The Laurie Berkner Band

Laurie Berkner, a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, never set out to achieve major success as a children's entertainer. Growing up in New Jersey, she devoted her early years to a wide range of musical activities, from choir and orchestra participation to roles in musical theater productions. Following her college graduation, Berkner worked as a music counselor at summer camps, where she honed abilities that later shaped her professional path. After performing with several bands, she took on the role of children's music specialist at preschools and day care centers throughout the New York region. In 1997 she issued her first album, Whaddaya Think of That?, and the next year she followed with Buzz Buzz before founding her own imprint, Two Tomatoes Records. With the 1999 arrival of Victor Vito, her guitar-driven singalongs had established themselves as a steady presence in the field, earning numerous awards along with recognition in outlets such as People and U.S. News & World Report and warm approval from both young listeners and their families. The Laurie Berkner Band has produced an array of albums, videos, and books, among them the 2006 release We Are... The Laurie Berkner Band and 2008's Rocketship Run, while Berkner and her fellow performers have also made appearances on the daytime program The View.