Benny and Friends performed by Benny Time
One of the things that I’ve discovered this past year is that there is a wealth of children’s performers in Australia and New Zealand that I previously hadn’t heard a lot about here in the States. But with performers across the globe embracing the digital market, that is changing. A couple of months ago I was introduced to the talented, Australia-based Benny Time and would like to share his latest effort with you. For his fourth children’s album, Ben Thatcher (aka Benny Time) skillfully combines themes to create songs that speak to the beauty of nature while applauding the fact that we are all unique (“The River, The Mountain”), emphasize the importance of reusing and recycling so that the world and its inhabitants can be happy (the gospel backed “A Little Recycling Adventure”), and celebrating how wonderful each of us is but how much better we are when we’re together (“How Great We Are”). Along the way, Thatcher treats us to three versions (punk, surf, and beat) of the tune “Cars Are Everywhere” and the delightful “He Needs to Wee” about a boy who just as he is about to walk on Mars, talk with a dolphin, or find the end of the rainbow, realizes – like so many young children – he needs to wee.
Not only is Benny and Friends a wonderful showcase for Thatcher’s lovely vocals and spot on songwriting, but it also is a solid introduction to children’s music performers from that area of the world. Throughout the album Benny is joined by Australian songsters The Beanies, The Tiptoe Giants, Lah-Lah, and Justine Clarke as well as New Zealand standouts Claudia Robin Gunn and Itty Bitty Beats. Not limiting the album to just his friends in the southern hemisphere, it is New York’s own East Coast Inspirational Singers who bring the soul to recycling.
Benny and Friends will be available this Friday on all the usual streaming services. For a little taste of what is to come, take a listen to “Little Grey Cloud (It’s ok to Cry)” a song about grief and sadness that is sure to touch your heart.
It’s Earth Day! Celebrate this rock we call home with a new, high-octane tune from Esther Crow. Disheartened by ever-growing landfills that contribute to the climate crisis and inspired by purging some of her own “stuff,” Esther wrote this song to encourage families to be greener and consider donating items they no longer want rather than tossing them in the trash. Produced by Dean Jones, this call-and-response rock song which features Esther’s eight-year-old son on mandolin and violin, gets the message across in a gloriously frenetic way. After jamming along, listeners will surely be left with the desire to take a good hard look at all their “stuff.” 
In children’s music, something incredible happened as a direct result of the pandemic – 
After Covid-related delays, the 64th Annual GRAMMY awards were held today. All of the nominees in the Best Children’s Album category hit the red carpet (check out their social media feeds!) in Las Vegas looking dapper and divine. After a 
Chicago’s Little Miss Ann kicks off spring 2022 with her new EP, Welcome Spring. Released through 8 Pound Gorilla Records and produced by Dean Jones, Welcome Spring is a joyous celebration that lifts the spirits. Featuring an array of special guests like Suzi Shelton, Uncle Jumbo, and Flor Bromley, each song is filled with lyrics that engage and delight listeners with repeating choruses that encourage singing along. Multi-layered instrumentation and top-notch production gives the pop tunes a fun edginess while highlighting themes such as the arrival of spring, the universal consumption of rice, and the fact that there are so many ways to be happy, smart, brave, etc. The title track, “Welcome Spring,” is out today and aptly captures all the emotions that come with finally being able to shed your boots and mittens and tell Old Man Winter that he’s no longer needed. The video features a brilliant color palette that paints the perfect springtime picture while an inclusive cast of diverse characters revel in the change of the seasons. Check out the video below. The full Welcome Spring EP is available on streaming services beginning April 1.
