Musician keeps audience of kids jumping
About 50 tiny toes were tapping Monday inside a meeting room at the St. Charles Public Library. In fact, they were jumping and dancing as a couple dozen preschoolers sang along with Joel Frankel, a Chicago-based musician.
He started his one-man show by singing one of his songs about hair color and had the audience raise their hands when he announced their specific color.
"Raise your hand if you're turning your parents' hair gray," he said to a snicker from the parents in the back row.
He went on to sing about the alphabet, numbers and the weather. The audience was on its feet almost the entire hour.
Frankel has been a children's entertainer for nearly 20 years and has recorded four award-winning children's albums. One of his songs was featured in the movie "Big," starring Tom Hanks.
Before creating a renowned career writing kids songs, the Chicago artist worked as a musician in Los Angeles and appeared in "Father of the Bride," starring Steve Martin and Diane Keaton. He is a faculty member of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.
For more information and a schedule of his appearances, visit JoelFrankel.com.