MP3 Bill Evenhouse - The Folksinger Sings Songs for Children and Learners of English

Familiar children's songs in a lively folk style, sung clearly in order to be learned quickly by a fascinated youngster.

42 MP3 Songs
KIDS/FAMILY: General Children's Music, FOLK: Traditional Folk



Details:
Bill was born and raised in the Midwestern United States. Except for one teen-age year in Denver, his childhood homes were Chicago (Il), Patterson (NJ), and Grand Rapids (MI). He picked up piano playing at an early age, and sang in local church, school and college choirs. During the 60's, along with degrees in literature and the English language, he picked up the guitar and the 5-string banjo, and began blending the teaching of English with occasional public performances of a mixture of folk music and his own compositions.

In 1965 Bill and his wife, Nelle, and two sons, left the US for Nigeria, where they worked as missionary teachers, translators, and musicians until 1980. Returning to the US for a three-year stay, (now with four sons), Bill worked as a writer and editor for a textbook company and also traveled the North American continent, performing folksong concerts in hundreds of American and Canadian schools. In 1984, Bill and Nelle went back to Nigeria, where for several years Bill would be involved in directing a recording studio which assisted young Nigerian musicians in starting their performing and recording careers.
In 1992, Bill and Nelle left Nigeria for Cairo, Egypt, where they reside during the academic year. They have spent many years there as English language teachers, for the Fulbright Commission and then for the American International School in Egypt. But Bill has always kept his hand in composing and recording music, and at present he is full-time freelancing as a musician in Cairo.

Bill is primarily a folk singer, focusing on the wide range of old songs that came to the Americas from many traditions. But his tastes sometimes range beyond folk, and a concert might include 40' jazz, blues, and romantic popular music as well.
Bill works out of his own studio in Cairo. He recently signed a contract to return to teaching English, at the Modern English School in Cairo, so he will likely be there a few more years. But he has long-range plans to return to the US and to the school assemblies and concerts he enjoyed in the 80's. If you are in the US with no plans to visit Cairo, keep your eye out for him in the future. Or contact him through this site.



TheFolksinger Sings Songs For Children and Learners of English

The songs in this collection are old folk standards in English, songs which children and adults have sung together through the ages. Each of the 21 songs is sung one time by TheFolksinger, Bill Evenhouse. Each song is then presented a second time, with voice removed. This allows parents and teachers to use the vocal edition as a teaching device and an accompaniment version for performances by their own singers.

Some of the songs are also games. The "five hammers" Johnny works with are his two arms, his two legs, and his head. The farmer in "the Dell" is very likely choosing persons from a group to make a circle around "the cheese." The singer of "The Hokey Pokey" explains the dance itself. Users of these songs should be encouraged to invent games to play for many or most of the other songs as well.

The songs are listed here in their order on the CD, along with the time each takes in minutes and seconds, and the words used by TheFolksinger. Many of these songs can be found in other places with other words. Teachers and parents should feel free to substitute words and phrases that fit the tunes and the grammar of any of the songs.

Teachers and parents: recommend Bill Evenhouse to others as TheFolksinger, an American musician and teacher of English who lives part time in Michigan and part time in Cairo, Egypt. You can contact him through his web site: http://www.thefolksinger.com.