Paul Rogers is a singer/ songwriter for the San Francisco band , Those Darn Accordions. He has recorded 6 CDs  and toured  the US and Europe with the group over the period of the last 20 years.

He grew up in Dearborn, MI and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a degree in composition.

Rogers has made numerous television appearances with Those Darn Accordions. Some notable appearances are “The American Music Awards with Drew Carey”, Penn and Teller’s “Sin City Spectacular”, “The Donny and Marie Show”, ” ABC World News Tonight”, MTV and “The Jerry Lewis Telethon”.

In 2010, Paul was able to to realize a long time wish of releasing his first album of children’s songs, “The Cul de Sac Kids”.  The CD contains 12 original songs and a cover of the Disney classic, “Bare Necessities”.  Two of the songs, “Sick Of Being Sick” and “Stop The Haircut”, are currently in rotation on Sirius-XM’s “Kid’s Place Live” channel.

For more info and song samples, visit http://www.thosedarnaccordions.com/paul/

Enter to win a Paul Rogers CD at Sage and Savvy (Closes Feb 25th)

We are teaming up again with Sage & Savvy to spotlight 5 artists, and give away THREE CDs!  Sage & Savvy is a blog based in warm Hawaii—difficult for me to imagine, as we are buried in snow here in Massachusetts!

Take a quick virtual trip to Hawaii and let them know which 3 CDs you would like if you win.  Here is a list of the 5 featured artists.  You can click on the linked names to see profiles, or the adjacent link to go to their website.

Paul Rogers http://www.thosedarnaccordions.com/paul/
Rik Barron http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rikbarron5
Jeremy Plays Guitar www.jeremyplaysguitar.com
Dennis Caraher http://www.dogbonetown.com/
Oran Etkin http://www.oranetkin.com/

Listen to clips from each artist here.  Who is your favorite?

Remember to enter to win CDs from three of these artists (the three that you choose) at Sage & Savvy.  The deadline for entries is February 25, 2011, 11:59pm HST.

Dennis grew up on a farm in Iowa about one thousand years ago. [editor's note: that is a LONG time ago!]

He now lives in Northampton, Massachusetts with his daughter and son and his pretty wife.

In those thousand years (several centuries were lost to reading Superman comic books in a treehouse), Dennis has managed to write some really cool songs. Luckily, he is able to sing them, too and even, amazingly, play his guitar at the same time.

He now gives performances around New England (and sometimes back in Iowa) where children  and parents pay exorbitant amounts of money to dance and sing and hear about tales of coffee-drinking dinosaurs, little blue bugs that drink from little blue bug mugs and tales of the pig who moves to the city. Everyone laughs, dances and goes home with a gift certificates to the “I Miss the Mud Diner” which is located in Bayard, Iowa and is run by a family of prize pigs. Vegetarian.

He has three CD’s for sale, each costing one million dollars though they are sometimes on special of around ten dollars.  His latest CD, “I Miss the Mud” was been awarded the 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Medal!  Here’s a review:

“Singer/songwriter Dennis Caraher (“Dog Bone Town,” “Bow Wow Baby”) delivers smiles with quirky humor and sunny charisma, wrapped in an agile musicality that embraces folk, country, old-time rock ‘n roll and a cappella vocals. Inventive percussion and a kids’ chorus complement a cautionary tale about a pig who hits the big time but yearns for his muddy origins. The a capella charmer, “Little Blue Bug,” begins with a little bug stuck in a rug (“I gave him help, I got a little bug hug”) and turns into a participatory, repeat-after-me romp.

Caraher’s inventive, individual voice works equally well in quieter songs that include the yearning “Without You” and an exquisite variation of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” (“It was always there to see when I’d feel my father carry me.”) Among other singers taking the spotlight are a young girl, Emma Henderson, who performs a heartfelt tribute to mothers (“I Love My Mom”), and adult artist Jill Connolly, whose lullaby-soft “I’ll Watch Over You” is accompanied by guitarist Joe Belmont, one of many sterling musicians here.”

“Dog Bone Town” has been awarded the 2002 Parents’ Choice Silver Medal!

“Bow Wow Baby” was awarded….praise from Dennis’s family.

Here are some things you didn’t know about Dennis:

His  songs have been heard on “All things Considered” on NPR.

“A brilliant songwriter” – Boston Globe

“Dennis’s songs are unbelievably catchy” – Terre Roche of “The Roches”

“Dennis is not working up to his full potential” – his second-grade teacher

He writes music for adults and has two grown-up CD’s.

His poetry has been read by Garrison Keillor on Writers’ Almanac.

Here is another in our series of blog posts from our guest blogger, Daria, as she helps us to celebrate Groundhog Day on February 2nd.

_____________________

If you live in colder climates, you are probably ready to have some warmer weather come your way.   In my home state of Pennsylvania we have a very cute, chunky groundhog named “Phil” who predicts whether Spring will come early or if we will have to endure another 6 more weeks of winter.  You probably already know it’s all based on folk and farm lore where certain animals and their hibernation cycles are said to signify the coming of Spring.

In the town of Punxatawny, Pennsylvania, “Phil” the groundhog is a big celebrity and even has quite a few helpers on February 2^nd when the big day arrives.  If it’s cloudy, Spring is supposed to come early.  If it’s clear and Phil sees it’s shadow – then 6 more weeks of cold weather!  In Pennsylvania Dutch areas of our state, there are special “Groundhog Lodges” where there is food, entertainment and skits or plays at this time of year.  All who attend must speak only in Pennsylvania Dutch dialect or they are fined a nickel or a dime for speaking English!  In general, it’s a great time of year to celebrate our little furry friends and consider why animals are important to our lives.

I spent many of my teenage years in a Native American culture where animals are highly respected.  For us, the web of life is woven not just for human beings but by every one of the amazing creatures -large and small- put here to dwell together.   Whether it’s a prediction of spring by a hibernating creature or the companionship a favorite dog, cat or bird, wool from sheep or eggs or meat from other animals, it’s clear that animals provide so much for us.   With that in mind, it’s great to stop and think a moment about how we are all interconnected and how much animals enrich our lives.

Would you like to learn more about groundhogs and Groundhogs Day? Check out some of the books I’ve listed below.  Some are mainly factual and others are a bit more creative – like one about a groundhog starting a weather school and another where the groundhog can’t sleep when he needs to and can’t get up when he should – very funny! And if you’ve ever wondered how much wood a woodchuck could really chuck, you can check out a tongue-twister song (The Groundhog’s Day Song) that I wrote because my family also wondered… how much ground a groundhog could hog if a groundhog could hog ground!  We also considered how much sap a sapsucker could suck if a sapsucker could suck sap.  (A sapsucker is a rather large bird in the woodpecker family that manages to make huge holes in lots of our pine trees!)  And if you’re thinking about animals, you can also listen to a song I wrote with my daughter when she was 9.  It was about riding on a horse and listening the wisdom that it can share with us.  I was very grateful to record this song with a Lenape Clan mother.  The Lenape (or Leni Lenape) are the Native Americans that originated in the area of Pennsylvania where I now live.

And what about activities?  Pennsylvania Dutch lodges always have Groundhog’s Day skits.  Could you come up with your own skit for this special occasion?   Could your class write and perform one?  You could also make sock puppets or paper pop-up puppets – great fun for acting out whether or not the groundhog will see his shadow from your own personal perspective.  You can find the pop-up puppet activity here: (link at Freesongsforkids.com).  If you visit my website and sign up for my free newsletter you can also be entered into a contest to win one of two great large groundhog puppets. My monthly song page is located at: http://www.dariamusic.com/monthly_song.php

In any event, I hope you have an outstanding Groundhog’s Day!  Whether or not Phil sees his shadow on February 2^nd at Gobbler’s Knob, I’ve still be keeping my fingers crossed for an early Spring!

Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou

Award-winning children’s performer, DARIA (Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou) has five cd’s that have won national honors.  She has the most awesome job of traveling the world to sing for kids and peace.  Her website; located at dariamusic.com, was given a 2009 Parents Choice Award for its musical and cultural content.

More Resources

The Groundhog Song on Amazon.com

Ride Horse Ride on Amazon.com:

Books About Groundhog’s Day

Groundhog Day!
Gail Gibbons (Author)

Wonderful fun and great facts about groundhogs and the Groundhog’s Day celebration.

The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun
Wendie C. Old (Author) – Paige Billin-Frye (Illustrator)

A sampler of groundhog facts and a good description of the special day in Punxatawny, PA.

Go To Sleep, Groundhog! by Judy Cox – Paul Meisel (Illustrator)

A groundhog can’t seem to fall asleep when it’s time to hibernate and has a tough time getting up when his own special holiday comes.  Lovely illustrations.

Ten Grouchy Groundhogs
Kathryn Heling (Author), Deborah Hembrook (Author)

A cute counting book for young children with some good groundhog facts sprinkled in!

Groundhog Gets a Say
Pamela Curtis Swallow (Author) – Denise Brunkus (Illustrator)

A groundhog thinks his holiday should last more then one day.  His animal friends help make his case for the world to know more about groundhogs.

Groundhog Weather School
Joan Holub (Author) – Kristin Sorra (Illustrator)

A groundhog is encouraged to open a weather school everyone gets to learn more about hibernation, groundhogs and the holiday.

We love to receive guest blog posts from the many talented children’s music artists across the country (and around the world).   Here is another guest post from Daria, who has previously submitted a Holiday blog post, as also wrote an article for the current Children’s Music Guide. Download Daria’s Song “I Have A Dream” here FREE

Winter holidays are over.  2011 is here.  Now is a great time to begin a new year with inspiring ideas and exciting ideals of community-building and service.  This year, the day to celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is January 17^th and there are so many was to enjoy and participate in this special day.

First the basics.  How do you take MLK’s inspiring life complete with it’s complex issues like racism and discrimination and share that with kids?  It’s great to start with some of the exceptional children’s books on the topic. One of my personal favorites is a beautifully illustrated book called Martin’s Big Words.   There is also an exceptional book written by MLK’s sister: My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There are also wonderful picture books, “First Biographies” and even a “Blast To The Past” paperback written along the line of the Magic Treehouse series.  A great book on this topic can make this great life come alive for kids. (A book list for young readers appears below.)

Since I am a musician, I had the desire to take some of MLK’s favorite speeches and use the most popular quotes to write a simple, singable song.   The result was my “I Have a Dream” song which I give away free each January (Download this song here FREE).  Lyric sheets and sheet music can be found at: http://www.dariamusic.com/monthly_song.php.  I am proud to say this song is being used in schools and classrooms throughout the USA as a singable way to share the ideas that continue to inspire more and more new generations.

Also, since I love art and creativity; especially when working with children, this year I developed two mini-posters that are also free on my website. They show a sketch of MLK and a rainbow as a symbol of hope and to express my own appreciation that MLK worked for the dignity of people of all colors – not just the equality of African-Americans.  These posters have some of my favorite lines from famous speeches.  One simply has the quote: “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.”

The other mini-poster shares more words of wisdom such as: “Life’s most urgent question is:  what are you doing for others?”,  “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” And “I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear.” I encourage parents and teachers to let young people color the pictures and think about the quotes.  What could those words mean in their homes, classroom and lives?  These thoughts are amazing seeds to plant in young minds.  You can check out the free mini-posters at http://www.dariamusic.com/monthly_song.php.

And last of all, you can always get even more creative.  What could you and your family or class dream up as service projects?  What cooperative projects could you do to make your neighborhood or school a more beautiful and accepting place or to meet the needs of your community?  Projects and activities can be as simple and fun as drawing pictures for local seniors, making a mural, collecting goods for those who need them or talking about bullying and what can be done to keep it from being a part of your school.  Remember, as teachers and parents, your role as a leader can be so important in shaping children’s concepts of what it means to be a valued and valuable part of their community.

As kids grow up with media coverage of pop stars, rock stars and superstars hailed as “being great”, it is so refreshing to share with them the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. – someone who truly lived up to that description.  And, in doing so, he shared an unforgettable truth that can motivate us all for years to come: “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.”

Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou

As we go into the new year, we are starting partnerships with other bloggers to promote the wide variety of children’s music found in the Children’s Music Guide. Having had a great experience working with Sage and Savvy in the past, we reached out to them, and are currently running a promotional contest with them.

Sage and Savvy is run by a “SAHM” who resides in Hawaii and considers herself “light green”. While she blogs about life in Hawaii, she also posts reviews and giveaways on a variety of products and services.

We structured this contest a little differently than most. We listed CDs from 5 artists and the entrants had to pick which 3 CDs they would like, should they win.

The five participating artists for this contest are Charlie Hope, Dave Kinnoin, Laurie Berkner, Madeline L Pots, and Meg Russell.

The blog post from Sage & Savvy also lets her readers know about the Children’s Music Guide and the incredible FREE download being offered from the artists that participated in the Guide.

For those interested in entering the contest, don’t delay, the deadline is January 10th at 11:59 HST (for those in the contiguous USA, that is well after midnight where you are!).

Stay tuned for more promotions and giveaways!

Today we are featuring a guest blogger, the award-winning children’s performer, DARIA (Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou).  She has five cd’s that have won national honors and has the most incredible job of traveling the world to sing for kids and peace.  Her website; located at dariamusic.com, was given a 2009 Parents Choice Award for its musical and cultural content.

Her blog post is very timely as we are in the middle of Hanukkah and  the Christmas season and it is a great time to encourage cultural understanding and awareness.

________________________________________

How do you play the dreydl game?  Can you make your own jingle sticks or jingles bells for caroling…? How wonderful it is to share holiday traditions!

In the neighborhood where I grew up, people celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah.  It was always so exciting to go to my friends’ houses and see what delicious foods they were making, what songs they were singing and what customs made their celebrations special.  A big part of my multicultural music is about sharing that type of fun and excitement as it brings us all together and builds bridges of common understanding even when we celebrate different holidays!

Since Hanukkah comes early this year, you’ve probably already heard the dreydl song.  You can check out my dreydl video below.  So what is a dreidel?  The word comes from the Yiddish word –“dreyen”- meaning to turn.  It’s four-sided top used in a game at Hanukkah.  Wikipedia translates the Hebrew letters on the dreydl as “Nes Gadol Hayah and Sham -  “a great miracle happened there”.    This refers to the story behind the Festival of Lights.  The letters also stand for how to play the game.  Everyone starts with a pile of goodies – sometimes chocolate coins, sometimes sweets or walnuts.  As they spin the top they get one of four letters and either get nothing, get half the pot, all the pot or have to put something back in.  If you’d like the exact rules, they appear on my dreydl video or can be found on my monthly song page: http://www.dariamusic.com/monthly_song.php.

That same page also takes you to a free download of my version of Feliz Navidad – what a wonderful way to wish someone a Merry Christmas.  And you can learn to make your own easy jingle sticks or jingle bells for caroling, classroom or at-home fun.  Directions are here: http://www.dariamusic.com/monthly_song.php.

So what will you be doing this holiday season?  I hope you will be relaxing, spending time with your loved ones and celebrating your own favorite customs.  At the same time, I hope you have the same wonderful experience I had while growing up – the chance to visit others who celebrate different holidays and become part of their larger family as well.

There are wonderful things at the heart of all the best holidays –hope, miracles and love. I’m wishing your holidays are filled with lots and lots of all three of these!

The first Children’s Music Guide, prepared and printed by Kids Music Connection,  featuring 70 artists, 5 articles, and over 80 free downloads,  has successfully been printed.

We have printed over 2,000 copies, with the majority of those being distributed at NAEYC (pictures and video of our booth at NAEYC to follow), and the KidsBeet Concert.  Others will be distributed by artists, such as Melissa Green, as they perform at schools around the country.

We were very pleased with the caliber of artists that participated in the Guide and look forward to helping you get to know them better throughout the year.

We will also be launching a new e-newsletter that features new releases of children’s CDs, complete with CD giveaways and sample downloads from each new CD.  Be sure to sign-up for our newsletter to be receive this newsletter.

We are happy to let you know about another cool raffle prize that will be offered at KidsBeet this Saturday.

Music for Aardvarks has generously offered a free semester (10 weeks) of music classes in Natick or Needham, MA (valued at $185).

Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals is a parent/child music class for ages infant to five.  Music for Aardvarks is celebrating it’s one year anniversary in the Boston/Metrowest area!

The program began in 1997 in NYC and was started by Children’s Songwriter and Performer David Weinstone, whose music is seen often on Nick Jr. and Jack’s Big Music Show.  Stacey Peasley brought the program to the Boston area in 2009 and teaches classes in Natick and Needham.

The music is hip, original, and parents and children love the many different genres covered in the class – rock, jazz, hip hop, country, pop – all are covered in this unique children’s music class!

Yesterday I introduced you to BostonChildrensMusic.com.  Today I want to introduce another partner in the KidsBeet Concert Series, the Community Music Center of Boston (CMCB).   They will be actively involved with the KidsBeet event with an activity table in the lobby where children can handle instruments, color, and more.

We have been privileged to get to know them and the wonderful work they do in providing music education in Boston.  They are currently celebrating their 100th anniversary.

For years, various research and studies have solidified the substantial link between music education and general cognitive aptitude among those who begin their musical studies at a young age.  Despite this, financial support of music education suffers in the United States.  However, in one culturally rich Boston neighborhood, music students have found a home.  Now beginning its 101st year of music education, Community Music Center of Boston has allowed the diverse talent of generations to find a home in Boston’s historic South End.

The “Music Center” or “CMCB” as local students both young and old alike refer to it, offers a unique and culturally enriching environment where students of all ages can study music, as well as dance, visual arts, poetry, storytelling and theater arts in outreach sites such as Boston’s public schools.  The Music Center also offers Music Therapy .  CMCB is not a typical performing arts school, nor does it resemble a conservatory. Instead, it is a quiet force in Boston’s rich arts and cultural scene. For 100 years, the mission of the Music Center has remained a driving force to use music as a transformative force.  CMCB offers over $140,000 a year in scholarships to in-house students.   Executive Director David Lapin comments on the history of both the Music Center and music education in Boston.

“I have worked at the Music Center for 29 years.  The individuals that we serve are the difference between the Music Center and other organizations. The diverse group of rich talent that comes through our doors every day…our community is the difference. There is a common love for music in Boston – Community Music Center of Boston adheres to the traditional values of music education. As our world is vastly changing with media and interactive music opportunities, we remain a grass roots force dedicated to rich music education to promote healthy lifestyles, fulfilling opportunities and a place for those who enjoy music, to call home.”

In celebration of its Centennial, CMCB is in the process of giving 100 free concerts and musical events back to the community in 2010-2011.  Lapin continues:

“This grounded belief in the idea that music can inspire is what has kept us strong for 100 years. Music can transport us to new places all the way across the globe or-sometimes exuberantly, sometimes quietly-back to a special place within ourselves. Music confirms who we are and what we are capable of becoming.”