Red Grammer

Red Grammer ranks among the most admired figures in children's music, having sustained a lengthy presence before both adult and young listeners. Taking Glenn Yarborough's place in the Limeliters, he met and exceeded expectations in that position. His songs have achieved classic standing, and his encouraging, inspiring releases often fill classrooms throughout the United States.

Born in 1952 in Orange, New Jersey, he grew up in the nearby town of Little Silver, New Jersey. From childhood he enjoyed singing and decided to study music at Beloit College. Johnny Mathis ranked among his influences, and Grammer's clear, powerful tenor recalls Mathis in his early years. That likeness probably attracted the Limeliters' notice and led to his selection as Yarborough's replacement in 1981. He continued touring with the group until 1988.

Nevertheless, his deep religious convictions and concern for children led him to channel part of his creative work into recordings for young audiences. In 1983 he issued Can You Sound Just Like Me? on his own Red Note label, a set of participation songs aimed at preschoolers. Three years afterward came Teaching Peace, written for older children. Though it drew on an array of styles from rap to waltz, the lyrics remained plain and sincere. Tracks such as "I Think You're Wonderful" and "See Me Beautiful" ("See me beautiful, look for the best in me, that's all I really am, that's all I want to be") moved families everywhere and won immediate favor among teachers seeking to offset violence in the media. Although Teaching Peace eventually received a Parent's Choice Classic Award, the children's music community found it surprising that the album earned no honors in its release year. The record remains one of Grammer's strongest.

Five years later he introduced Down the Do Re Mi, again meeting preschool needs with pieces like "Me and the Morning" and "The ABC's of You." Recognition arrived promptly: Pulse Magazine chose the album as Best Children's Recording of the Year. In 1993 Grammer released Red Grammer's Favorite Sing Along Songs for preschoolers and Free Falling for adult listeners.

Two years afterward he turned again to older children with another success, Hello World. His songwriting skill, and that of his wife Kathy Grammer, appeared in every lyric. From "We're All In This Together" (portraying the world as an interdependent body — "Sally's a kneecap, Johnnie's a toe, we're all in this together") to "We're Rich" (celebrating the wealth of human experience rather than material goods), each song expressed Grammer's firm trust in human nature.