Sharon, Lois & Bram

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Sharon, Lois & Bram
SharonLoisBram.jpg
Sharon, Lois & Bram with Elephant in 1994
Background information
Origin Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres Children's music
Instrument(s)Sharon: vocals, guitar, piano, tambourine
Lois: piano, autoharp, vocals
Bram: guitar, banjo, vocals
Years active1978 (1978)–present (present)
LabelsElephant, A&M, Drive Entertainment, Skinnamarink Entertainment, Casablanca Kids Inc., Red Brick Songs.
MembersSharon Hampson
Randi Hampson
Past membersLois Lilienstein
Bramwell "Bram" Morrison
Website www.sharonloisandbram.com
Sharon Hampson
Born
Sharon Trostin

(1943-03-31) March 31, 1943 (age 81)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nationality Canadian
Lois Lilienstein
Born
Lois Ada Goldberg

(1936-07-10)July 10, 1936
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedApril 22, 2015(2015-04-22) (aged 78)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NationalityAmerican
Bramwell "Bram" Morrison
Born (1940-12-18) December 18, 1940 (age 84)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian

Sharon, Lois & Bram (also known as Sharon, Bram & Friends, Sharon & Bram or Sharon & Randi) are a Canadian children's music group founded in Toronto, Ontario, 1978. The group's original lineup consisted of Sharon (née Trostin) Hampson, Lois Ada (née Goldberg) Lilienstein, and Bramwell "Bram" Morrison.

Contents

Group formation

Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein, and Bram Morrison began their singing careers as individuals, and met while performing for the "Mariposa in the Schools" program, a project of the Mariposa Folk Festival. [1] The three performers quickly discovered that they shared a common philosophy about creating quality music for people of all ages.

Hampson studied piano, cello, and guitar as a child [2] and began publicly performing as a folk singer in cafes at 17. [3] Performing as a duo with Michel Choquette, in 1964 the pair released an album with songs in French and English entitled Songs for Children and Other People. [4] She married Joe Hampson of the folk band The Travellers. [5] Lilienstein's father was a piano player, [3] and she began performing at age six. [2] She trained in classical and jazz piano and earned her degree in music literature and piano from the University of Michigan. [6] Morrison attended the University of Toronto, [7] and for four years toured North America backing the folk singer Alan Mills, playing guitar on two of his albums. [2] [8] [9] He taught music in Toronto Public Schools for seven years. [2] [3]

In 1978, with $22,000 [3] borrowed from family and friends, they recorded their first album One Elephant, Deux Éléphants , released by Elephant Records and distributed by A&M. [10] The folk-style album, with its eclectic musical mix, became one of the fastest-selling children's albums ever produced in Canada. [11]

Producer Bill Usher contributed to their singing style. [10] Usher was looking for a more energetic twist to children's music and a shift away from the previous traditional folk style. He sought out songs that drew upon various musical styles, such as rock'n roll, Broadway, and calypso. Sharon, Lois & Bram's appeal crossed a variety of demographics. [12]

Career

During the 1980s, the trio starred in The Elephant Show on CBC. The series was later aired in reruns on the U.S. cable network Nickelodeon, through 1996. Each 30-minute installment featured episode-length storylines, in addition to songs and sketches, featuring the trio alongside a human-sized elephant puppet, and children's entertainer, Eric Nagler. Special guests, which included Louis Del Grande, Jayne Eastwood, Andrea Martin, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Murray McLauchlan, Ann Mortifee, Fred Penner, Jan Rubeš, Sneezy Waters, The Nylons, The Shuffle Demons, and many more, also appeared on each 30-minute episode. A second series, titled Skinnamarink TV , featured a different format and two new puppet characters. The series ran for 52 episodes on the CBC in Canada and The Learning Channel in the United States from 1997 to 1999. [10]

In 1995, the trio was asked by a collective of Western Canada planetariums to produce a "Laser Sharon, Lois & Bram" multi-media presentation, so that children could be introduced at an early age to the Solar System, by way of education through entertainment. Make A Wish with Sharon, Lois & Bram premiered in June 1995 for extended runs in Vancouver's H. R. MacMillan Space Centre and Toronto's McLaughlin Planetarium.[ citation needed ] Also, in 1995, the traditional song, "Old John Braddelum", from their album, One Elephant, Deux Éléphants (1978), appeared in the feature-film Billy Madison , starring Adam Sandler.[ citation needed ]

In 1996, Sharon, Lois & Bram were appointed as spokespersons for UNICEF Canada's 50th Anniversary Year Celebration. [13]

In 2000, following her husband's death, Lilienstein retired from touring with the group, which from that point on often performed as Sharon, Bram & Friends, with "friends" referring to life-size animal puppets. Lilienstein continued to play benefit shows and record with the group. [14] [15] [16] The duo continued to tour and are currently represented by Jeff Andrusyk at JMA Talent. [17]

In 2005, Bram announced that he had been found to have a benign tumor which was causing deafness in one ear. He underwent an experimental procedure to prevent further hearing loss. [18]

On May 4, 2008, Sharon, Lois & Bram reunited on stage at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, for a rare performance featuring all three singers and a viewing of 25 Years of Skinnamarink. [19]

On May 10, 2014, the "Sharon, Lois & Bram Playground" was dedicated at June Rowlands Park in midtown Toronto. The playground naming was originally proposed by Toronto Councillor Josh Matlow. The ceremony was attended by roughly 2,000 people and included a welcome by Matlow, followed by several musical numbers by Sharon, Lois & Bram and short words of congratulations from various key individuals throughout the trio's career. The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of an elephant-shaped park sign. [11]

Lois's death

Lilienstein's grave at Mount Pleasant Cemetery Grave of Lois Ada Lilienstein (1936-2015) at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.jpg
Lilienstein's grave at Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Lois Lilienstein (born Lois Ada Goldberg on July 10, 1936, in Chicago) died on April 22, 2015, aged 78, at her home in Toronto. [20] According to her son David, the cause of death was endometrial cancer. She was buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto. In addition to David, Lilienstein is survived by her granddaughter, Tessa. [21] [22]

Later events

Crowd watching Sharon and Bram on stage at the 2017 Peterborough Folk Festival Sharon and Bram at PFF.jpg
Crowd watching Sharon and Bram on stage at the 2017 Peterborough Folk Festival
Sharon and Bram on stage at the 2017 Peterborough Folk Festival Sharon and Bram at the 2017 Peterborough Folk Festival.jpg
Sharon and Bram on stage at the 2017 Peterborough Folk Festival

Since Lilienstein's death, Hampson and Morrison have continued to perform as Sharon & Bram. In 2018, Sharon & Bram announced a farewell tour. [23] Hampson has continued to perform with her daughter Randi as Sharon & Randi or Sharon, Randi and Friends; Morrison has largely retired from touring, but has continued to contribute as a guest musician on Sharon & Randi recordings. [5]

In May 2019, a children's picture book based on the group's hit song "Skinnamarink" was announced for a September 2019 release. [24]

In April 2020, a Sharon, Lois & Bram YouTube channel launched with Sharon's Great Big Life, a new YouTube series premiering on April 7. The show features Sharon reminiscing about her life on tour, such as filming The Elephant Show and Skinnamarink TV , and each weekly episode will include previously-unseen photos and videos, and a look at Sharon's current life in Toronto. A trailer to promote the web series was released prior to the launch of the show. Season 1 will include eight episodes. [25]

Awards and honours

The group won the Juno Award for Best Children's Album for three of their albums: Smorgasbord (1980), Singing 'n' Swinging (1981), and Skinnamarink TV (2000). These three albums had record sales exceeding 100,000 copies in Canada alone. Three more of their albums achieved the same successful records sales: Mainly Mother Goose , In the Schoolyard , and Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show Record . The group's influence on children's records extended beyond Canada, with their international sales exceeding 2.5 million dollars in 1991. [10]

In 1996, Sharon, Lois, and Bram each received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. [26]

In 2002, the three were made members of the Order of Canada. [14] [15] [16] The Chicago-born Lois was named an Honorary Member of the Order, as a non-Canadian. Video of the ceremony appears on the 25-year anniversary movie 25 Years of Skinnamarink.

In 2002, all three received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. [27] [28] [29]

In October 2009, the trio received the Estelle Klein Award from the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF) for their significant contributions to Ontario's folk music community. The event weekend included a short video presentation of their life's work and an interview by Richard Flohil. [30]

In 2012, all three received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. [31] [32] [33]

Television awards

The Elephant Show

Candles, Snow & Mistletoe

Discography

Filmography

Related Research Articles

<i>Skinnamarink TV</i> 1997 multi-national TV series or program

Skinnamarink TV is a children's television show created by Richard Mortimer. The series originally aired on CBC Television in Canada, and in the United States on The Learning Channel's programming block Ready Set Learn!. It was created by Lynn Harvey and Richard Mortimer for Skinnamarink Entertainment in association with Craftsman & Scribes Creative Workshop, The Learning Channel, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

"Skidamarink" or "Skinnamarink" is a popular child's sing-along song from North America. Originally titled "Skid-dy-mer-rink-adink-aboomp" or "Skiddy-Mer-Rink-A-Doo", the initial version of the song was written by Felix F. Feist (lyrics) and Al Piantadosi (music) for the 1910 Charles Dillingham Broadway production: The Echo. Since the title is gibberish, it has had various spellings over the years. The song typically incorporates various simple hand gestures and movements, such as touching the nose and heart or making circles with the arms. Repetitive motions such as these have been used to develop motor skills and encourage physical activity in young children. Multiple organizations have declared October 8, "Skinnamarink Day".

<i>One Elephant, Deux Éléphants</i> 1978 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

One Elephant, Deux Éléphants is the first album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1978. Throughout their career, the album has been re-released many times under various titles. The song "One Elephant, Deux Éléphants" became the opening theme to their popular children's television show, The Elephant Show, which ran for five seasons. This was also the first time that Sharon, Lois, and Bram covered "Skinnamarink", which became the group's signature song and was performed at the end of every episode of The Elephant Show and Skinnamarink TV.

<i>Sharon, Lois & Brams Elephant Show Record</i> 1986 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show Record is the seventh album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1986. The album features songs from Seasons 1 and 2 what would become their hit TV series "Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show".

<i>Sing A to Z</i> 1990 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Sing A to Z is the tenth album by children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1990.

<i>Great Big Hits</i> 1992 greatest hits album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Great Big Hits is the 11th album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1992. The album features 31 favorite Sharon, Lois & Bram songs, most released on previous albums, although the trio did re-recorded several songs especially for this album to give them more of a "Sharon, Lois & Bram sound".

<i>Kidbits</i> 1992 compilation album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Kidbits is a mini-album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1992. The album was released to promote their other 1992 album, Great Big Hits. The album featured eleven of Sharon, Lois & Brams previously recorded songs. The first song, Skinnamarink Introduction features the 1986 version of Skinnamarink with a voice-over introduction by Sharon, Lois & Bram.

Kidbits was only released on cassette. The inside foldout contains information about Great Big Hits and their 1992 video titled Sharon, Lois & Bram: Sing A to Z. It also features a clip-out coupon.

<i>Candles, Snow & Mistletoe</i> 1993 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Candles, Snow & Mistletoe is the 13th album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1993. This holiday album is one of Sharon, Lois & Bram's biggest productions and recordings they worked on during their career. The album is produced by Glen Roven, an Emmy-Award winning producer who has worked with Liza Minnelli. Lyrics were written by Mark Saltzman who also worked with Sesame Street. This album, unlike previous Sharon, Lois & Bram albums, has a Broadway sound to the album. It featured a complete orchestra and was recorded using the same microphones as The Manhattan Transfer.

<i>Club-E Collection</i> 1994 compilation album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Club-E Collection is a mini-album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1994. The album features eight of Sharon, Lois & Bram's previously recorded songs. It was produced to promote their holiday concert tour, All the Holiday Fun You Can Sing! which began shortly after the trio's run on Broadway.

Club-E Collection was only released on cassette. The inside foldout contains information about Candles, Snow & Mistletoe and their 1995 CD-ROM game titled CyberBoogie! It also features tour dates for the concert tour, as well as a small clip-out mini poster promoting the tour.

In 1995, Club-E Collection was picked up by Gap Kids and sold in Gap Kids stores across North America. The album featured the same eight songs as the original release, but the songs were rearranged on the album. The inside foldout did not promote their holiday tour.

<i>Sing Around the Campfire</i> 1995 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Sing Around the Campfire is the 16th album by children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1995. This album is a collection of songs for round the campfire. This is the third official compilation from the Sharon, Lois & Bram collection. Not only is Sing Around the Campfire an album, but it is also a 50-minute home video under the same name.

<i>Sharon, Lois & Bram Sampler</i> 1995 compilation album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Sharon, Lois & Bram Sampler is a mini-album/compilation by Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1995 under the American Drive Entertainment Inc. label. It is available only on cassette and is extremely hard to find. It was released to promote the release of their 1995, one-and-only CD-ROM game, CyberBoogie!.

<i>Kid Bits Vol. 1, 2 & 3</i> 1995 compilation album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

The Kid Bits collection is a composed of three mini-album/compilation cassettes released by Sharon, Lois & Bram in 1995 under the American Drive Entertainment Inc. label. They are available only on cassette and are some of the harder-to-find 'Sharon, Lois & Bram' cassettes. Each cassette features between thirteen and fourteen Sharon, Lois & Bram songs that were previously released on some of the trio's past albums.

<i>Car Tunes</i> 1989 compilation album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

The Sharon, Lois & Bram Car Tunes collection is a set of mini-cassette recordings released by the Canadian children's music trio Sharon, Lois & Bram in 1989 and 1990; some were re-released in 1995. It is the largest collection of music in the trio's repertoire. The collection consists of "mid-price[d] mini-tapes for children and their families." It contains a total of eight cassettes released under their own Elephant Records label. Each cassette contains between ten and twenty songs, all from previous Sharon, Lois & Bram albums. Each cassette has a central theme.

<i>Wild About Animals</i> 1997 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Wild About Animals is the 18th album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1997. It featured the trio's very best songs about animals and is available on cassette and CD. This album was only released on the trio's own Elephant Records, after the trio dropped their previous U.S. distributor, Drive Entertainment. Hence, this product was only available in Canada. It was dubbed the trio's "musical tribute to fur, feathers, feelers and fins".

<i>Friends Forever</i> (Sharon, Lois & Bram album) 1998 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Friends Forever is the 19th album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in April 1998. Hitting the shelves just in time for Easter, Friends Forever was the first of the trio's albums to be released under their new Skinnamarink Entertainment group featuring songs from a few select episodes from the first season of their hit-television series "Skinnamarink TV" which aired on CBC in Canada and The Learning Channel in the United States during the Ready Set Learn! block on weekday mornings.

As one of the most prominent Canadian children's music acts, the Sharon, Lois & Bram and Sharon, Bram & Friends discographies are quite extensive.

<i>The Elephant Show</i> Canadian television show airing from 1984 to 1989

The Elephant Show is a Canadian preschool television show. It premiered on CBC on October 8, 1984, and ended on February 26, 1989, after 65 episodes over five seasons.

Eric Nagler is an American musician and television personality known primarily for his work on Canadian children's television series such as The Elephant Show and Eric's World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Lovelace</span> American singer-songwriter

Josh Lovelace is a singer, songwriter and musician best known as the keyboardist for the rock band Needtobreathe. In 2017, he made his solo debut with his family-album Young Folk. In 2024, he released his first non-children's solo record Shelters.

References

  1. ↑ "Jason Ankeny. Artist Direct "Sharon, Lois & Bram"". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Zola, Melanie (April 21, 1983). "Our very own pied pipers". The Province. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, Alison (February 17, 1991). "No one sits still when Sharon, Lois, and Bram play". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  4. ↑ "For Children". The Standard. November 21, 1964. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Ellin Bessner, "Sharon, Lois and Bram’s legacy lives on—with a family act for a new generation of elephant-counting fans". Canadian Jewish News , May 12, 2022.
  6. ↑ Weber, Bruce (April 25, 2015). "Lois Lilienstein shined on songs, show for children". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Six folk singers will star in Mishipeshu Tenanny". The Sault Star. September 3, 1965. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  8. ↑ Robins, Wayne (February 16, 1986). "In tune with kids". Newsday. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  9. ↑ Aldrich, Michael (April 18, 1988). "Canadian trio breezes into US". The Daily Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Sharon, Lois & Bram". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  11. 1 2 Patch, Nick. "Playing in the park with Sharon, Lois and Bram". Toronto Star, May 13, 2016. page E7.
  12. ↑ Posen, Sheldon (1993). "The Beginnings of the Children's (Folk) Music Industry In Canada: An Overview". Canadian Journal for Traditional Music .
  13. ↑ "Sharon, Lois & Bram. DestinyWeb, "Sharon, Lois & Bram UNICEF Spokespersons"". October 7, 1997. Archived from the original on October 7, 1997. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  14. 1 2 "The Governor General of Canada> Find a Recipient - Hampson". Gg.ca. May 1, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  15. 1 2 "The Governor General of Canada > Find a Recipient - Lilienstein". Gg.ca. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  16. 1 2 "The Governor General of Canada> Find a Recipient - Morrison". Gg.ca. May 1, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Sharon & Bram". JMA Talent. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Child entertainer sings praises of new hearing aid treatment". cbc.ca. June 30, 2005. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  19. ↑ Anklewicz, Larry. "TJFF Programme" (PDF). Toronto Jewish Film Festival. TJFF. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  20. ↑ Weber, Bruce (April 23, 2015). "Lois Lilienstein, of the Children's Trio Sharon, Lois & Bram, Dies at 78". The New York Times. No. Print/Online. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  21. ↑ Colker, David (April 24, 2015). "Lois Lilienstein dies at 78; sang in Sharon, Lois & Bram trio". Los Angeles Times.
  22. ↑ "Lois Lilienstein, of Canadian children's trio Sharon, Lois & Bram, dead at 78". CBC News. April 23, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  23. ↑ Wong, Jessica (September 30, 2018). "They had such enormous fun: Sharon & Bram bid farewell with final tour". CBC News.
  24. ↑ "Sharon, Lois, and Bram's Skinnamarink by Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein & Bram Morrison with Randi Hampson; illustrated by Qin Leng". Kirkus. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Sharon, Lois & Bram". YouTube. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Our honorary degree recipients". Msvu.ca. July 7, 2015. Archived from the original on April 20, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  27. ↑ "The Governor General of Canada> Find a Recipient - Hampson". Gg.ca. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  28. ↑ "The Governor General of Canada > Find a Recipient - Lilienstein". Gg.ca. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  29. ↑ "The Governor General of Canada> Find a Recipient - Morrison". Gg.ca. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Award description and official website". Ocff.ca. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  31. ↑ "The Governor General of Canada> Find a Recipient - Hampson". Gg.ca. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  32. ↑ "The Governor General of Canada> Find a Recipient - Lilienstein". Gg.ca. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  33. ↑ "The Governor General of Canada > Find a Recipient - Morrison". Gg.ca. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
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