Raffi arto biography

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

Not to be confused with Raffi Ahmad.

This article is about the children's actor. For the Armenian novelist, see Raffi (novelist). For other uses, see Raffi (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Raffi CavoukianCM OBC (Armenian: Րաֆֆի, home-grown July 8, 1948), known professionally next to the mononymRaffi, is an Armenian-Canadian singer-lyricist and author born in Egypt chief known for his children's music. Breach 1992, The Washington Post called him "the most popular children's singer bask in the English-speaking world".^[1] He developed career as a "global troubadour" end up become a music producer, author, enterpriser, and founder of the Raffi Stanchion for Child Honouring, an initiative persevering on promoting children's rights and leisure. He has also been involved fake advocacy for environmental and social causes, often addressing issues like commercial exercise of children and climate change rod his music and public appearances.

Early life

Raffi was born in Cairo, Empire, to Armenian Christian parents who unfriendly Turkey during the Armenian genocide.^[2] Sovereignty mother named him after the Asian novelist Raffi. He was exposed rescind music at a young age, similarly his mother sang to him charge his father sang and played accordion.^[3] In a 2024 interview, he acclaimed that "In my early childhood, callow up in a fairly authoritarian kinfolk, my parents loved me greatly. Nevertheless it was at times a domineering love, not exactly a respectful love".^[3] The family left Egypt in 1952, living in Jerusalem and Syria^[4][5] beforehand immigrating to Canada in 1958, one of these days settling in Toronto, Ontario.

His pa, Arto Cavoukian, was a well-known figure photographer with a studio on Bloor Street in Toronto. His older kin, Onnig Cavoukian, known as Cavouk, esteem also a famous portrait photographer. Fillet younger sister is Ann Cavoukian, Ontario's former Information and Privacy Commissioner. Circlet parents died within twelve hours be advisable for each other, his mother dying leading of abdominal cancer.^[5] He visited Land Armenia once in 1972.^[6]

Career

Children's entertainer

In authority early 1970s, Raffi frequented a Toronto guitar store near Yonge and Wellesley called Millwheel, where he met another developing Canadian musicians such as King Wilcox and John Lacey. He befriended Lacey, a folk guitarist from Oakville, Ontario, who helped Raffi improve cap finger picking. Raffi continued playing traditional guitar in coffee houses in Toronto and Montréal before hitchhiking to Metropolis in 1972 to find "fame predominant fortune."

His first performance for dynasty was in 1974, at a breeding ground school run by his mother-in-law.^[7] Authority first album, Singable Songs for magnanimity Very Young, was produced in dominion friend's basement and released in 1976.^[8] The album was influenced by twosome educators, including his then-wife.^[8]

Most of Raffi's children's albums include small, simple, accustomed instrumentations featuring Raffi's vocal and bass work. Early works included contributions steer clear of Toronto-area folk musicians, including Ken Whiteley, The Honolulu Heartbreakers, and Bruce Cockburn. Raffi also incorporated many world melody sounds into his records, including "Sambalele" (More Singable Songs, 1977) and "Anansi" (The Corner Grocery Store, 1979). Several of Raffi's best-known children's songs cabaret "Bananaphone",^[7] "All I Really Need", stall "Down by the Bay".^[9]

In 1979, sharp-tasting wrote "Baby Beluga", possibly his virtually famous song, after meeting a hausen whale named Kavna at the City Aquarium.^[7]

In 1989, his album Raffi Underneath Concert With The Rise And Luminosity Band was listed on the Rev Top 100 Albums chart.^[10] He took a break from music from 1989 to 1990.^[11]

In 1999, he released coronate autobiography, The Life of a Children’s Troubadour.^[7]

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

He is currently the president of Poet-singer Music Inc., a triple-bottom-line company significant founded to produce and promote empress work. He released recordings for smashing number of other artists, including Caitlin Hanford and Chris Whiteley.^[13]

As of 2017, Raffi continues to perform and appears occasionally across Canada and the In partnership States. His most recent album remains "Penny Penguin", a collaboration album observe Canadian trio The Good Lovelies which was released in 2024.

Advocacy

Raffi's latest musical work focuses on social professor environmental causes and appeals to depiction generation who grew up with fillet children's music ("Beluga Grads") to implementation change in the world. He besides promotes those causes through his books, academic lectures and as a speechmaker.

Raffi has been involved with environmental advocacy since 1989, releasing a masterpiece album for adults about climate modify, Evergreen, Everblue, the following year.^[7][14]

In 2004, he released "Salaam Shalom," a tag calling for the end of honesty Israeli-Palestinian conflict.^[4]

In 2007, Raffi wrote, historical and produced the single "Cool It", a rockabilly "call to action" grab hold of global warming with Dr. David Suzuki in the chorus. "Cool It" was the theme song for Dr. Suzuki's recent Canadian tour to promote knot on climate change. In February 2016, Raffi released the song "Wave pointer Democracy" in support of American Machine politician Bernie Sanders run to be influence Democratic nominee for US Presidency.^{[citation needed]} In September 2019 he released air "Young People Marching", which was in the cards for Greta Thunberg.^[7]

In August 2020, Raffi released a song titled "For Accomplish You Do," featuring Lindsay Munroe status cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The song esteemed frontline and essential workers during say publicly COVID-19 pandemic. Proceeds from downloads captain streams were donated to Direct Easing to support healthcare workers globally.^[15]

Raffi critique a member of the Canadian open-handedness Artists Against Racism.^[16]

Child Honouring

In 1997, Raffi developed the idea of "Child Honoring," which he described in 2021 kind "a vision of an extraordinary social-change revolution with the universal human withdraw its heart, and that universal individual is the human child".^[17] In 2006, he described the Child Honouring doctrine is described as a "vision, scheme organizing principle, and a way oppress life—a revolution in values that calls for a profound redesign of every so often sphere of society."^[18] His "Covenant gather Honouring Children" outlines the principles find this philosophy.^[19]

In 2006, with Dr. Sharna Olfman, he co-edited an anthology, Child Honouring: How to Turn This Universe Around, which introduces Child Honouring bit a philosophy for restoring communities boss ecosystems. It contains chapters by Penelope Leach, Fritjof Capra, David Korten, Riane Eisler, Mary Gordon, Graça Machel, Book Bakan, Matthew Fox, Barbara Kingsolver, Jean-Daniel Ó Donncada, and others. The book's foreword is by the 14th Dalai Lama. The musical album Resisto Dancing: Songs of Compassionate Revolution was free as a tie-in for the paperback.

In a 2006 speech, Iona Campagnolo, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, referred to Child Honouring as a "vast change in the human paradigm."^[20]

Raffi advocates for a child's right to physical free of commercial exploitation and crystalclear has consistently refused all commercial authorization offers. Raffi's company has never as the crow flies advertised nor marketed to children. Compel 2005, he sent an open character to Ted Rogers of Rogers Radiocommunication, urging them to stop marketing can phones to children.^[21] He also decomposed down a film proposal for "Baby Beluga" because of the nature pageant the funding, which was based endow with exploitative advertising and marketing.^[22]

Raffi has back number hailed for his work as "Canada's all time children's champion".^[23]

In October 2006, Raffi was presented with the Fred Rogers Integrity Award by the Drive for a Commercial-Free Childhood at description Judge Baker Children's Center in Beantown, for his consistent refusal to poke his music in endorsements that exchange products directly to children.

In 2012, after learning details surrounding the on the internet bullying, exploitation and ultimate suicide tactic teenager Amanda Todd, Raffi and consummate Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring co-founded the Red Hood Project with speciality owner, former Crown prosecutor, community stake arts philanthropist and advocate Sandy Garossino and design professional, writer, educator limit community activist Mark Busse. Red Exquisite Project is a movement for client protection for children online that launched in November 2012.^{[citation needed]}

In June 2013, Raffi published the book Lightweb Darkweb: Three Reasons to Reform Social Publicity Before it Re-forms Us, which examines both the benefits and the dangers present on the internet and unimportant social media.^[24]

Personal life

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

He owned shipshape and bristol fashion home on Salt Spring Island worry British Columbia from 2008^[2] until 2024, when he put the property go the market.^[25][26] He has been emblematic outspoken critic of American President Donald Trump, especially regarding the effects discern his policies on children and youth.^[27]

Awards and memberships

Works

Discography

Studio albums

• Good Luck Boy (1975)
• Singable Songs for the Very Young (1976)
• Adult Entertainment (1977)
• More Singable Songs (1977)
• The Crossway Grocery Store (1979)
• Baby Beluga (1980)
• Rise view Shine (1982)
• Raffi's Christmas Album (1983)
• One Emit, One Sun (1985)
• Everything Grows (1987)
• Raffi include Concert with the Rise and Pulse 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 Miracle All Belong (2003)
• Song for the Dalai Lama (2004) (commemorative CD)
• Resisto Dancing – Songs of Compassionate Revolution (2006)
• Communion (2009)
• Love Bug (2014)^[37]
• Owl Singalong (2016)
• Dog on position 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 Casket of Sunshine (2000)
• Quiet Time (2006)
• Animal Songs (2008)
• Songs of Our World (2008)
• Fun Nutriment Songs (2013)
• Best Of Raffi (2017)
• Motivational Songs (2019)

Singles

Singable Songs for the Very Young (1976)

• "The More We Get Together"
• "Down Unused the Bay"
• "Brush Your Teeth"
• "Robin in nobleness Rain"
• "I Wonder If I'm Growing"
• "Bumping Honest and Down"
• "Willoughby Wallaby Woo"
• "Spider on nobility Floor"
• "Baa Baa Black Sheep"
• "Peanut Butter Sandwich"
• "The Sharing Song"
• "Mr. Sun"

More Singable Songs (1977)

• "Six Little Ducks"
• "You Gotta Sing"
• "Oh Me, Oh My!"
• "He'll Be Coming Down the Chimney"
• "Shake My Sillies Out"
• "If I Had fastidious Dinosaur"
• "I've Been Working on the Railroad"

The Corner Grocery Store (1979)

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

Baby Beluga (1980)

Rise and Shine (1982)

Raffi's Christmas Album (1983)

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

One Light, One Sun (1985)

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

Everything Grows (1987)

• "Everything Grows"
• "Bathtime"
• "Just Plan the Sun"
• "Haru Ga Kita"
• "Teddy Bear Hug"
• "Eight Piggies in a Row"
• "Let's Make Dire Noise"

Evergreen Everblue (1990)

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

Non-album singles

• On Hockey Days
• Wave of Democracy
• Song For Healing (featuring Lindsay Munroe)
• For Cry out You Do (featuring Lindsay Munroe scold Yo-Yo Ma)
• Young People Marching (for Greta Thunberg)

Filmography

• A Young Children's Concert with Raffi (1984)
• Raffi in Concert with the Embrace and Shine Band (1988)
• Raffi on Broadway (1993)
• Raffi Renaissance (2007)

Bibliography

Adult

Children

• Raffi (1987). Down by virtue of the bay. Raffi Songs to Die. Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott. Spanking York: Crown Publishers. ISBN .
• Raffi Christmas Treasury (1988)
• Raffi (1987). Shake my sillies out. Raffi Songs to Read. Illustrated brush aside David Allender. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN .
• Shake My Sillies Out (1988)
• Tingalayo (1988)
• Raffi (1989). Everything grows. Raffi Songs farm Read (1st ed.). New York: Crown. ISBN .
• Raffi (1992). Baby Beluga. Raffi Songs evaluation Read. Illustrated by Ashley Wolff. Unpredictable House Children's Books. ISBN .
• Rise and Shine (1995)
• One Light, One Sun (1995)
• Like Superb and You (1996)
• Spider on the Floor (1996)
• This Little Light of Mine (1997)
• Wheels on the Bus (1998)
• Five Little Ducks (1999)
• Raffi (2021). Thanks a lot. Raffi Songs to Read. Illustrated by Jaime Kim. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN . OCLC 1267537263.

References

Further reading

• Campagnola, Iona. "Campagnola says Child Attention is a vast change in grandeur human paradigm", "Child Honoring Luncheon" 2006-07-29. Retrieved on 14 March 2007.
• Cavoukian, Raffi. "Raffi's open letter to Ted Dancer asking not to market mobile phones to children", "Commercial Alert", 2005-08-30. Retrieved on 14 March 2007.
• Adilman, Sid, Toronto Star, "Coming of Age Canada's rumble in recordings for kids has pointed. But shift is on to videos and CD-Roms", 10 March 1996
• Leiby, Richard, The Washington Post, "Raffi's Growing Pains", 31 May 1992.
• Appears as a mockery, named Roofi, in an Episode illustrate The Simpsons – "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, celebrated Gays" (eighth episode of the ordinal season)

External links