In February 2018, Steve Denyes, of the beloved "free-range, organic kid-folk" duo Hullabaloo, set himself a challenge. Embarking on a project called "20 Songs in 20 Days," Steve wrote, recorded, and posted a song a day for twenty consecutive days. The result, a first-rate collection of down-home-friendly songs, has become the 14th Hullabaloo album. 20 Songs in 20 Days is set for release on April 27, 2018.
Over the past fourteen years, Hullabaloo has taken flight with a foot-stomping, wing-flapping blend of American folk and roots music that embraces a decidedly kid-friendly angle and has been rewarded by plenty of enthusiastic praise along the way. With 20 Songs in 20 Days, Steve Denyes wanted to give back, so he invited loyal fans to donate to the charity Happy Star Melodies in tandem with the submission of a song title. Each morning for twenty days, Steve pulled an entry from a hat and wrote a song to fit ... no matter what! In this way, every track on 20 Songs in 20 Days originated with a fan-sponsored song title, and every penny of the album's proceeds has gone -- and will continue to go -- directly to Happy Star Melodies.
Steve Denyes explains, "Beyond the charitable aspect of this project, I was intrigued by the challenge. Writing, recording, and posting a song a day forces you to make quick creative decisions. Under normal circumstances, I'll spend anywhere from a week to several months writing a single song. Having to write AND record a new song in a single day keeps the process really fresh and fun. The recordings on this album are hot off the stove. They are literally the first time I successfully played each song from beginning to end.
Nothing has been added after the fact."
20 Songs in 20 Days kicks off with "My Best Friend, Riley," embracing listeners with a friendly ambience that communicates love, humor, and a deep respect for man's best friend. On "Silly Swan," Steve Denyescouldn't resist taking the idea of the Swan Lake ballet and writing about a swan who doesn't fit in. "Penguin in My Bed" is a hilarious number based on a true story, with the protagonist assuming an animal identity in order to protect the guilty. Steve Denyes adroitly captures the essence of an era on the Elvis-inspired "Let's Play Telephone." Other highlights include "My Trip to Paris," which introduces French to kids in a humorous way, and "Bubble Gum Blues," an a capella ode to blowing bubbles that revels in this musician's fascination with the sheer sound of language.
Among the seventeen major awards garnered by Hullabaloo are those presented by Parents' Choice®, NAPPA, and Children's Music Web. Parents' Choice enthused, "They raise their own foot-stomping ruckus with humor, infectious energy and appealing blend of country, folk, funk, and rock rhythms." The San Diego Union-Tribune declared, "Steve Denyes is the biggest rock star in San Diego. Just ask any preschooler." Scholastic Parent & Child praised Hullabaloo's "banjo, mandolin and fiddle-powered fun." People.com wrote, "The two-man band has hit another home run with their cool collection of instant classics featuring all the folk, funk, and rock inspirations parents (and kids) are sure to appreciate."
Hullabaloo has performed more than 3,000 shows throughout the country at venues ranging from birthday parties to fancy concert stages like the Austin City Limits Festival, Philadelphia's World Café Live, the Hard Rock Café, and LEGOLAND. Along the way, they've released thirteen award-winning albums (at last count, with more than 30,000 sold) and developed a loyal following nationwide.
20 Songs in 20 Days will be available as a digital-only release on iTunes, CDBaby, Amazon, and other online music retailers.
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