Under A Shady Tree

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Winner of: 2003 Gold N.A.P.P.A. Award; 2002 Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award; 2004 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award and 2003 Children's Music Web Award. Review ------ Her most accomplished yet. . .solid guitar playing, sunny, rock-tinged vocals and funny, deceptively simple lyrics. -- Publisher's Weekly, October 21, 2002 She expands her folk-pop repertoire, using world beats on the reggae-tinged title track and the Eastern-flavored "Boody." -- People Magazine, November 25, 2002 Tracks like "Do the Dragon" and "Drive My Car" will spur your child's imagination. -- Child Magazine, December/January 2003 P.when('A').execute(function(A) { A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) { window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100); }); }); About the Artist ---------------- Laurie Berkner has been involved with music since 1992, but her recent success as a childrens artist was a surprise to her. "It was so unexpected," says Laurie. "Id been performing in rock bands and struggling to write original music. Writing music for kids has not been a struggle at all. The more I started working on material for children, the more I realized that it opened up creativity in me that I never knew I had." While Laurie never planned to be a childrens performer, looking back on her career it almost seems inevitable. Growing up in Princeton, New Jersey, Laurie was always involved in music. In high school and throughout college (at Rutgers University), she toured Europe with several choirs and orchestras as a soloist and guitarist. After college, Laurie worked as a childrens music spet at New York area preschool and day care centers. Working with children became the perfect creative outlet for Laurie to express her talents and create something that, she says, "has turned out to be incredibly rewarding." Laurie Berkners first release in 1997, Whaddaya Think Of That? (only available on cassette at the time) was inspired by the parents of her young students. Many of the songs involve movement, and all of them invite childrens participation. By the time she released her second CD in 1998, Buzz Buzz, Laurie had formed her own record company. Her work began to sell briskly in the New York area as word of mouth began to spread and critical accl began pouring in. By the time Lauries third release, Victor Vito came out in late 1999, she had national distribution and a fanatic following among children aged 0-7. The CD received enormous critical accl from publications ranging from People Magazine to U.S. News & World Report, and the FX Network's "American Baby Show" invited Laurie to make her first national TV appearance, followed by NBC's "Today Show." Even the White House came calling, for the 2000 Easter Egg Roll. Since then, she has released a charity compilation CD, a video songbook, and her latest, 'Under A Shady Tree.' Laurie Berkner performs across North America with her husband, bassist Brian Mueller and keyboardist Susie Lampert. See more ( javascript:void(0) )