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#GunGram Guy Who Plays 'Frozen' Songs With Glock Says They're Real Bullets

By Kelly Bauer | October 23, 2015 5:56am

CHICAGO — Charlie Cook just kind of stumbled into this using-a-gun-as-an-instrument thing.

Cook — who isn't from Chicago and isn't a sports fan — is making waves online for his renditions of "Chelsea Dagger" and Cubs songs. Cook's instruments of choice are a trumpet and a Glock 19.

His friend suggested the combination, thinking it would "be fun to put the two of these together." And, yes, they're real bullets.

"I thought that was a little crazy, but I said, 'I'm gonna give it a try,'" Cook said. "People thought it was fun and crazy."

Cook, who grew up south of the city in Bourbonnais but lives in Massachusetts, has now put out versions of "The Star-Spangled Banner," "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "We Are the Champions." He regularly creates "Happy Birthday" videos ("Happy Birthday to you," bangbangbang, "Happy Birthday to you....") that can be sent to loved ones for $30 per "gungram."

Cook's rendition of "Chelsea Dagger:"

"People think it's kind of crazy," Cook said. "They always wonder if it's safe."

Cook shoots into a dirt hill, or "impact area," at a gun range and tries to film only when no one else is at the range. And he has no interest in teaching others how to combine AR 15s and trumpets, saying he wants people to be careful.

"It's not that it's more dangerous or less dangerous than anything else people do," Cook said, adding that people can "figure it out" if they want to follow his lead.

His own passion for music started early: Cook's parents told him he had to play an instrument when he was 10 years old. It worked out for him. Because while he'd get sent into the outfield and didn't bat every inning as a baseball player, he was able to play every song when playing in band.

He dropped sports.

"I wasn't any good at baseball," said Cook, who's now in his mid-40s. "I was better at playing music."

Cook's version of "Go, Cubs, Go!:"

He eventually left Bourbonnais for college in Massachusetts. It's his friends and family back home and in Kankakee who have pushed him to create Blackhawks and Cubs-themed videos — Cook said he has no particular loyalty to the Chicago teams and would create videos for sports teams in other cities.

For now, Cook's focused on other songs: He's working on a gun-laced rendition of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" and is considering doing "The Munsters" theme song, with costume and makeup, for Halloween.

He accepts $30 "gungram" requests at CharliesGunGram@Gmail.com.

"It's certainly a unique gift for people," Cook said. "Certainly one of a kind."

Check out the gun swap in this one: 

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