied by a twelve piece dixieland jazz big-band, begins a residency series of sold-out performances at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis.

  • August 2004 - Norton debuts a musical puppet show in honor of his mentor Tiny Tim at the Fringe Festival. These performances quickly sell out and lead to a second artist residency at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis.

  • December 2004 - Jack is asked by local bluegrass band Monroe Crossing to contribute two new songs to "Friendship's Road", a compilation CD to benefit the relief efforts of the American Refugee Committee's work with Tsunami victims.

  • March 2005 - Recorded in three days at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Jack releases a collection of bluegrass and gospel music, "Bound For Glory".

  • April 2005 - High school sweethearts Jack and Kitty Norton get married.

  • November 2005 - Norton headlines Minnesota Public Radio's "Ukulele Gala" at the historic Fitzgerald Theater, home of Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion".

  • November 21, 2005 - Jack is the first musician asked to open for Leon Redbone, in the artist's 35 year career. Norton performs a solo stand-up comedy routine sitting on a hay bail and playing a pink toy piano.

  • March 3, 2006 - While in New York, Jack and Kitty Norton sign a publishing deal with a subsidiary of BMG.

  • June 2006 - Jack releases a live DVD, "Live And Havin' A Heck Of A Time" and a CD, "Audience Requests And Fan Favorites", which becomes his best selling CD to date.

  • December 2006 - Jack and Kitty introduce The Zinghoppers, a children's band featuring a singing possum, guitar playing donkey and drumming kangaroo.

  • February 2007 - Kitty Norton forms Wonderiffic, LLC and is CEO. Jack is named General Manager. Wonderiffic is an entertainment company focusing on family-friendly acts. Distribution for all future releases, and re-released Jack Norton catalogue, is secured with Super D.

  • February 2007 - While living in Nashville, the Norton's open an office in Phoenix, Arizona and continue to maintain an office in Minneapolis.

  • March 2007- Through an education exchange program, Norton performs a series of free children's folk music shows in parks and community centers throughout Mexico and South America.

  • May 2007 - Based on the success of his South America tour, Jack is asked by the State of Arizona and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to perform numerous shows for children on Reservations throughout the Southwest. After each show, the children in the audience were encouraged to try Jack's instruments themselves - often marking their first exposure to folk instruments such as the banjo and mandolin.

  • Summer 2007 - Jack plays 74 shows in two months with appearances at the Minnesota State Fair, the South Dakota State Fair and the Mall of America.

  • September 2007 - Norton records his upcoming all-ages folk album in an abandoned nightclub in Nashville's historic Printer's Alley district. A collection of all originals by Jack and Kitty, the session musicians read like a who's who of the finest pickers in Nashville and Minneapolis. "Our Secret Song" will be released on March 18, 2008.

  • December 2007 - Norton records his upcoming children's album in Los Angeles. "Toot! Toot! All Aboard!" will be released on March 18, 2008.

    • Copyright 1996-2008 Wonderiffic, LLC
    All shows by Conductor Jack And Friends are produced by the Zinghoppers in association with Wonderiffic, LLC.