Hap Palmer Educational Children's Songs

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LA LIFE WEEKEND
Oldies but goodies with an updated twist

Hap Palmer has been entertaining and educating children with his music for more than 30 years. And he still loves it, as evidenced in his latest CD, "Early Childhood Classics: Old Favorites With a New Twist." Palmer has taken favorite songs such as "Old McDonald," "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Bingo" and refreshed them. "I take traditional songs, write new verses and update them," he says. And kids love them. However, Palmer wasn't always making music for kids. He started out as a special education teacher in Los Angeles, always looking for ways to hold his students’ attention in class. Often he would bring his guitar to accompany himself while singing folk songs. But the kids just couldn't sit still. "I was having difficulty keeping the kids in their seats," he recalls, "But I wanted to get the kids actively involved." Then he got an idea. Perhaps if he worked with the children’s natural desire to move, combined it with music and wrote lyrics that helped expand vocabulary and with recognition of numbers, letters and colors, they could learn as well as be entertained. A new career direction began. And now, more than three decades later, Palmer still enjoys getting kids actively involved with his music. "Children, especially young ones, learn best with music," he says. And they are great inspiration for songs, he adds. The father of four grown children, one stepchild and a 4 year old, Palmer's music is kept fresh because he is able to stay tuned in to what kids like. He says his ideas come from all over. "I get them from every imaginable place," he says with a grin. "From reading articles to talking to teachers. From parents to children." Palmer has a small demo studio at his Woodland Hills home. "Once I write a song," he explains, "I'll do a demo to get feedback." The feedback he speaks of usually comes from colleagues such as Amy Weintraub, one of the two Los Angeles mothers (the other is Brooke McEwen) who approached him about using some of his songs in a series of videos they were putting together called "Baby Songs." So far, they have released three videotapes: “Baby Songs,” "More Baby Songs" and "Baby Songs Goodnight." Two new videos are being added to the series Feb. 22: "Baby Songs Animals" and "Baby Songs Rock & Roll." The opening of each video features Palmer crooning the theme song: "It’s a wonderful day to go out and play. Hey, maybe you can come along. All you need to bring is a song to sing, a happy little baby song." Each video is approximately 30 minutes long and retails for $12.98. Tapes can be ordered by calling (800) 745-1145 or by visiting www.babysongs.com on the Web. Palmer's new album retails for $14.95 for CD and $9.95 for cassette. Either can be ordered on his Web site, www.happalmer.com; or at amazon.com or borders.com.  Schools and libraries can call (800) 645-3739.

DAILY NEWS February 18, 2000/ LA LIFE WEEKEND - page 42