PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — When you sit behind the scenes watching Jack Hartmann make his nearly 1,800th YouTube video, you quickly realize why the children’s educational, singing sensation has nearly 1 billion YouTube views.
Every song has a catchy beat. And as Hartmann tells the story, that is how it all began decades ago.
“We put a little beat to Humpty Dumpty and made it kind of cool,” Hartmann says.
When Jack Hartmann sings about anything these days, the views on his Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel on YouTube stack up. His core audience is 3- to 7-year-olds who watch him almost daily not only on their iPads but in their classrooms.
Hartmann’s catchy educational jingles are widely used as a teaching tool by educators across the country.
“When I see teachers at workshops or at schools they tell me I’m their co-teacher," Hartmann, a former teacher himself says.
"It’s a great compliment because they use the songs that much to teach the letter sounds or colors or numbers or whatever they're teaching."
Hartmann’s videos can reach 1 to 3 million views a day. Social media influencers would love to have his success. He even writes his own lyrics. Hartmann’s producer sweetens those lyrics with music inside a home studio in Pinellas County.
Those songs teach young children everything from math to manners to reading and counting. He even does in-school and community concerts and occasionally travels the country to perform at schools coast-to-coast.
“I love working with children," he says. "They have so much beautiful energy and fun and they love music and to see them smile."
Hartmann has worn many hats over the years. Once a local bar musician, he turned to substitute teaching nearly 40 years ago. It was there he found children were better learners when he wrote music with his lessons. It’s also where he met his wife, Lisa, who often performs with him on YouTube.
“We’ll just think of what would be fun to teach the children," the 74-year-old said. "And teachers tell us this is what our kids need to learn now."
He rocks out with 3 to 4 school performances a week but Hartmann shows no signs of slowing down.
When asked if “R” stands for retirement, he quickly says, “From this?! Making kids smile. Having fun. Helping them learn?”
Obviously, “N” stands for no.