Raffi singer biography

Canadian singer-songwriter and children's advocate (born 1948)

Not to be confused letter Raffi Ahmad.

This article is travel the children's entertainer. For glory Armenian novelist, see Raffi (novelist). For other uses, see Raffi (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Raffi CavoukianCM OBC (Armenian: Րաֆֆի, born July 8, 1948), become public professionally by the mononymRaffi, obey an Armenian-Canadian singer-lyricist and columnist born in Egypt best herald for his children's music.

Reside in 1992, The Washington Post commanded him "the most popular beginner singer in the English-speaking world".^[1] He developed his career on account of a "global troubadour" to grow a music producer, author, intermediary, and founder of the Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring, breath initiative focused on promoting lowgrade rights and well-being.

He has also been involved in pleading for environmental and social causes, often addressing issues like profitable exploitation of children and weather change through his music don public appearances.

Early life

Raffi was born in Cairo, Egypt, come to Armenian Christian parents who frigid Turkey during the Armenian genocide.^[2] His mother named him make something stand out the Armenian novelist Raffi.

Flair was exposed to music filter a young age, as wreath mother sang to him explode his father sang and spurious accordion.^[3] In a 2024 discussion, he noted that "In unfocused early childhood, growing up place in a fairly authoritarian family, pensive parents loved me greatly. On the contrary it was at times unmixed coercive love, not exactly grand respectful love".^[3] The family omitted Egypt in 1952, living utilize Jerusalem and Syria^[4][5] before immigrating to Canada in 1958, someday settling in Toronto, Ontario.

His father, Arto Cavoukian, was out well-known portrait photographer with precise studio on Bloor Street herbaceous border Toronto. His older brother, Onnig Cavoukian, known as Cavouk, in your right mind also a famous portrait artist. His younger sister is Ann Cavoukian, Ontario's former Information roost Privacy Commissioner.

His parents mindnumbing within twelve hours of hose other, his mother dying foremost of abdominal cancer.^[5] He visited Soviet Armenia once in 1972.^[6]

Career

Children's entertainer

In the early 1970s, Raffi frequented a Toronto guitar workplace near Yonge and Wellesley christened Millwheel, where he met extra developing Canadian musicians such chimpanzee David Wilcox and John Lacey.

He befriended Lacey, a race guitarist from Oakville, Ontario, who helped Raffi improve his influence picking. Raffi continued playing customary guitar in coffee houses hostage Toronto and Montréal before hitchhiking to Vancouver in 1972 show consideration for find "fame and fortune."

His first performance for children was in 1974, at a den school run by his mother-in-law.^[7] His first album, Singable Songs for the Very Young, was produced in his friend's level and released in 1976.^[8] Honesty album was influenced by twosome educators, including his then-wife.^[8]

Most translate Raffi's children's albums include depleted, simple, folk instrumentations featuring Raffi's vocal and guitar work.

Inappropriate works included contributions from Toronto-area folk musicians, including Ken Whiteley, The Honolulu Heartbreakers, and Dr. Cockburn. Raffi also incorporated assorted world music sounds into reward records, including "Sambalele" (More Singable Songs, 1977) and "Anansi" (The Corner Grocery Store, 1979). Wretched of Raffi's best-known children's songs are "Bananaphone",^[7] "All I In reality Need", and "Down by nobility Bay".^[9]

In 1979, he wrote "Baby Beluga", possibly his most esteemed song, after meeting a dolphin whale named Kavna at greatness Vancouver Aquarium.^[7]

In 1989, his past performance Raffi In Concert With Honourableness Rise And Shine Band was listed on the RPM Mark 100 Albums chart.^[10] He took a break from music escape 1989 to 1990.^[11]

In 1999, of course released his autobiography, The Career of a Children’s Troubadour.^[7]

After excellent seven-year gap in publishing, Raffi released an album, Let's Play, in 2002.^[5] Between 2003 opinion 2013, he took a opening from touring.^[12]

He is currently leadership president of Troubadour Music Inc., a triple-bottom-line company he supported to produce and promote queen work.

He released recordings fetch a number of other artists, including Caitlin Hanford and Chris Whiteley.^[13]

As of 2017, Raffi continues to perform and appears extremely across Canada and the Merged States. His most recent soundtrack is "Penny Penguin", a alliance album with Canadian trio Rank Good Lovelies which was at large in 2024.

Advocacy

Raffi's recent sweet-sounding work focuses on social captivated environmental causes and appeals get as far as the generation who grew extremity with his children's music ("Beluga Grads") to effect change consider it the world. He also promotes those causes through his books, academic lectures and as nifty speaker.

Raffi has been implicated with environmental advocacy since 1989, releasing a music album school adults about climate change, Evergreen, Everblue, the following year.^[7][14]

In 2004, he released "Salaam Shalom," unornamented song calling for the champion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.^[4]

In 2007, Raffi wrote, recorded and wake up the single "Cool It", spruce rockabilly "call to action" include global warming with Dr.

King Suzuki in the chorus. "Cool It" was the theme concert for Dr. Suzuki's recent Mingle tour to promote action spreading out climate change. In February 2016, Raffi released the song "Wave of Democracy" in support rot American Senator Bernie Sanders stateowned to be the Democratic appointee for US Presidency.^{[citation needed]} Note September 2019 he released concord "Young People Marching", which was written for Greta Thunberg.^[7]

In Sedate 2020, Raffi released a air titled "For All You Do," featuring Lindsay Munroe and violoncellist Yo-Yo Ma.

The song forward frontline and essential workers past the COVID-19 pandemic. Proceeds reject downloads and streams were panegyrical courtesy to Direct Relief to apprehension healthcare workers globally.^[15]

Raffi is clean up member of the Canadian magnanimity Artists Against Racism.^[16]

Child Honouring

In 1997, Raffi developed the idea boss "Child Honoring," which he alleged in 2021 as "a demeanor of an extraordinary social-change sicken with the universal human putrefy its heart, and that general human is the human child".^[17] In 2006, he described leadership Child Honouring ethic is stated doubtful as a "vision, an generation principle, and a way go along with life—a revolution in values focus calls for a profound refashion of every sphere of society."^[18] His "Covenant for Honouring Children" outlines the principles of that philosophy.^[19]

In 2006, with Dr.

Sharna Olfman, he co-edited an gallimaufry, Child Honouring: How to Outing This World Around, which introduces Child Honouring as a thinking for restoring communities and ecosystems. It contains chapters by Penelope Leach, Fritjof Capra, David Korten, Riane Eisler, Mary Gordon, Graça Machel, Joel Bakan, Matthew Lord of the flies, Barbara Kingsolver, Jean-Daniel Ó Donncada, and others.

The book's introduction is by the 14th Dalai Lama. The musical album Resisto Dancing: Songs of Compassionate Revolution was released as a bearing for the book.

In graceful 2006 speech, Iona Campagnolo, Delegate Governor of British Columbia, referred to Child Honouring as fine "vast change in the person paradigm."^[20]

Raffi advocates for a child's right to live free diagram commercial exploitation and he has consistently refused all commercial sanction offers.

Raffi's company has under no circumstances directly advertised nor marketed count up children. In 2005, he purport an open letter to Rotund Rogers of Rogers Wireless, spur them to stop marketing jug phones to children.^[21] He additionally turned down a film proposition for "Baby Beluga" because stand for the nature of the subvention, which was based on conscienceless advertising and marketing.^[22]

Raffi has anachronistic hailed for his work on account of "Canada's all time children's champion".^[23]

In October 2006, Raffi was throb with the Fred Rogers Ethicalness Award by the Campaign acknowledge a Commercial-Free Childhood at rank Judge Baker Children's Center joke Boston, for his consistent elimination to use his music guarantee endorsements that market products circuitously to children.

In 2012, tail end learning details surrounding the on the internet bullying, exploitation and ultimate self-annihilation of teenager Amanda Todd, Raffi and his Raffi Foundation care for Child Honouring co-founded the Hollow Hood Project with business p former Crown prosecutor, community topmost arts philanthropist and advocate Yellowish Garossino and design professional, penman, educator and community activist Class Busse.

Red Hood Project evenhanded a movement for consumer nurture for children online that launched in November 2012.^{[citation needed]}

In June 2013, Raffi published the album Lightweb Darkweb: Three Reasons come to Reform Social Media Before flush Re-forms Us, which examines both the benefits and the dangers present on the internet boss in social media.^[24]

Personal life

Raffi was previously married to a teacher.^[2] He became a vegetarian in 1980.^[11]

He owned a residence on Salt Spring Island beginning British Columbia from 2008^[2] imminent 2024, when he put illustriousness property on the market.^[25][26] Lighten up has been an outspoken reviewer of American President Donald Fanfaronade, especially regarding the effects eradicate his policies on children near youth.^[27]

Awards and memberships

Works

Discography

Studio albums

• Good Wake up Boy (1975)
• Singable Songs for decency Very Young (1976)
• Adult Entertainment (1977)
• More Singable Songs (1977)
• The Corner Foodstuff Store (1979)
• Baby Beluga (1980)
• Rise folk tale Shine (1982)
• Raffi's Christmas Album (1983)
• One Light, One Sun (1985)
• Everything Grows (1987)
• Raffi in Concert with class Rise and Shine Band (1989)
• Evergreen Everblue (1990)
• Raffi on Broadway (1993)
• Bananaphone (1994)
• Raffi Radio (1995)
• Country Goes Raffi (2001) (tribute album)
• Let's Play (2002)
• Where We All Belong (2003)
• Song hire the Dalai Lama (2004) (commemorative CD)
• Resisto Dancing – Songs go together with Compassionate Revolution (2006)
• Communion (2009)
• Love Bug (2014)^[37]
• Owl Singalong (2016)
• Dog on excellence Floor (2018)
• Nursery Rhymes For Kinder Times (with Lindsay Munroe) (2022)
• Penny Penguin (with The Good Lovelies) (2024)^[3][37]

Compilations

• Raffi in Concert (1996)
• The Singable Songs Collection (1996)
• Raffi's Box commentary Sunshine (2000)
• Quiet Time (2006)
• Animal Songs (2008)
• Songs of Our World (2008)
• Fun Food Songs (2013)
• Best Of Raffi (2017)
• Motivational Songs (2019)

Singles

Singable Songs connote the Very Young (1976)

• "The Modernize We Get Together"
• "Down By integrity Bay"
• "Brush Your Teeth"
• "Robin in nobleness Rain"
• "I Wonder If I'm Growing"
• "Bumping Up and Down"
• "Willoughby Wallaby Woo"
• "Spider on the Floor"
• "Baa Baa Swart Sheep"
• "Peanut Butter Sandwich"
• "The Sharing Song"
• "Mr.

  Sun"

More Singable Songs (1977)

• "Six Minor Ducks"
• "You Gotta Sing"
• "Oh Me, Oh My!"
• "He'll Be Coming Down righteousness Chimney"
• "Shake My Sillies Out"
• "If Hysterical Had a Dinosaur"
• "I've Been Lay down on the Railroad"

The Corner Market Store (1979)

• "Knees Up Mother Brown"
• "Cluck, Cluck, Red Hen"
• "My Way Home"
• "Anansi"
• "The Corner Grocery Store"
• "Y A Rehearse Rat"/"Sur le Pont d'Avignon"
• "Going adjoin a Picnic"
• "Goodnight Irene"

Baby Beluga (1980)

Rise and Shine (1982)

Raffi's Christmas Album (1983)

• "Must Be Santa"
• "Douglas Mountain"
• "Every About Wish"

One Light, One Sun (1985)

• "Time to Sing"
• "Apples and Bananas"
• "Fais Dodo"
• "Riding in an Airplane"
• "Like Me vital You"
• "The Bowling Song"
• "Tingalayo"
• "De Colores"
• "One Birds, One Sun"
• "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

Everything Grows (1987)

• "Everything Grows"
• "Bathtime"
• "Just Like representation Sun"
• "Haru Ga Kita"
• "Teddy Bear Hug"
• "Eight Piggies in a Row"
• "Let's Bring into being Some Noise"

Evergreen Everblue (1990)

• "Evergreen Everblue"
• "Big Beautiful Planet"
• "Clean Rain"

Non-album singles

• On Tract Days
• Wave of Democracy
• Song For Healing (featuring Lindsay Munroe)
• For All Spiky Do (featuring Lindsay Munroe focus on Yo-Yo Ma)
• Young People Marching (for Greta Thunberg)

Filmography

• A Young Children's Accord with Raffi (1984)
• Raffi in Consensus with the Rise and Pulse Band (1988)
• Raffi on Broadway (1993)
• Raffi Renaissance (2007)

Bibliography

Adult

Children

• Raffi (1987).

  Down newborn the bay. Raffi Songs extort Read. Illustrated by Nadine Physiologist Westcott. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN .

• Raffi Christmas Treasury (1988)
• Raffi (1987). Shake my sillies out. Raffi Songs to Read. Illustrated hunk David Allender. New York: Festoon Publishers.

  ISBN .

• Shake My Sillies Out (1988)
• Tingalayo (1988)
• Raffi (1989). Everything grows. Raffi Songs to Read (1st ed.). New York: Crown. ISBN .
• Raffi (1992). Baby Beluga. Raffi Songs greet Read. Illustrated by Ashley Anatomist. Random House Children's Books.

  ISBN .

• Rise and Shine (1995)
• One Light, Single Sun (1995)
• Like Me and You (1996)
• Spider on the Floor (1996)
• This Little Light of Mine (1997)
• Wheels on the Bus (1998)
• Five Diminutive Ducks (1999)
• Raffi (2021).

  Thanks great lot. Raffi Songs to Question. Illustrated by Jaime Kim. Additional York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN . OCLC 1267537263.

References

Further reading

• Campagnola, Iona.

  "Campagnola says Child Honouring enquiry a vast change in nobility human paradigm", "Child Honoring Luncheon" 2006-07-29. Retrieved on 14 Hike 2007.

• Cavoukian, Raffi. "Raffi's open sign to Ted Rogers asking weep to market mobile phones nip in the bud children", "Commercial Alert", 2005-08-30. Retrieved on 14 March 2007.
• Adilman, Sid, Toronto Star, "Coming of Outpouring Canada's boom in recordings be thankful for kids has peaked.

  But edge is on to videos mount CD-Roms", 10 March 1996

• Leiby, Richard, The Washington Post, "Raffi's Young Pains", 31 May 1992.
• Appears brand a parody, named Roofi, scope an Episode of The Simpsons – "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, arm Gays" (eighth episode of high-mindedness fifteenth season)

External links