Welcome to the Music Thursdays segment! Each week here on Geek Alabama, Music Thursdays will feature music related content. Music Thursdays will feature an artist or band and their latest song and / or music video. People love music, and we here at Geek Alabama love featuring artists and bands!
Kids’ music legend Laurie Berkner, crowned “the queen of kids’ music” by People magazine, celebrates her Silver Jubilee in 2022.
On May 25 of this year, Laurie marks the 25th anniversary of the release of her iconic first album, Whaddaya Think of That?
Whaddaya Think of That? was the first studio recording to include Laurie’s now-classic song, “We Are the Dinosaurs,” along with other songs destined to become fan favorites, like “I Know a Chicken,” “The Cat Came Back,” and “These Are My Glasses.”
“It’s amazing how it feels like both a lifetime ago and just yesterday that I was in a basement studio recording my first album, Whaddaya Think of That?, with a sign in the wall that said “Remember: It’s for the kids!,” says Laurie Berkner “I’m so grateful to be celebrating 25 incredible years of music, learning, exploration, and FUN!”
Laurie Berkner’s music has crossed over to the adult world, too. Her song, “Pajama Time,” was prominently featured in this season’s South Park opening episode. Laurie’s “Clean It Up” song was included in an episode of Sex and the City. For Weeds, Laurie was among the guest artists to sing the show’s theme song, “Little Boxes.”
USA Today named Laurie “the undisputed queen of kindie rock.” The New York Times dubbed her “the Adele of the preschool crowd.” The Wall Street Journal called Laurie “one of the most popular children’s performers in America … her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grown-ups.” Business Insider praised Laurie as “the gold standard of the children’s music world.” NPR’s All Things Considered declared, “Laurie Berkner is like a goddess to these children.”
As a leader and innovator in kids’/family music and entertainment (television, books, albums, musicals, videos, concerts, an audio series, and more) for a quarter of a century, Laurie Berkner has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the White House, among many prestigious venues. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when touring was not possible, Laurie produced 10 live-streamed, full-length concerts for families, and she offered over 100 mini-shows, free of charge, on Facebook and Instagram Live, many of which served as fundraisers for charities to support families and children.
Laurie Berkner has released 14 bestselling, award-winning albums. Her 15th album – her second Christmas album – is due out later this year. With more than 230 million views on her YouTube channel, an average of more than 22 million monthly streams, and millions of CDs and DVDs sold, Laurie’s songs are beloved by families worldwide, including household staples like “We Are the Dinosaurs,” “Victor Vito,” “Waiting for the Elevator,” “The Goldfish (Let’s Go Swimming),” and “Moon Moon Moon.”
The first artist to ever appear in music videos on Nick Jr., Laurie Berkner was featured in nearly all the episodes of the channel’s Jack’s Big Music Show. She also helped develop the short form animated musical preschool series Sing It, Laurie! on Sprout TV. Laurie created two Laurie Berkner’s Song and Story Kitchen series with Audible studios, who released them as 10-chapter audio books through the Audible Originals brand. Laurie has authored several picture books based on her songs, the most recent of which were published by Simon & Schuster. She wrote the music and lyrics for three Off-Broadway children’s musicals produced by New York City Children’s Theater: Wanda’s Monster, The Amazing Adventures of Harvey and the Princess, and Interstellar Cinderella.
What sets Laurie apart? She displays an instinctive understanding of children’s natural rhythms and energy, which keeps kids enraptured and brings parents and caregivers happily along for the ride. Laurie finds inspiration in her audience. “I want to create songs that matter for children,” she says. “I was singing once and saw a four-year-old girl shut her eyes and start swaying to the music. I thought, ‘That’s the reason I got into music.’ It keeps me wanting to do more.”
Categories: Music Talk Stuff
