I do want to tell you Thanks!

I'm a 42 year old dad from Eastern Washington state. Many years ago, I took my
daughter Amanda to the local library, where we checked out "We're On Our Way"
(on cassette). This was nearly 15 years ago. We listened to that cassette over and
over in the early '90's, and all those priceless songs have stuck with us over
the years.

Today, Amanda is nineteen years old and preparing to give birth to her first chlld,
my first grandchild. I remembered your name in the archives of my mind over all
the years. Now that I'm going to be a "Pappy", I want my grandchild to enjoy the
precious, beautiful music you shared with Amanda and myself. It almost brings
tears to my eyes to recall the wonderful times I experienced learning from my
daughter, as we played, traveled, and laughed together, while listening to your
music. I did a simple "google" search on the internet and was pleasantly surprised
to see the vast music offerings you provide, via amazon.com. I ordered "We're On
Our Way" CD, which will be wrapped as a Christmas present under the tree
this year.

Thanks for the memories Hap!! You've created a legacy. The world needs more
great people like you!

Thanks again.
Lenny Chase

Dear Mr. Palmer,

My daughter, Loris, is now 3 years old. She was born with a cataract in her left
eye and I was very worried about her eyesight. She showed absolutely no interest
in any television, which normally parents would be happy about, but I was
worried that she couldn't see. When I found your DVD at the Libary with Baby
Songs - Baby's Busy Day, she watched it and wanted to watch it all the time.
I finally gained confidence that she could see even with her vision disability. You
have no idea what your songs do for her. She loves all of them. Since then, we
have purchased several of the Baby Songs DVD's and we enjoy them. We watch
them all the time and I don't even grow old of them. I always notice something
new and love your music most of all.

We went to our ophthalmologist about 4 weeks ago, and Loris is supposed to be
20/400 in her eye which had the cataract. But because I patch her stronger eye,
and because she is using her eye more (especially to watch your dvd's and listen
to your music), she was determined to have 20/30 vision in her "special" eye.
Thank you for everything you have done.

If you ever come to Northern Virginia to do a concert, we would love to see you.
If you need someone to sponsor you or a location for such a concert, I would be
able to assist you. My daughter, Loris, would love to see you and listen to your
music live.

Thank you for all the wonderful things you do. I truly believe your music and
DVD's helped Loris with her vision. You have definitely affected our lives VERY
positively.

Best regards & love from:
Stella & my daughter Loris

Dear Hap,

I remembered your song Witches Brew from when I was in Elementary school
and decided to look for it to use with my second grade students. I found and
downloaded (thanks to Songs for Teaching!) the entire album. Today we used your
song and not only had a blast singing but made up our own lyrics too!Here are the
three verses we came up with incase you ever want to expand your song!

Pumpkin guts, cigarette butts, caterpillars too...
Cat's head, pencil lead, squirrels blood too...
bat's wings, guitar strings, cow brain too...
steering wheel, banana peel, toads legs too...

It's truly amazing how creative 7 and 8 year olds can be when they are enjoying
their learning experience. Thanks for writing such wonderful music!

Cara Liberty

I'm a children's librarian in Aurora, Illinois, and have used so much of your music
in my storytimes through the years. But the song I have to thank you the most for is
your version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with the middle part you added, using
the quotation from Shakespeare, "Silver bow new bent in heaven." It grabbed me
when I first heard it, in part because my daughter teaches Shakespeare to college students.

I end all of my storytimes with two songs, yours and Sharon, Lois and Bram's
version of Skinnamarink. When storytime is drawing to a close, I turn out the lights
(we have ropes of white Christmas lights still on), I turn on my twinkle star (a wand that flashes on and off) and everyone puts their hands up, making the stars twinkle.
I have everyone do this -- kids, moms, dads, grandparents, anyone who is in
storytime. I have done this for years so we have many kids in Aurora, from babies
on up, who know what it means when I put my hands up.

But the most important part of all of this is what that song has meant to people.
So many people tell me that they sing it each night. One father, a large and comic gentleman (he was probably the class clown when he was in high school), came
to me and said, "I cannot thank you enough for teaching us that song." His son had major surgery in St. Louis and was in the hospital for weeks. They sang that song
every night.

Then, a little over a year ago, I did the usual "Twinkle" ending at my storytime for
two year olds. Nate and his mom, a former librarian where I work, were there and
Nate stopped running around as soon as I turned the lights out and put his fists up
in the air so he could "twinkle." That evening, Nate drowned in a pond near his apartment. His mom asked me to sing "Twinkle" at his funeral. So I took my star
wand, stood up in front of all those people, and we sang your version of "Twinkle,
Twinkle, Little Star." That was one of the hardest, yet most beautiful, things I have
ever done. Nate has a new little brother now, Noah, who is 4 months old so I am teaching it to him at the baby storytime.

Thank you for the wonderful gift you have given me, and so many people,
with your music.

Barbara Wilkins
Eola Branch Children's Reference

Dear Mr. Palmer,

As the parent of a six year old autistic boy, I had to share with you how much your
music videos have inspired, moved and taught my child. His name is Max, and he
is undoubtedly one of the sweetest and smartest little boys on the face of this earth.

Max has been watching your videos for years, starting with "Baby Songs" and
moving on up. Through the enjoyment of your music he has learned letters,
numbers, colors, shapes, animals, action words, imitation games, days of the week
and lots more. He is even learning how to read with his current favorite, "Stepping
Out." But most importantly, your uniquely personal approach has allowed him to
feel the staggering, inexpressible joy of song and all the love that is the essence of
your videos.

There are no words to describe the look on Max's face as he tries to sing along
with you and the children. He loves it, becomes part of the group, as if you were
all in our home. You have helped give him a voice, a sense of self, and more
happiness and smiles than I can tell you.

On behalf of all of the Moms and Dads whose world you are a part of, I am
eternally grateful.

Sincerely,
Suda Handelman

I have loved Hap Palmer for so many years. He is one of THE BEST singers &
songwriters for children (& grown-ups!) who ever existed. I love him to pieces!
My daycare kids love them, too, of course. They are so fun to sing & dance to, &
listen to again & again.

Sometimes I hear children's music that is so bad, it just makes me cringe. Then I
listen to "Teddy Took A Train Ride" or "Zany Zoo", (songs I've heard a hundred
billion times), & I am still amazed at how clever, brilliant, & catchy they are!
How do you come up with them all? How long does it take to write & record a
song like "Growing" or "The Mice Go Marching" (2 more of my favorites)?
How many people are involved in the whole process from start to finish? I am
simply in awe of you, & have been, for approximately 15 years. I'll be 40-years-
old in a few months, but your music makes me feel like I'm four!

Meredith Troy

Have you ever thought about a song that you heard in kindergarten? Remembered
a few bars of the music? A line or two of the lyrics, but the rest elude you? I had
that happen with the song Colors, by Hap Palmer. In 1976 my kindergarten teacher
played that song for the class. Almost 30 years later, my wife and I are raising our
own son. We've got the standard compliment of songs to sing, but sometimes
during the car ride home I would run out of songs to sing for my son. I remembered,
"Colors, Colors, you see them all around. There is red on the stop sign, green on
the trees, blue in the sky and sea." Then I would repeat that fifty times or so because
that's all that I could remember. After all, it has been almost 30 years since I last
heard the song, but it has long been a favorite of mine. Talk about a haunting tune!!

Today, on a whim, I Googled those lyrics. Much to my surprise and pleasure, the
first hit took me right to Hap Palmer's official web site. Now I had no recollection
that Hap Palmer was the guy who wrote and sang this stuff - I mean hey, I was
only 5 years old - but listening to the sample mp3 brought me back to a warm
kindergarten room with a wall of windows, the scent of colored clay, small chairs,
and a wash of other memories. For a moment I was transported back to those
wonderful days of childhood bliss. Once there, I could remember an unbelievable
amount of details - not just school; but home, my friends and family at the time,
and all sorts of special times I enjoyed in my youth.

I plan to share the joy of this music with my son. He'll get his own memories of
singing with mom and dad, and whatever other sensory imprints of the time and
place he might develop. I hope that his memories of this song and the times that
we have with him singing and playing are forever engrained in his memory as
wonderful moments in his fantastic life.

My brief jaunt down memory lane has left me longing to give my son everything
wonderful that youth has to offer. Thanks for making this music (and these
memories) available. Who knows? Perhaps in another 30 or 35 years my son will
be searching for a copy of that mysterious song of his youth. Sure, the format will
be some media we've never heard of, but I'm that the song will endure. Or he can
just have my CD and play it with a silly grin as he thinks about the archaic CD
format and wonder how the heck dad ever made do with such basic media, all the
while singing Colors.

Jason M.
A Hap Palmer fan since 1976

Dear Mr. Palmer:

I received your cd last week! i was so happy I listened and I use it right away in
my classes. Japanese children enjoy a lot and so do I. I really admire your music,
I am a musician as well too and I notice you use high quality tech, and lots of live
instruments! I will order more of your music soon for sure!

Thank you and nice working with you.

Sincerely,
Maria Kawasaki

Your music is such a part of my family and my classroom. I have a 3 year old and
a 19 month old who walk around with a teddy bear on their heads to ask for
"Teddy Bear Playtime." My First Grade Students love all of the learning songs and
it is the perfect way to start math or reading to relax them and show them that
learning is full of fun.

Carol Veravanich
OC Register Columnist and First Grade Teacher www.goasktheteacher.org

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