Well, ladies and gentlemen, John Lithgow has done it again. The award-winning actor, children’s author and singer is releasing a new album. John having signed with Razor & Tie Entertainment — producers of the popular”Kidz Bop” series and other artists such as Laurie Berkner — “The Sunny Side of the Street” will most likely bring even more success to this company.
I had heard about “The Sunny Side of the Street” a few months ago and I was interested because I never new that John Lithgow had done children’s music. It just so happened that I was flipping through the music on-demand menu on our digital cable when I saw that there was a documentary about the making of the album. Of course, I had to watch it. Not only does the documentary show interviews with John Lithgow, but it shows him learning and practicing the songs and recording them. I thought it was neat to watch the making of an album. To see if kids would like the songs, John actually performed them in front of a live audience before recording the album. It was a rousing success, obviously, so the plans continued. Despite his success as an actor and performer John says, “There’s not much that’s more fun than recording.”
“The Sunny Side of the Street” features classics from The Great American Songbook such as “Getting to Know You,” “Inka Dinka Doo,” and, you guessed it, “On the Sunny Side.” Not only are the songs familiar, but some of the guests singing with John are quite famous. Wayne Knight, who starred as Newman on “Seinfeld” and with John in “3rd Rock from the Sun,” joins John on “Inka Dinka Doo” and “Song of the Sewer.” Cabaret star Maude Maggart sings along on “Baby,” one of John’s favorites. Even Broadway’s Sherie Rene Scott sings “Lullaby in Ragtime.”
This new album from John Lithgow looks to be an impressive one. I am really looking forward to buying it when it is released.
“The Sunny Side of the Street” will be available in stores on August 29th, 2006, but is available for pre-order from MusicSpace, Amazon, and Best Buy.
“The Sunny Side of the Street” Track Listing
1. Getting To Know You
2. On The Sunny Side (featuring Madeleine Peyroux)
3. Pick Yourself Up
4. Baby (featuring Maude Maggart)
5. Be Human
6. You Got To Have Pep
7. Everyone Says I Love You
8. Inka Dinka Doo (featuring Wayne Knight)
9. I Always Say Hello To A Flower
10. The Laughing Policeman
11. Song Of The Sewer (featuring Wayne Knight)
12. Manatee
13. Lullaby In Ragtime (featuring Sherie Rene Scott)