Laurie Berkner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laurie Berkner
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Berkner in 2011
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| Born | March 15, 1969 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
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| Nationality | American |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
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Laurie Berkner (born March 15, 1969) is a talented musician and singer. She is famous for creating music for children. Laurie is also a teacher. She plays the guitar and sings lead vocals in The Laurie Berkner Band. Her bandmates are Susie Lampert (pianist), Winston Roye (bassist), and Bob Golden (drummer). She is a very popular artist in the kindie rock music style.
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About Laurie Berkner
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Laurie grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. She went to Princeton High School. There, she was part of choirs, bands, and school plays. While studying at Rutgers University, she traveled around Europe. She sang solos in a choir and played guitar in an orchestra.
After college, Laurie worked as a music counselor at a summer camp. For several years, she taught music to young children. She worked in day care centers and preschools in New York.
Starting Her Music Career
In 1992, Laurie began her journey as a professional rock musician. She first played in a rock band called Red Onion. Later, she joined an all-female band named Lois Lane. Laurie found it hard to write songs for these bands. But when she started writing music for kids, it became easy. She said that writing for children helped her discover new creativity.
Some of her first shows as a children's musician were at birthday parties. She earned $125 for each show. Laurie would arrive early to learn the names of all the children. This helped her connect with them.
Releasing Her First Albums
In 1997, Laurie released her first album, Whaddaya Think of That?. It was first available only on cassette. Parents of the children she worked with encouraged her to record. Laurie said the children really liked the music they made together. The album had original songs like "We Are the Dinosaurs" and "I Know a Chicken." It also included classic songs like "The Cat Came Back" and "Wimoweh (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)".
In 1998, Laurie started her own record company. It was called Two Tomatoes Records. She used it to release her second album, Buzz Buzz. This album featured popular songs like "Pig on Her Head" and "Monster Boogie." In 1999, her album Victor Vito made her famous across the country. She appeared on TV shows and won an award for children's media. Her album Rocketship Run came out in August 2008. A collection of her best songs, The Best of The Laurie Berkner Band, followed in 2010. She released A Laurie Berkner Christmas in 2012.
Performing for Larger Audiences
Laurie's audience grew a lot after she appeared on The Today Show in 2001. Since then, she has performed in famous places. These include Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. She has also played at the White House Easter Egg Roll. Laurie even performed a free concert in Central Park for Earth Day. Fifteen thousand people attended that concert.
Over the years, some band members have changed. Brian Mueller, Laurie's husband, left the band in 2006. This was to keep their work and home lives separate. Adam Bernstein replaced him. In 2009, Bob Golden became the band's drummer. Brady Rymer joined as bassist in 2013. In 2023, Winston Roye became the new bassist.
Laurie's music often has a happy, major key sound. She calls the speed of her songs "human tempo." This is about 100–120 beats per minute, similar to walking. Her song lyrics are often described as honest and relatable.
Other Projects
Laurie Berkner has also been involved in many other media projects.
Television and Movies
Laurie, Susie Lampert, and Brian Mueller often appeared on the Noggin TV channel. They were in music videos played between shows. They also appeared on the program Jack's Big Music Show. Laurie has performed in Jamarama Live!, a children's music festival. She was also in the 2006 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
In 2009, she sang on Ziggy Marley's children's album Family Time. She performed the song "Future Man, Future Lady." Laurie and her band also appeared on the Nickelodeon Mega Music Fest. They performed their song "My Family."
In March 2013, a new animated musical TV series for preschoolers started. It was called Sing It, Laurie! and aired on Sprout. Laurie provided her voice and wrote new music for the show.
Books and DVDs
Laurie has written several children's books. These include Victor Vito and Freddie Vasco, based on her song Victor Vito, and Story of My Feelings. She also released The Laurie Berkner Songbook. Later, she wrote We Are the Dinosaurs, Pillowland, and Monster Boogie.
She has also released DVDs. These include We Are...The Laurie Berkner Band and Party Day!. The We Are...The Laurie Berkner Band DVD has sold over 400,000 copies. Laurie has also written two e-books: Party Day and Candy Cane Jane.
Musicals and Audio Shows
In the spring of 2013, a musical called "Wanda's Monster The Musical" opened. Laurie wrote the music and lyrics for this show. It was based on a children's book by Eileen Spinelli. The music from the musical was released as an album in the summer of 2013.
In 2018, Laurie created an audio series called Laurie Berkner Song and Story Kitchen. It was released as an audiobook.
Online Events
Starting in March 2020, Laurie began daily "Berkner Breaks" on Facebook Live. These 30-minute events featured Laurie singing songs and reading books. She also encouraged families to wash their hands and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The events later moved to three times a week. The final "Berkner Break" was on June 5, 2020.
Personal Life
Laurie Berkner is married to Brian Mueller. He used to be the bassist in the Laurie Berkner Band. They have a daughter named Lucy.
Images for kids
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Berkner in 2011
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Berkner in 2015
