Josh Lovelace Moonwalks With Young Folk

Josh Lovelace may rock out as part of the band NEEDTOBREATHE, but his children's music sensibilities were crafted by Canada's Sharon, Lois & Bram. Now branding himself as Young Folk (akin to Andy Ferguson using the Red Yarn monicker), Lovelace has released MOONWALKING, his third collection of modern fun and folk tunes for kids.

For many performers, the answer to the question "What did you do during quarantine?" is "I recorded some introspective family music." For Lovelace, MOONWALKING is his first post-pandemic CD and he's more interested in connecting with his audience than messaging about the ways the world has changed in so short a timeframe. The closest reflection on the recent past is the poppy "Wash Your Hands," but who hasn't used that term with their youngsters in the past millennium?

Lovelace perpetuates his obsession with undergarments, first addressed on Young Folks' first CD on "A Bear in the Woods Ate My Underwear." On "Rosie Cat," he addresses an idiosyncratic hope "that she won't eat my underwear." He also deals with daughter Margo's objections to her mother possibly being aquatic on "Mommy's a Mermaid," pointing out "While most mommy's have feet, I think it's really neat."

Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers once said – after returning from a world tour, where all his desires and needs were catered to – that the thing keeping him grounded was his wife leaving the garbage for him to take out. And that he had to ask "Where are our outdoor trash cans?" Lovelace seeks to rationalize his existence as a rock performer/father of two on the track "Cool Dad in a Minivan":

Cool dad in a minivan
I'm going so fast, well as fast as I can
Don't need no sports car for this practical man
'Coz I'm a cool dad in a minivan

MOONWALKING ends with the one-two gut punch of parental empathy and emphatic awe of "I Believe In You" and "Goodnight, My Dear," a standard in the Lovelace household that makes its recorded debut here. "Growing up, you will always be enough, and always fall back to my love," Lovelace sings. You believe that he means every word and accept that the song shares that sentiment with any child uncertain of their abilities. As long as we're breathing, we remain young folk.  MOONWALKING puts a spotlight on how alike we all are, asleep, awake, and as a community.

MOONWALKING is available from Josh Lovelace's website, Amazon, Apple Music, and Spotify.

Here is the video of Josh singing, "This Little Light of Mine":

Sharon, Bram & Friends Talk Peace; Erica Rabner Says "Mask On"

Children's music is all about shared experience. How else are kids going to discover music if it's not shared with them? That creates a next generation that begins to create and share their works and so on. "Talk About Peace" was written by Joe Hampson – a Canadian folk singer in The Travellers who was married to children's performer Sharon Hampson (of Sharon, Lois, and Bram acclaim). While not as well known in the United States, the trio were celebrated for their body of work and inducted into The Order of Canada, their country's highest honor.

That trio recorded "Talk About Peace" for their 1980s television program, "The Elephant Show." More than 25 years later, the song has been re-recorded (using Zoom technology) by Sharon and Bram and Friends – including Josh Lovelace, improv expert Colin Mochrie (Whose Line Is it Anyway?), actor Aaron Solomon (who played Johnny Cash in Million Dollar Quartet), and Canadian children's music duo Splash'N Boots.

After the retirement of Lois and Bram, Sharon was encouraged (by Bram) to keep recording and performing with her daughter, lyricist Randi Hampson. Sharon and Randi now sing the songs of Sharon, Lois & Bram through Facebook Live Singalongs every Thursday at 1:00 PM. ET on the Sharon, Lois & Bram Facebook page.



Singer Erica Rabner is one of the many performers using her voice to help children under the importance of wearing masks. Her new song "Mask On" promotes community safety and the role of personal protection equipment in keeping your loved ones safe. Erica is currently planning a music video to boost “Mask On” into the popular consciousness, featuring people of all ages and backgrounds.

"My goal is to make masks more fun and turn a source of anxiety into a source of pride," explains Erica, who spoke with a number of like-minded educators, parents, and health care professionals. You can find Erica's Google Form to submit yourself/your children for the "Mask On" video and listen to the song here:

Erica Rabner · Mask On

Suzi Shelton Celebrating Motherhood & Responders

In the time of lockdown, you simply can't avoid moms. Whether it's mom on Zoom, or forwarding you funny stories you already saw online, moms rule Days of COVID. Just in time for Mother's Day, Suzi Shelton and Park Slope Parents are gathering a cast of acclaimed family music artists for a "Celebrate Moms" concert to honor not just moms, but all the people who take care of us, including first responders.

The event streams live on Saturday, May 9 from 11 AM to 2 PM ET at Suzi's Facebook page. Admission is free and donations are appreciated. All funds raised will go to the First Responders Children's Foundation, which provides support to first responders and their families who are enduring financial hardship due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The virtual family concert will feature (in order of appearance): Suzi Shelton, Liz Joyce and A Couple of Puppets, Kira Willey, Vered, Katie HaHaHa, Jon Samson, Red Yarn, Mils Trills, Joanie Leeds, Sonia De Los Santos, Brady Rymer, 123 Andrés, Josh Lovelace, Tim Kubart, Randy Kaplan, and Little Miss Ann.

A community of more than 7,000 families in Brooklyn, Park Slope Parents shares advice on everything from choosing childcare to camps, hairdressers to healthcare, and coping with teething, terrible twos, and tweens.

My 2019 Fids and Kamily Awards

The 2019 (and final) Fids and Kamily Awards have been released. I was privileged to be a judge for most of the run. It ends a 13 (or 14) year run for the awards, which were not as prestigious as Parents Choice or other "major" plaudits, but still appreciated by musicians.

To be considered for MY voting, the artist had to either contact and send me the material directly (via CD or digital download) or through a PR person. Interestingly, Josh Lovelace (who came in second) contacted me directly about his first children's music release. For GROWING UP, he went through a PR person (which I'm sure was more expedient for him). Also, my sons each selected three of their favorites on my semi-final list of 20 releases. I did weigh their considerations into my voting.

Here is my top 10 ballot:

1. Growing Up – Josh Lovelace
2. Buenos Diaz – the Lucky Band
3. Building Blocks – Tim Kubart
4. Alegria! – Sonia de los Santos
5. Office Hours – Jack Forman
6. Under the Big Umbrella – Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
7. Go For the Moon – Andrew and Polly
8. What Do You Wish – Lori Henriques
9. Winterland – Okee Dokee Brothers
10. Ageless – Jon Samson

Bubbling under (in no particular order):

The Love – Alphabet Rockers
Flying High – Caspar Babypants
Backstroke Raptor – Story Pirates
Lucky Foot and Sunny Moon – Ratboy Jr.
Inside I Shine – Danny Weinkauf/Red Pants Band

Growing Up Right With Josh Lovelace

If you want to know the difference between folk music and Americana, it's pretty simple – while all folk music qualifies as Americana, not everything Americana is folk music. While you play with that Rubik's Cube, consider Josh Lovelace, a prosaic provider of Americana whose children's works often drifts into the realm of folk music. But not all the time.

Josh's new CD, GROWING UP, paints a charming portrait of life in the southeast region of the country. The 12 songs grew organically from conversations with his wife and two children, through the course of their day-to-day interactions. Communication and bonding are prevalent themes on tracks like "You've Got Me and I've Got You" and "Forever My Friend." Frances England makes a welcome appearance on the bright and sprightly "Butterfly." Josh makes his agenda clear when he sings "Upside Down":

One thing makes us all the same
Everyone deserves to feel love everyday
We all have sickness, we have pain
Everybody needs a little shelter from the rain
We all want to be protected, understood, and feel accepted
Love is free so let's give it away
And together we can turn the whole world upside down.

"Hey It's a Good Day" has a Jack Johnson/John Mayer vibe with a dash of Michael Franti thrown in. "Goodbyes Are the Hardest Thing To Do" may be about when Josh goes on the road and has to leave his family to perform. Or it might be about dropping kids at school. "Even if we're miles apart, you've got a place here in my heart," is the refrain over a George Harrison guitar chord. Ultimately, it comes down to the album closer, "You Are Loved," which assures the listener, "You are enough... and you are loved." Who doesn't want to that simple comfort at the end of the day?

There are performers who want to make "good time music" and others who want to get kids to think. As a member of NEEDTOBREATHE, which originally came from the Christian rock movement, you could expect Josh to do some preaching. When those lessons do come, they're more from the Fred Rogers school of laid-back Presbyterian values. It's a "love thy neighbor" inclusion vibe. No one can accuse Josh of "pulling a Mike Pence/Fake christian" act. As long as Josh Lovelace forges ahead and his music evolves, it will be a pleasure to listen to him grow up.

GROWING UP is available from Josh Lovelace's website, Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, and Amazon.

Here is the video for the song, "More Time With You":

Josh Lovelace Pulls No Punches for Young Folk

I have a deeply personal connection to vinyl. It's an experience about which most young audiences have no concept. My kids, sure, but that's because every home I've ever resided in came with a working turntable and a bookcase full of records in the living room. This week, I acquired my first NEW piece of vinyl (as opposed to found at a rummage sale or charity shop) in 20 years. I renewed my faith that vinyl is a tradition worth pursuing, thanks to Josh Lovelace and Friends Present: YOUNG FOLK.

If you want to go over Josh's bio and credits, he's got a neat Wikipedia page that fills in all the blanks. He's a nice guy. Family man. Solid citizen. Bandmate. But like many of us, Josh has a soft spot for something that wrecked him as a kid – a form of music that would not go of him. And Josh was able to capitalize on his opportunities and good fortune and share that form of music with listeners; in modern formats as well as vinyl. YOUNG FOLK delves into the culture of the second generation of folk music. This is not your grandfather's Woody Guthrie collection, it's your parents' Sharon, Lois, and Bram records.

As you might expect from an inaugural release, Josh sets his parameters on the basic notions of family, playtime, and imagination. "Eat Your Vegetables" fills in the blanks for some category of nourishment that every child avoids at some point. "Your Love Is On My Heart" is a sweet ballad to banish the most fearful bedroom apparition. "More Time With You," featuring Nashville singer/songwriter Ellie Holcomb, is a wistful reminiscence delighting in all that's right in the world about parenting.

Paraphasing HL Mencken, "nobody ever got rich singing children's music," which is one reason you've heard of only a handful of performers. Pursuing music as a vocation indicates character. Pursuing children's music as a career indicates you're a character. On the other side of the picket fence, I've seen Grammy nominated artists attempt to crossover, only to flounder or look ridiculous. Josh, however, "has been in training to be a children's music artist his whole life," according to Rolling Stone contributing writer Rob Tannenbaum, on the back cover notes (back cover notes!!!) for the record.

YOUNG FOLK is a family affair, with Josh being joined on vocals by son Henry (and infant Margo) and wife Whitney, who also provides flute on "You're My Very Best Friend." You get a full-throated glorious chorus singing "I believe in a brand new day" as the refrain on "Climb A Tree." And if you're looking for gospel, there's a twangy sincerity to hometown boy Josh singing "Going to Knoxville" with the Spirit Family Reunion. Ben Rector provides vocals for the seriously silly "A Bear in the Woods (Ate My Underwear)" and Sharon and Bram guest on the weepy "Sing a Song for Me":

Daddy won't you sing a sing for me
You take the lead and I'll take the harmony
I've been waiting for you to come back home
So grab your guitar, strum along
Daddy won't you sing a song for me

In a world that struggles to celebrate diversity while the most vulnerable are persecuted, I ponder the future for YOUNG FOLK. Josh has a full schedule on his plate, with his day job in  NEEDTOBREATHE and its upcoming tour. It's also tough to advocate for continuing his passion project without the backing of much more than SiriusXM Kids Place Live and a host of outlier radio programs and podcasts devoted to children's music. Once again, the bottom line comes from the mouths of babes. Whenever I find myself on the other side of that picket fence, I am reminded that this music is not primarily for me. Yes, I derive the "purchasing power." But true parenting comes from sitting – in the front seat or in the living room – and listening to actual young folk enjoying a record like YOUNG FOLK. Since I've pursued reviewing children's music as a secondary vocation, that indicates I'm a character. Do you have enough character to schedule a playdate with YOUNG FOLK?

YOUNG FOLK is available from Josh Lovelace's website, Amazon, Apple Music, and Spotify.

Here is the video for the song, "Eat Your Vegetables":