Raffi (musician)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other people with the name "Raffi", see Raffi (disambiguation).
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| Born: | July 8, 1948 (age 58) Cairo, Egypt |
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| Occupation: | Musician, Author, Essayist, Lecturer |
| Nationality: |  Canada |
| Genres: | Children's music, Children's literature |
| Subjects: | Ecology, Child Advocacy |
| Website: | Raffinews |
Raffi Cavoukian, CM, OBC (born July 8, 1948) is a Canadian singer. Known to fans by his first name, Raffi began his career as a children's entertainer in 1974. He has developed his career as a "global troubadour", to become a music producer, author, entrepreneur, systems thinker, and the founder of Child Honoring, a vision for global restoration.
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[edit] Personal life
Born in Cairo of Armenian parents, he spent his early years in Egypt before emigrating with his family to Canada in 1958, settling in Toronto where he lived and worked until 1990, when he moved to Mayne Island near Victoria, British Columbia. His sister is Dr Ann Cavoukian, Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner.
[edit] Musical career
[edit] Children's entertainer
Once called “the most popular children’s singer in the English-speaking world” (The Washington Post, May 31, 1992) he is well loved by the children of the 1970s/80s generation for his popular children's songs. His autobiography, "The Life of a Children's Troubadour", documents the first part of his award-winning career.
Some of Raffi's best known children's songs are "Bananaphone," "Baby Beluga," "Down By the Bay," "Shake My Sillies Out," and "All I Really Need."
Raffi is currently the president of Troubadour Music Inc., a triple-bottom-line company he founded to produce and promote his work according to his ethical standards.
[edit] Advocacy
Raffi's recent musical work focuses on social and environmental causes and appeals to the generation who grew up with his children's music ("Beluga Grads") to effect change in the world. he also promotes these causes through his books, academic lectures and as a keynote speaker. In 2007, Raffi wrote and produced the single, "Cool It", a rockabilly call to action on global warming, recorded with Dr. David Suzuki in the chorus. "Cool It" was the theme song for Dr. Suzuki's recent Canadian tour to promote action on climate change.
[edit] Child Honoring
In recent years Raffi has devoted himself to Child Honoring, his vision for creating a humane and sustainable world by addressing the universal needs of children. His "Covenant for Honoring Children" outlines the principles of this philosophy.
In 2006, with Dr. Sharna Olfman he co-edited an anthology, Child Honoring: How Turn This World Around, which introduces Child Honoring as a philosophy for restoring communities and ecosystems. It contains chapters by Penelope Leach, Fritjof Capra, David Korten, Riane Eisler, Mary Gordon, Graca Machel, Joel Bakan, Matthew Fox, Barbara Kingsolver, and others. The book’s foreword is by the Dalai Lama. Resisto Dancing: Songs of Compassionate Revolution is the companion album released in conjunction with this book.
In a 2006 speech, Iona Campagnola, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, referred to Child Honoring as a "vast change in the human paradigm." [1]
Raffi advocates for a child's right to live free of commercial exploitation and he has consistently refused all commercial endorsement offers, and Raffi's company Troubadour Music has never directly advertised nor marketed to children. In 2005, he sent an open letter to Ted Rogers of Roger's Wireless, urging them to stop marketing cell phones to children [2]. He has also turned down a film proposal for "Baby Beluga" due to the nature of the funding, which was based on exploitative advertising and marketing.
Raffi has been hailed for his work as "Canada's all time children's champion" (Toronto Star, March 10, 1996)
In October 2006, Raffi was presented with the Fred Rogers Integrity Award by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood at the Judge Baker Children's Center in Boston for his consistent refusal to use his music in endorsements that market products directly to children.
[edit] Awards / Memberships
- Order of Canada (1983)
- Order of British Columbia (2001)
- United Nations' Earth Achievement Award
- Dr of Music, from the University of Victoria (honorary degree)
- Dr of letters, from the University of British Columbia (honorary degree)
- Fred Rogers Integrity Award (2006)
Raffi is associated with several NGOs, including the Council of Human Development, the Darwin Project Council, the Center for Partnership Studies, the Center for Children's health and the Environment, and the Center for Early Child Development.
[edit] Works
[edit] Albums
- Singable Songs for the Very Young (1976)
- More Singable Songs (1977)
- Corner Grocery Store (1979)
- Baby Beluga (1980)
- Rise and Shine (1982)
- Raffi's Christmas Album (1983)
- One Light, One Sun (1985)
- Everything Grows (1987)
- Evergreen Everblue (1990)
- Bananaphone (1994)
- Raffi Radio (1995)
- Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band (1996)
- Country Goes Raffi (2001) (Tribute Album)
- Let's Play (2002)
- Quiet Time (2006)
- Resisto Dancing - Songs of Compassionate Revolution (2006)
[edit] DVDs
- Raffi in Concert
- Raffi on Broadway
- Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band
- A Young Children’s Concert with Raffi
[edit] Books
[edit] Parents' Books
- The Life of a Children’s Troubadour
- Child Honoring: How to Turn this World Around
[edit] Children's Books
- If You're Happy and You Know It
- Everything Grows
- This Little Light of Mine
- Raffi Children's Favorites (a folio of lyrics and chord arrangements for 50 songs)
- Five Little Ducks
- Wheels on the Bus
- Baby Beluga
- Down By The Bay
- Shake My Sillies Out
[edit] References
- Campagnola, Iona. "Campagnola says Child Honoring is a vast change in the human paradigm", "Child Honoring Luncheon" 2006-07-29. Retrieved on March 14, 2007.
- Cavoukian, Raffi. "Raffi's open letter to Ted Rogers asking not to market mobile phones to children", "Commercial Alert", 2005-08-30. Retrieved on March 14, 2007.
- Adilman, Sid, Toronto Star, "Coming of Age Canada's boom in recordings for kids has peaked. But shift is on to videos and CD-Roms", March 10, 1996
- Leiby, Richard, The Washington Post, "Raffi's Growing Pains", May 31, 1992.
[edit] External links
- Official Site
- Child Honoring
- Covenant for Honoring Children
- Child Honoring Anthology
- The Life of a Children's Troubadour
- Open Letter
- Iona Campagnola Speech
- Council of Human Development
- The Darwin Project Council
- Center for Partnership Studies
- Center For Children's Health and the Environment
- Raffi: Yes, we have no advertising
- Raffi on Myspace
- Raffi on YouTube: COOL IT - The Global Cooling Song
- Dr Sharna Olfman
