Hap Palmer
Hap Palmer (born Harlan G. Palmer III, October 28, 1942 in Los Angeles, California) is an American children's musician and guitarist whose songs specialize in developing motor skills, language acquisition, math and reading skills, and overall basic skills aimed at young children. Palmer released his first recording in 1969, and has composed over 200 songs for children. He is considered a pioneer in the use of music and movement in early childhood education.
He has received numerous Parents' Choice Gold Awards for his recordings including:
- So Big - Activity Songs For Little Ones
- Early Childhood Classics - Old Favorites With a New Twist
- Can A Jumbo Jet Sing The Alphabet?
- Can Cockatoos Count By Twos?
- Rhythms on Parade
- One Little Sound - Fun With Phonics and Numbers
- Two Little Sounds - Fun With Phonics and Numbers
Some of his best known early albums include the Learning Basic Skills Through Music series, Getting to Know Myself (which features the song "Sammy" which has been one of Palmer's popular songs), Sally the Swinging Snake, and Walter the Waltzing Worm. He released the famous Halloween song Witches' Brew in 1976 with music by him and Martha Cheney co-wrote the lyrics. Hap's granddaughter Megan Schulze sings on the children's chorus of the updated version of his most popular song "Witches' Brew" on his new CD "Learning in Two Languages".[1][2]
He also released a series of DVDs and videos called Baby Songs, which have sold over 2 million units. He received his MA in Dance Education from UCLA in 1983 with his thesis titled "Songs to Enhance the Movement Vocabulary of Young Children." His album Multiplication Mountain was released on January 15, 2009.
His 2016 release received Parents' Choice Gold Award. http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=34149&StepNum=1&award=aw Lynn Heffley wrote:
The field of music for young children has grown significantly over the 20-plus years since Hap Palmer began recording his educational, music-and-movement-based albums. But this notable singer/songwriter, multiple instrumentalist, and early childhood expert is still at the top of his game, and the proof is this exceptional album. Here, mellow-voiced Palmer isn't using his notable talents to draw young listeners into an understanding of phonics, math basics, shapes and colors and other educational concepts; instead, he has turned real life-inspired moments ("Morning Time at the Zoo," "Scamper," "Food") and all manner of holidays (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Thanksgiving, Cinco de Mayo, Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year, Halloween), into musical gold, rich with varied rhythms, resonant lyrics, and inspired melodies and harmonic layers. The album ends with soft instrumental tracks of each song for individual or group singing. A pleasure for ears of all ages. - See more at: http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=34149&StepNum=1&award=aw#sthash.RVGcdcQH.dpuf
References
- ↑ Artistic Freedom Under Attack 1996 - Volume 4 "The Halloween song Witches Brew was written in the 1 970s by Happ and Martha Palmer. It describes a witch concocting a magic potion. The lyrics recount potion ingredients including "slithering snakes," "slimy worms" and "locks of children's ..."
- ↑ Inspiring Young Authors Year-Round: A Handbook for Teachers Nancy Oster Steffel, Susan Griffis Swenson - 1989 "Listen to Hap Palmer's song "Witches' Brew" (on the album of the same name), which describes a variety of "icky" things a witch puts into her brew. Use the instrumental version of the song to let children make up their own ingredients for the ..."