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GRAMMY®-nominated arts education nonprofit Kid Pan Alley, led by founder Paul Reisler, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with the release of its seventh album, There’s A Song In Every Story, on April 24, 2026.
“There is nothing more helpful to a developing human than to learn how to express feelings in sound. Kid Pan Alley is a fabulous way of bringing young people into the loop of reflective behavior, of constructive action. Power to the organizers of this remarkable initiative,” said Maestro Lorin Maazel, former Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Castleton Festival.
Guest artists on There’s A Song In Every Story include renowned maestro Pinchas Zukerman, Canadian Juno Award-winning cellist Amanda Forsyth, internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter Natalia Zukerman, GRAMMY-winning harmonica virtuoso Howard Levy, and multi-award-winning “funky family folk” singer/songwriter Billy Jonas.
Unlike typical “kids’ music” albums, There’s A Song In Every Story tackles real-world themes such as climate change, slavery, war, grief, identity, and love, all through the words and perspectives of children. Every song was co-written by Reisler and Kid Pan Alley songwriters with students in classrooms across the country, then produced with the sophistication and polish of a contemporary folk, singer-songwriter, country, classical, or rock album intended for listeners of all ages.
“Just imagine that you are a child,” says Reisler, “and your class writes a song with a professional songwriter. You’d be changed forever – seeing yourself as a creator and an artist, and not just a consumer of popular culture.”
Kid Pan Alley inspires and empowers children to work together to become creators of their own music through a collaborative group songwriting process. Since its founding, the organization has written more than 2,800 songs with over 80,000 children nationwide, with many of those songs recorded by artists including Amy Grant, Sissy Spacek, Delbert McClinton, John McCutcheon, Cracker, Kix Brooks, the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, Corey Harris, Suzy Bogguss, and others. Performing Songwriter praised Kid Pan Alley as “a stunning example of what can happen when children are given the opportunity to create without boundaries and professionals are given the chance to remember what that felt like … the recording and musicianship are stellar.”
Album Highlights:
“A Place We Go To Remember” features Zukerman, Forsyth, and Natalia Zukerman, and was co-written by a class of fourth graders with Reisler and Natalia Zukerman. Inspired by a book about Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the song honors the 58,000 names carved into the wall with an emotional depth that belies its 10-year-old authors.
When a seventh grade class sat down with Reisler, they wrote “I Don’t Want To Say Anything About Love,” a witty and emotionally aware exploration of the messy, exhilarating realities of love. Lindsey Harper, former backup singer for Selena Gomez, brings the lyrics to life with a nuanced performance that underscores the sophistication of the students’ writing.
Across the album, children’s own words, experiences, and questions form the heart of songs that invite families to listen, talk, and reflect together.
About Paul Reisler and Kid Pan Alley:
Paul Reisler has been writing songs, performing, composing, recording, and teaching songwriting for almost 50 years as the leader of Trapezoid, founder of Kid Pan Alley, Music Director for Ki Theatre, and leader of his current groups: Paul Reisler & A Thousand Questions and Three Good Reasons. His work as a producer spans five decades and nearly three dozen albums across folk, world music, classical, new age, and contemporary pop, including recordings for artists such as John McCutcheon, Si Kahn, and Holly Near. He also wrote the book and music for two musicals, Bouncin’ and The Talented Clementine (adapted from the book by Sara Pennypacker), co-wrote the full-length Aesop’s Fables for Orchestra and Narrator, and has composed scores for six plays which toured nationally for over a decade with Obie Award-winning playwright, actress, and director Julie Portman.
Kid Pan Alley started in 1999 when Reisler discovered, during a residency in rural Rappahannock County, Virginia, that kids can be the best possible co-writers – especially when the songs are for them. Inspired by 50 songs written with over 600 children, he invited local professional musicians to record one song each for what became the first Kid Pan Alley album, Tidal Wave of Song. Since then, Kid Pan Alley has worked with more than 80,000 children to write more than 2,800 songs and has produced seven Kid Pan Alley albums featuring artists such as Amy Grant, Sissy Spacek, Pinchas Zukerman, John McCutcheon, Howard Levy, Delbert McClinton, Cracker, Kix Brooks, Corey Harris, Suzy Bogguss, and others. The albums have received numerous honors, including a GRAMMY® nomination, Parents’ Choice® and NAPPA Gold Awards, and a WAMMIE.
Previous Kid Pan Alley releases include Tidal Wave Of Song (2001), Kid Pan Alley Nashville (2004, GRAMMY® nomination, Parents’ Choice® and NAPPA Gold Awards), I Used To Know The Names Of All The Stars (2007), Stand Up & Be Heard: One Little Song Can Change The World (2016), Best Friends (2019), and Maybe By Next Year (2021).
Categories: Music Talk Stuff
