Kids' Music Superstar Laurie Berkner Returns to Ravinia August 4th

By popular demand, best-selling children's recording artist and preschool television favorite Laurie Berkner will return to the Ravinia Festival, 418 Sheridan Rd., Highland Park, IL with her Greatest Hits Solo Tour at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 4, 2018.

This performance is part of Ravinia's Kids Concerts series, which emulates the festival's main-stage programming across a mix of genres and artists, all in a kid-friendly environment.

Says Laurie Berkner, "I'm so excited to be coming back to Ravinia again this summer! I feel so lucky to be able to participate again in this historic festival, which provides such a beautiful setting for artists to share their talents with audiences of all ages. It's truly one of my favorite places to play, and a wonderful venue in which to connect with my CHICAGOLAND fans."

A true pioneer in children's music, beloved by generations of children and parents for over twenty years, the legendary Laurie Berkner will bring such well-loved hits as "Bumblebee (Buzz Buzz)," "Victor Vito," "We Are The Dinosaurs," and "Pig on Her Head" to this performance. Laurie will showcase many fan favorites, including an array of tunes that encourage kids and grownups alike to get up and dance. Kids should plan to bring their dancing shoes and a stuffed animal (for their heads).

At her solo shows, in addition to familiar hits, Laurie Berkner performs songs that don't always fit with a full-band performance: tunes with simpler arrangements, hand motions, and a cappella singing, like "Bottle Caps," "One Seed," "Telephone," and "Drive My Car."

Dubbed "one of children's music's biggest success stories" by USA Today, Laurie Berkner's original songs, albums, DVDs, music videos, and books leave no doubt: Laurie is the uncrowned queen of children's music and the power behind the progressive "kindie rock" movement.

Her secret? Laurie's shows are interactive throughout; her songs get the kids (and adults) on their feet to sing, clap, and dance along. She keeps even the youngest audience members fully engaged with dynamic expressions of musical joy in active songs like "I'm Gonna Catch You" and "Rocketship Run," and gives everyone a chance to catch their breath between high-energy moments by including quieter INTERLUDES featuring songs such as Laurie's classic "Moon Moon Moon." Laurie displays an instinctive understanding of children's natural rhythms and energy in her shows, which keeps kids enraptured and brings parents happily along for the ride.

Laurie Berkner was the first artist to ever appear in music videos on Nick Jr. and was featured in nearly all the episodes of the channel's Jack's Big Music Show. Laurie's music videos now appear regularly on NBCUniversal's Sprout House, and she is a familiar presence on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live. Laurie has released twelve award-winning albums, including her most recent, Laurie Berkner: The Dance Remixes.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers is publishing a series of three picture books with Laurie Berkner. The first, We Are the Dinosaurs, illustrated by Ben Clanton, was released in March 2017, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the release of Laurie's "We Are the Dinosaurs" song on her very first album, Whaddaya Think of That? November 2017 brought the release of Pillowland, with beautiful illustrations by Camille Garoche. July 2018 will see the publication of Monster Boogie, based on Laurie's irresistibly fun "Monster Boogie" song and illustrated by Ben Clanton.

A former preschool music teacher by day and indie rocker by night, Laurie Berknerstarted selling her music two decades ago out of her living room on her own label, Two Tomatoes Records. Laurie has received tremendous critical acclaim. Time Magazine lauded Laurie as "a kind of sippy-cup Sheryl Crow ... Berkner inhabits a kid's curious perspective in her lyrics and pens folk-pop melodies that bear repeated -- very repeated -- listenings." The Wall Street Journal called Laurie "one of the most popular children's performers in America ... her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grown-ups."

Watch Laurie Berkner in action on her Youtube channel HERE.

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