Old Mr. Mackle Hackle Summertime is Here

Old Mr. Mackle Hackle

How did I get into doing children's music?

Back in the mid 80's, my writing partner in the Bobs, Richard Greene, and I joined a few other songwrtiers with the intent to break into the children's market. The project yielded some great songs on a demo tape, but fell apart after a short while. One of those tapes landed on the desk of a book editor in NY. She was charmed with the song "Old Mr. Mackle Hackle" and wanted me to write a book based on it. "Have you ever written a children's book?" "Uh...no." She gave me a list of how-to books and some advice and a contract and a check. I went out and bought a mac with the money and started writing.

Some months later the editor left her job to pursue a career in photography, and her replacement came in and canned my book. Undettered, I continued writing stories and put out a demo tape of children's songs, which ended up selling many hundreds through the Bobs fan club. But my life shifted dramatically when I left the Bobs in 91, and my projects for children went to a way-back burner while I worked on more 'serious' projects - a film score, works for dance companies, etc.

In 1999, I was pondering what my 3rd release on G-Spot records would be. Conventional wisdom was whispering in my ear that I should follow up on the success of 'Spinning World'. But an undeniable urge rose inside me to put out an album for children. I set right to it, and within 2 months had recorded the songs with the help of friends - friends helped with the cover art, and it just sort of 'popped out' before I knew what happened!

THAT's how I got into doing children's music!