Personnel: Dan Zanes (vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica); Ed Robertson , Bleu, Raine Maida , Bleu (vocals, guitar); Glen Phillips (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Billy Bragg (vocals, acoustic guitar); Sarah McLachlan (vocals, electric guitar, piano); Tom Waits (vocals, piano); Chantal Kreviazuk (vocals, Wurlitzer organ); John McCrea (vocals, keyboards, percussion); Darius Rucker, Leigh Nash, Steven Page (vocals); John Stirratt (guitar, electric bass); Xan McCurdy (guitar, percussion, background vocals); Steve Fekete, Joe Gore (guitar); Sean Kelly (acoustic guitar); Jay Bennett (acoustic 12-string guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar); Matt Slocum (electric guitar, keyboards); Carla Kihlstedt (violin); Matthew Brubeck (cello); Alyssa Lamb (accordion); Nick Phelps, Ralph Carney (reeds); Vince Di Fiore (trumpet, keyboards, background vocals); Ronnie Buttacavoli (flugelhorn); Jazz Nixon (piano); John Paul Powell , Jerry Dale McFadden, Kevin Hearn, Pierre Marchand (keyboards); Jacob Eigen (acoustic bass); Trevor Dunn (upright bass); Pete McNeal (drums, percussion, background vocals); Ashwin Sood (drums, percussion); Dustin Hengst, Rob Mitchell, Joe Bonadio, Tyler Stewart, Shawn Pelton, Jay Bellerose (drums); Ken Coomer (tambourine); Gabe Nelson (percussion, background vocals); Andrew Borger (percussion); Melissa Bisagni, Peter Katis, Mike Henry, Tarquin Katis, David Schneider (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Christopher Marc Potter ; Dan Wilson ; Ducky Carlisle; Glen Phillips ; John McCrea; Jordan Richter; Kirt Shearer; Andy Chase ; Pierre Marchand; Raine Maida ; Renato Zero; Sank; Curt Schneider; Jason Lader; Brad Kern; Chantal Kreviazuk.
Recording information: Arnyard Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (10/14/1998); Avatar Studios, New York, NY (10/14/1998); Barenaked Ladies (10/14/1998); Canterbury Music Studio (10/14/1998); Home (10/14/1998); Paradise Studios (10/14/1998); Prairie Sun Recording, Cotati, CA (10/14/1998); Room 9 From Outer Space, South Boston, MA (10/14/1998); STratosphere Sound, New York, NY (10/14/1998); Studio 9, Hollywood, CA (10/14/1998); The Little White House, Malibu, CA (10/14/1998).
Illustrator: John Rummen.
Arrangers: Raine Maida ; Chantal Kreviazuk.
VH1's Save the Music Foundation and Nettwerk came together in fall 2002 to support music education around North America. The various-artists collection For the Kids is a delightful way to do it. The 16-track compilation features an assorted mix of classic children's songs and fresh originals sung by some of modern rock's finest artists. For the Kids presents a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Canadian songstress Sarah McLachlan gets a little froggy in covering The Muppet Show favorite "The Rainbow Connection." This particular track was initially introduced by Kermit the Frog in The Muppet Movie in 1979, but McLachlan's angelic presentation will surely win kids over. Barenaked Ladies and Guster cover Sesame Street favorites, while Five for Fighting's John Ondrasik penned one of the album's most charming moments with "The Hoppity Song." An amazing close to the record comes from blues crooner Tom Waits. Available for the first time, "Bend Down the Branches" is a sweepy bedtime lullaby. Artists like Remy Zero, Ivy, Darius Rucker, and ex-Toad the Wet Sprocket frontman Glen Phillips are also included on this sweet effort. A portion of the proceeds made from For the Kids will go to the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, which has raised more than 21 million dollars for instruments and musical education for 900 public schools in 75 cities across North America since 1997. ~ MacKenzie Wilson
Professional Reviews
Rolling Stone (11/28/02, p.90) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...A children's-music album that shouldn't make hipster parents puke..."
