This best-selling children's album by legendary singer and songwriter, Jonathan Edwards is heavily influences by folk, bluegrass, country, and include classic children's songs. The songs are either melodic and folksy or calm and soothing ballads or lullabies, making this album perfect for car rides or quiet playtime. Instruments featured include guitar, bass, harmonica, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle.
Jonathan Edwards' voice has a wonderfully familiar and comforting tone to it that children and adults will appreciate. He has selected songs most children will already know and love to sing along with. Some songs tell a whole story; "Stewball" the story of a horse; "Red Light, Green Light" is an upbeat tune about a child playing outside with his best friend, told through direct rhymes and chorus repetition; "Old Jim" features the banjo, and tells all about a pet dog. Each instrument in the band has solos throughout the CD, strengthening your child's exposure to and recognition of them. "Three Blind Mice" breaks the mold by having only vocals - no instruments - creating harmonies and singing far past the usual verses heard for that song.
Most of the songs exude a great energy and a rhythm that is hard to resist moving to. "Oh Susanna" stands out with a great harmonica solo guaranteed to get listeners tapping their toes and singing along. "Flies in the Buttermilk" features Edwards' voice in a new baritone pitch that kids will love to try and imitate. The ballads "Little Hands" and "My Little Girl" will speak emotionally to adults, while the children will enjoy the soothing slow tempo. These are great songs to cuddle up and bond to.
My five-year-old friend, Molly, said this CD "just makes me want to dance!" When we pop this CD in, you can actually see the excitement surge through Molly as she is overcome by the music and starts flailing arms and legs everywhere in a jig that only a flexible five-year-old could perform.
--Audra
A winner of an American Library Association "Notable Recording" award, Little Hands was inspired by the birth of Edwards' daughter, Grace, in 1977. It was recorded at American Melody Studios, in Silver Springs, Maryland in 1986. It continues to be a top seller in its genre today.
Singer/songwriter, Jonathan Edwards' music career has been ongoing for more than four decades. He was heavily influenced by folk music as his career developed. Edwards is best known for his hits "Lay Around the Shanty" and "Sunshine", which reached the top five on the national charts, earning him a gold record in 1971.
1) Winkin, Blinkin and Nod (2:50)
2) Children, Go Where I Send Thee (4:04)
3) My Little Girl (2:14)
4) Red Light, Green Light (2:40)
5) Stewball (2:53)
6) Three Blind Mice (4:08)
7) Oh Susanna (2:35)
8) Little Hands (2:55)
9) Flies in the Buttermilk (3:50)
10) Give Us A Song (3:07)
11) Old Jim (2:35)
12) Graceful Lullaby (2:30)