Beantown Pals w/ Bucky and Betty

Dr. Stevanne 'Dr. Toy' Auerbach joins Tom Hayes and Patricia Shih for a look at Dr. Toys' career as the leading authority of play and the role of toys in child development.

Dr. Auerbach, an established speaker, consultant, and author, is trained in child development, psychology, education and special education. Dr. Auerbach’s title, Dr.Toy, is well earned, starting with her consulting assignment with Creative Playthings, Inc. in 1968 when she developed its first educational marketing program.

She approved the first funding federal grant for the Children's Television Workshop, "Sesame Street,” worked for the Commissioner of Education, Dr. James E, Allan, evaluated reading, Urban Education and other Title One Programs at the U.S. Office of Education. She created the “What Works” series reporting on promising school practices.

Dr. Toy’s Smart Play/? Smart Toys: How to Raise a Child with a High P.Q. (Play Quotient) (Ingram/?Lightening Source; Educational Insights; first edition, St. Martin’s Press) is a unique guide to play, child development, and appropriate toys from baby to older children.

The book is published in the U.S.A. and China, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Korea, Russia, Spain, Thailand, and Turkey. Her book Toys for a Lifetime (FAO Schwarz/?Rizzoli) focuses on classic toys and future toys.

Since completing her doctoral degree she published 15 books on parenting, childcare, toys, and play. Five childcare books were re-released in 2011.

Her feature articles appeared in Family Circle (1986), in Parenting Magazine (1987), and in Dr. Toy's Guide at www.drtoy.com, visited daily by thousands. Dr. Toy’s Best Gift Guide App was released in December 2011, and updated 2014.

Singer/songwriter/performer, Jamie Shaheen joins us today to feature her best-selling album "Everybody's Happy When They are Singing." Jamie performs primarily in Southern California but travels extensively spreading her charm, grace and unique perfroming style to audiences worldwide. Today she will let us in on her beginnings in the entertainment/music world and the Muse that inspires her writing. Tune in for a great show.

Join Tom Hayes as he features the music of Joanie Calem and the writing and illustration talen of Rhonda Paglia and Ratna Kusuma Halim.

When she was 15, Joanie moved to Israel, and completed my high school degree at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem. I then continued my musical training in piano pedagogy, both in the conventional and the Suzuki systems, and early-childhood music and movement.  I studied for many years with Anne Barlin, who is considered one of the “mothers” of the dance therapy field and an experienced teacher of the Dalcroze system.  I maintained a private piano studio in my home for 15 years, as well as teaching pre-school and early elementary music and movement classes in a number of local schools in the area I lived in.

Three Little Gnomes and a Boy Name Orion is Rhonda Paglia's fourth children's book.  What began as an impromptu story project in 2009 for her grandson, Orion, has blossomed into a captivating 68 page story with over 40 beautiful illustrations and charming characters that kids will love.   Rhonda's illustrator for this book is Ratna Kusuma Halim from Indonesia.  "She has brought the gnomes to life and turned this little garden story into something magical," said Rhonda.

 

Rhonda is a retired elementary teacher and very busy grandmother from Hermitage, Pennsylvania.  She loves writing stories for her five grandchildren and now she's happy to share them with other kids.  Rhonda also loves spending time in her garden, but she's always looking over her shoulder because she knows there are secret things going on out there when she's not looking!

Judy’s outrageously fun family performances have created a ruckus throughout the USA wherever children and families gather.  She’s performed twice in concert at the request of President Clinton.  The organizers of the New York City fundraiser for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation and Robert DeNiro’s Tribeca Family Street Fair know the effect she has on audiences and have asked Judy to return year after year to create a ruckus in their neighborhood.   The children at the Nyumbani Orphanage in Kenya experienced the joy of working with Judy when she traveled twice to Nairobi for week-long songwriting workshops.  The songs are available on a fundraising CD for the orphanage.

Press

                                 

“Tim’s performance at the National Children’s Museum (National Harbor,

MD/DC Area) was truly a sight to behold!  His energy, enthusiasm, and

unique charisma had audiences of ALL ages engaged! What made Tim’s

performance really original was the incorporation and participation of his

three sons! Tim is a family man who’s goal is to wake and energize the

imaginations of all children in a creatively musical way!  His storytelling

abilities are sure to have you laughing as well as listening.  We at the

National Children’s Museum are excited at the possibility of Tim returning

to perform again in the future!"

Luke Rodney was born in Trinidad & Tobago in the year 1954. His mother Josephine Stephen and Simeon Rodney his father lived in Biche Charuma a little village in the country side. As far back as Luke can remember he always had a love for music and wanted to be a musician.

From a very young age Luke has been a self taught musician with music, melodies and lyrics floating around in his head. All his songs are from like experiences. Luke is a vocalist and is a master drummer and took up ukulele a few years ago.

Luke has played with many renown music groups such as Bird Song Steel

Orchestra, Flamingoes, Sound Roy Cape Calypso All Stars, Ed Watson Brass Circle and has run the gamut from dance halls to playing for Presidents. Luke also played on different cruise lines such as Norwegian, Crown, and Royal Viking. Luke Rodney has travelled extensively through the Caribbean, Germany, Sweden, Norway, ETC.

Luke is a father of three children and one grand daughter. Luke migrated to the United States in 1993. Some of the bands he played with : Cobalt Rhythm Kings (a blues band out of New Haven), INITY Reggae band, Holy Smoke, Jah Movements, St. Luke’s Steel Band, and currently plays with White Eyed Lizard.

Tom Hayes and children's, singer songwriter and recording artist, Katherine Dines get together with Beantown's Opera Star, Enzo Cannellini and children's singer/songwriter, Patricia Shih to explore the crazy world of Beantown Pals and Bucky and Betty's adventures. Katherine Dines is an award-winning children’s songwriter, recording and teaching artist who performs throughout the world.  Since 1993, her concerts have captivated children and family audiences, and her Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta® MUSIC cds (11 in series) have garnered over 30 national awards– including a Grammy nomination and a Platinum record. Her songs have been featured in Build-A-Bear Workshops, Disney’s 101 Dalmations Dog Songs, Hallmark greeting cards, and United Airlines and can be heard regularly on satellite radio stations. She resides in Denver, Colorado and continues to write songs for other clients, and expand Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta® MUSIC into other product areas such as books, toys, movies, the world wide web and television.

In 2004 Patricia was honored with a Woman of Distinction Award in New York.A multi-instrumentalist, Ms. Shih  has six albums to her credit: two for adults, "Woman With One Closed Eye" (Glass Records) and "Leap of Faith" (Flying Fish Records); and four family/children's albums, "Your ImaginEngine!," "The Power of One" (NAPPA Gold Award & Parents' Choice Approved Award), "Big Ideas!" and "Making Fun!" (1997 Parents Choice Approval Award) on Glass Records. Her work is also included on three anthology albums: "Sharing Thoughts," "Early Ears" (Zoom Express, BMG), and "Rainbow Sign" (Rounder Records), which was honored by the American Library Association Notable Children's Recording Award, Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Prize, NAPPA Gold Medal, and the L.A. Times "Best of 1993" list.

Steve Blunt started creating songs for children back in the mid-90’s, while working as a middle-school English teacher and raising a young daughter. He now has  four CD’s of (mostly) funny songs for kids & families. These days, he does a lot of performing at schools and libraries in New Hampshire (where he lives) and throughout New England. In addition to original compositions, his shows feature traditional American and multicultural material that appeals to a wide audience. Join Steve, Saturday April 19, 2014 at 10:00 AM as we hear and discuss his music, life and career. Also on hand, will be Tommie "Enzo Cannellini' Kussy, Beantown's Opera star and an appearance from Coco 'Mr. Mosquito' Bean (Luke Rodney).

Tom Hayes and Tommie 'Enzo Cannellini' Kussy welcome singer/songwriter/ musician/author/teacher Patricia Shih to Beantown Radio.

Patricia Shih wrote her first song at age 12 and hasn't stopped since. At the age of 15, she signed a recording and management contract with Unicorn Records of Washington, D.C. as half of a duo. This marked the start of her professional career. Numerous, T.V., radio, concert and club performances followed. Included are an international radio broadcast on the Voice of America and appearances at the legendary Cellar Door, where the duo was runner-up to Emmy Lou Harris in the competitive "Best of the Hoots." Several years later, Ms. Shih began her solo career in California, notably on her own PBS special Patty Shih - Music from the Gallery. Soon after, she returned to the east coast and settled in Huntington, N.Y.

In 2004 Patricia was honored with a Woman of Distinction Award in New York.

A multi-instrumentalist, Ms. Shih plays 6 and 12 string guitars, piano, Marxophone, Chinese flower drum, and soprano recorder. She has six albums to her credit: two for adults, "Woman With One Closed Eye" (Glass Records) and "Leap of Faith" (Flying Fish Records); and four family/children's albums, "Your ImaginEngine!," "The Power of One" (NAPPA Gold Award & Parents' Choice Approved Award), "Big Ideas!" and "Making Fun!" (1997 Parents Choice Approval Award) on Glass Records. Her work is also included on three anthology albums: "Sharing Thoughts," "Early Ears" (Zoom Express, BMG), and "Rainbow Sign" (Rounder Records), which was honored by the American Library Association Notable Children's Recording Award, Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Prize, NAPPA Gold Medal, and the L.A. Times "Best of 1993" list.

Tom Hayes and Tommie 'Enzo Cannellini' Kussy join Joanie Leeds of Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights fame www.joanieleeds.com in a rollicking, frollicking blast of fun filled song and merriment. Joanie is a national children's recording artist with a full sound that will blow the cobwebs out of your preconceived notions of kid's music. Her youtube videos are groundbreaking classics full of animation and graphics that will delight the senses of all age groups. Tune in and tune out...