Bob Blue

One of the most influential children’s songwriters in the 1980s, Bob Blue issued simply no children’s albums for the reason that decade and performed in under 50 concerts. However his influence was noticed across USA, and his lyrics, occasionally sarcastic, occasionally poignant, have already been documented and performed by many children’s performers, including Marcia Berman and Bob Reid. Bob Blue was created and elevated in Long Isle, NY. After graduating from Beloit University, he started teaching — initial in senior high school, after that on the primary level, in the 1970s. Blue discovered that music was an integral to empowering the kids in his treatment, and began composing first musicals for his learners. He counted Pete Seeger and Malvina Reynolds among his affects, and frequently mirrored these songwriters in the politically focused character of his lyrics. Blue started to perform his tunes in 1981, frequently with his college students. Blue’s primary device is usually piano, and his basic accompaniments possess a showtune quality. Like parody performers, Blue frequently writes music predicated on familiar music. For example, Blue once changed Charlotte’s Web right into a college musical, and utilized the melody of Beethoven’s “Pathetique” sonata for the tune about pigs. A solid supporter of homemade music, Blue was instrumental in assisting type the Children’s Music Network, an outgrowth from the People’s Music Network, founded by Charlie Ruler, Pete Seeger, and various other activist performers. In the ’80s, Blue released a folk record for adults, Their Method. He performed in little gatherings and concerts around New Britain, NY, and Philadelphia. In 1990, Blue released an record for kids, Beginning Little, on Kim Wallach’s label, Dark Socks Press. The record was predicated on music that Blue have been executing in his concerts. Available mainly by person to person in New Britain, Starting Small acquired an impact in the united states. Songs such as for example “Courage,” in regards to a youthful teen’s decision to not in favor of the in-crowd, protected a territory mainly uncharted in the sweet children’s music of your day. (Envision hearing what “Auschwitz” and “Hiroshima” in children’s materials.) Bob Blue place those phrases in his music, and gently produced his youthful viewers understand the need for history’s lessons within their lives. In the past due ’90s, Blue changed his focus on composing full-time and composed the initial in some reference books, Parents, Instructors, Kids. But he remained touching the music community through his editorship of Move It On, the triannual journal the Children’s Music Network. Blue is definitely mentioned for his generosity. Over time, he offers mentored several children’s performers, including Dave Kinnoin, Bob Reid, and Sandy Byer.