Biography
A consummate musician whose command of fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and the celebrated “sewerphone” elevated children’s music past the limitations of voice and six strings, Eric Nagler brought an infectious blend of pedagogy and playfulness to every performance.
Having immersed himself in the Greenwich Village folk milieu of the late 1960s, Nagler relocated to Canada and became a founding participant in Mariposa in the Schools, the pioneering collective that introduced live children’s music into public classrooms across the country. During his tenure there he collaborated with Raffi, Sharon, Lois & Bram, Rick & Judy, and numerous other performers and producers; when Sharon, Lois & Bram established Elephant Records, they enlisted Nagler, whose agile fiddle and banjo supplied much of the instrumental variety on the label’s inaugural releases.
That exposure led to his debut solo project, the 1982 album Fiddle Up a Tune, which juxtaposed traditional numbers such as “Barlow Knife” and “Cindy” with 1940s swing pieces like “The Booglie Wooglie Piggy.” Nagler’s growing reputation prompted wider touring throughout Canada and the United States, along with recurring appearances as a guest on Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show.
His sophomore effort, Come on In, appeared on Elephant Records in 1985 and showcased an easygoing yet richly arranged collection of original songs—including “I Don’t Wanna (Have an Iguana)” and “Too Sick for School”—alongside exuberant reinterpretations of folk standards. The album also featured an endearing duet on “Button Up Your Overcoat” between Nagler and his eight-year-old son Christopher; upon its 1996 reissue the recording received a Parent’s Choice Award.
By the late 1980s Nagler’s touring circuit had expanded further, fueled by his playful demeanor and unconventional instruments, among them the “sewerphone,” an apparatus constructed from PVC pipe, a washing-machine agitator, and a tuba mouthpiece. His resourceful approach inspired listeners to participate not only vocally but instrumentally, employing everyday objects such as spoons, keys, and pocket combs.
In 1989 Nagler departed Elephant Records for Rounder Records and issued Improvise with Eric Nagler, another survey of vintage material and new compositions that included “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” and “Dueling Tubas.” Once again he drew upon an expansive instrumental palette, featuring slide whistle, psaltery, and mandolin banjo.
The 1992 MCA release I Can't Sit Down retained the familiar balance of classics and originals yet achieved only modest commercial reach. Nagler reemerged prominently in 1996 with the situation comedy Eric’s World and a companion MCA album of the same title.
Having immersed himself in the Greenwich Village folk milieu of the late 1960s, Nagler relocated to Canada and became a founding participant in Mariposa in the Schools, the pioneering collective that introduced live children’s music into public classrooms across the country. During his tenure there he collaborated with Raffi, Sharon, Lois & Bram, Rick & Judy, and numerous other performers and producers; when Sharon, Lois & Bram established Elephant Records, they enlisted Nagler, whose agile fiddle and banjo supplied much of the instrumental variety on the label’s inaugural releases.
That exposure led to his debut solo project, the 1982 album Fiddle Up a Tune, which juxtaposed traditional numbers such as “Barlow Knife” and “Cindy” with 1940s swing pieces like “The Booglie Wooglie Piggy.” Nagler’s growing reputation prompted wider touring throughout Canada and the United States, along with recurring appearances as a guest on Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show.
His sophomore effort, Come on In, appeared on Elephant Records in 1985 and showcased an easygoing yet richly arranged collection of original songs—including “I Don’t Wanna (Have an Iguana)” and “Too Sick for School”—alongside exuberant reinterpretations of folk standards. The album also featured an endearing duet on “Button Up Your Overcoat” between Nagler and his eight-year-old son Christopher; upon its 1996 reissue the recording received a Parent’s Choice Award.
By the late 1980s Nagler’s touring circuit had expanded further, fueled by his playful demeanor and unconventional instruments, among them the “sewerphone,” an apparatus constructed from PVC pipe, a washing-machine agitator, and a tuba mouthpiece. His resourceful approach inspired listeners to participate not only vocally but instrumentally, employing everyday objects such as spoons, keys, and pocket combs.
In 1989 Nagler departed Elephant Records for Rounder Records and issued Improvise with Eric Nagler, another survey of vintage material and new compositions that included “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” and “Dueling Tubas.” Once again he drew upon an expansive instrumental palette, featuring slide whistle, psaltery, and mandolin banjo.
The 1992 MCA release I Can't Sit Down retained the familiar balance of classics and originals yet achieved only modest commercial reach. Nagler reemerged prominently in 1996 with the situation comedy Eric’s World and a companion MCA album of the same title.
Albums