The Toe Jam Puppet Band Story
Once upon a time in the year 2002, magic happened. Two big kids named
Tom and Vinny decided to form a musical group called The Toe Jam Puppet
Band. With diverse backgrounds spanning the areas of music,
songwriting, scenic artistry and puppetry, it seemed like a natural fit
for the two friends.
Tom Poitras is the plaid-suited songwriter and singer of the Toe Jam
Puppet Band. He plays banjo, acoustic guitar and washboard
tie. Tom says the inspiration for his songs comes from his family
of 2 young boys, Hank & Jack, and his wife Donna. From
throwing laundry around the house to squeakin' like a mouse, Hank &
Jack feed Tom new song ideas daily. Tom also draws from a wide
variety of musical tastes in the writing of Toe Jam songs, including
Jump Blues, Punk Rock, Reggae and Traditional Folk Music. Tom
says, "Music is exploration and there's a whole world of music out
there to be turned on to and explored."
Tom has been performing musically for over 25 years. Toe Jam is his
first children's music venture, which coincided with the birth of his
first son. Tom has written hundreds of songs for Toe Jam and has
just begun writing children's picture book stories.
Every live show needs a live wire and for the Toe Jam Puppet Band it's
Mr. Vinny Lovegrove. Acting as emcee and resident silly man he
can always be found right in the thick of it with the Kiddos. At
each Toe Jam performance he directs the fun and activities with a big
bag of puppet shows, storytelling, amateur acrobatics, improvisation,
and well-timed shtick. Inspired by Tom's homemade songs, Vinny,
keeps the audience involved.
Vinny has 16 years of experience with children's entertainment and
education. He has been a co-founder and contributor to a number
of continuing programs including: the Open Space Arts organization of
Reisterstown, MD., the New Bedford Art Museum's "Purple Bus" Art Mobile
program, and his own Miracle Fish Puppet Theater. Vinny has made
puppets for, and performed with, The Caravan Stage Theater of St,
Petersburg, FL., the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth,
MA., the Zeiterion Theater of New Bedford, MA. and, for the past eleven
years, The King Richard's Faire of Carver, MA. to name a few.
(Family Program 2004 archive)
(Family Program 2005 archive)
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