By Gabriella Bancheri
You may have seen her on a chaise longue on a giant building on Route 30, or maybe you’ve spotted her at a local bar or music venue belting out a tune. Either way, Angela Burton is an Atlantic City icon who has appeared in a plethora of South Jersey corners.
Discovered in front of Atlantic City’s Club Harlem at the age of 5, Burton was singing professionally before she could spell the word professionally. And while she may have found her voice singing in church, she has never sung professionally in one.
She was discovered by the late Harold Melvin and eventually sang in the same shows as artists like Blue Magic and Phyllis Hyman. Today, there isn’t a spot in Atlantic City where Burton hasn’t sung.
She has been surrounded by music since she was young. Burton’s father played guitar, and her godfather was the one and only jazz drummer, Chris Columbo. You could say music is in her DNA.
In June Burton will be performing at the North to Shore Festival in Atlantic City, and she is currently working with an agent to book a show at one of AC’s casino venues.
In previous years, Burton has taken her talent worldwide, singing for US troops from Asia to South America, but she always finds her way back home to Atlantic City where she has turned to fund-raising initiatives for local kids.
Burton also gives back to her community as a crossing guard, which she is particularly proud of. In her work, it touches her heart to see so many children without rain boots. So Burton came up with another way to give back to her beloved community.
With the help of donations, Burton acquires rain boots and contacts local schools to inform them when and where she will be giving them away, giving children who might benefit from them a chance to shield their socks from the April showers up ahead.
Cathy Burke, owner of the Irish Pub in Atlantic City, allows Burton to give the shoes away at her location on St. James Place. Kelsey Jackson and his wife Kim, owners of Kelsey’s just down the street from the Pub, also allow Burton to use their space for giveaways.
Some recent donors include Bloom Realty Insurance, Assemblyman Don Guardian, and Councilwoman Stephanie Marshall, but Burton is still in need of donations to meet her mark. Usually there are about three pop-ups a year for rain boot giveaways. This year, however, there has only been one giveaway event so far.
If you’d like to participate in Burton’s work and donate boots, sizes 2-6 are still needed. They can be sent directly to Burton. Financial donations are accepted as well, which Burton uses to source the boots herself.
Boots can be sent to Creative Multi Media, PO Box 1678, Atlantic City, NJ 08404. Make cash donations via check to Creative Multi Media.
As the singer says, “All the kids in Atlantic City know Miss Angie in some kind of way.” Whether she’s singing, safeguarding pedestrians, or collecting rain boots for local kids, Angela Burton is a star on and off the stage.
People may know her name across the globe, but not everyone gets a chance to speak to her, which is where Burton’s light really shines. Aside from her beautiful voice and her philanthropic nature, my favorite thing about her is that she talks to you as if she’s known you her whole life. She talks to you like you’re family.
Gabriella is a Ventnor City resident and graduate of the University of London with an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing. Her writing is featured in a variety of digital publications ranging from food and beverage to literature to ecotourism.
