Ever wonder what the day in the life of a professional singing telegram performer is like? For Scott Galbraith, 39, of Boston, an employee of Boston Party Adventures Party Solutions, it means a car stuffed with balloons, countless hours of driving, quick meals between gigs, and lots and lots of red faces.
Professional singing telegram performer Scott Galbraith, 39, of Boston, picks out Valentine’s Day balloons at a Dollar Tree in Malden in preparation for many deliveries he has scheduled for Feb. 14, 2017. When talking about working on major holidays, Galbraith says, “I can either make one person happy or make everyone happy.” PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFFScott Galbraith, 39, of Boston, adjusts his Pinky the Gorilla suit before performing his second singing telegram of the day on Valentine’s Day. He changes into his outfit outdoors, instead of finding a restroom, to ensures the customer never sees his face and he will never ruin the surprise. PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFFGalbraith transitions into a new character, Chuck the Chicken Farmer, for his next delivery to an unsuspecting woman, whose boyfriend sent him to embarrass her at her office. Chuck the Chicken Farmer, like Pinky, has his own character voice. “Everything is funnier with an accent,” Galbraith says. PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFFThe freelance entertainment business comes with a great deal of travel, Galbraith says, which means his Ford Focus serves as his traveling office and closet. Galbraith carries a variety of costumes in his car at all times such as Pinky, Chuck the Chicken Farmer, a tuxedo for a Frank Sinatra impersonation as well as materials balloon twisting and his magic routine. PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFFChick-fil-A is a popular quick lunch or dinner destination for Galbraith when he is on the road. He performs as the Great Scott, his magician routine, for children’s events at locations across the state. As a frequent customer at the Northshore Mall location in Peabody, Galbraith enjoys the benefit of ordering his “usual,” when placing his dinner order after a long day of deliveries. PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFFAfter gathering “recon” on his second to last subject, Galbraith prepares his barbershop quartet version of the Pinky the Gorilla costume. He has many methods of gathering information on his recipients and warns of the dangers of entering a building wearing a mask before doing so. For this delivery, he called the customer’s place of work to ensure she was not the woman at the front desk, then entered workout studio as to make sure that someone on the inside is in on it. PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFFWith her co-workers clued into the surprise, Galbraith prepares to enter Sweat Fixx, an exercise studio in Wakefield, to surprise Michelle Thomas with a song and balloon bouquet before she leads a fitness class. At the end of each skit, Galbraith points out his number on the back of the card so that they may reciprocate the gesture to whomever they “thank or blame,” for the experience. PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Awesome, thank you!
Great article! I worked with Scott on a movie set. He was one of the most professional people I’ve ever worked with.
This is a great story Sarah I’m good friends with Scott I know how hard he works you did a great job capturing what he does well done