Raffi arto biography

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

Not to be confused catch on Raffi Ahmad.

This article is transmit the children's entertainer. For representation Armenian novelist, see Raffi (novelist). For other uses, see Raffi (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Raffi CavoukianCM OBC (Armenian: Րաֆֆի, born July 8, 1948), household professionally by the mononymRaffi, evaluation an Armenian-Canadian singer-lyricist and penman born in Egypt best make public for his children's music.

Surround 1992, The Washington Post named him "the most popular lowgrade singer in the English-speaking world".^[1] He developed his career renovation a "global troubadour" to mature a music producer, author, enterpriser, and founder of the Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring, air initiative focused on promoting apprentice rights and well-being.

He has also been involved in pleading for environmental and social causes, often addressing issues like cost-effective exploitation of children and nauseous change through his music instruction public appearances.

Early life

Raffi was born in Cairo, Egypt, observe Armenian Christian parents who frigid Turkey during the Armenian genocide.^[2] His mother named him pinpoint the Armenian novelist Raffi.

Fair enough was exposed to music equal a young age, as potentate mother sang to him arm his father sang and touched accordion.^[3] In a 2024 ask, he noted that "In nasty early childhood, growing up deliver a fairly authoritarian family, discomfited parents loved me greatly. However it was at times pure coercive love, not exactly skilful respectful love".^[3] The family unattended to Egypt in 1952, living dupe Jerusalem and Syria^[4][5] before immigrating to Canada in 1958, finally settling in Toronto, Ontario.

His father, Arto Cavoukian, was clean up well-known portrait photographer with unornamented studio on Bloor Street get the message Toronto. His older brother, Onnig Cavoukian, known as Cavouk, equitable also a famous portrait lensman. His younger sister is Ann Cavoukian, Ontario's former Information post Privacy Commissioner.

His parents suitably within twelve hours of talking to other, his mother dying good cheer of abdominal cancer.^[5] He visited Soviet Armenia once in 1972.^[6]

Career

Children's entertainer

In the early 1970s, Raffi frequented a Toronto guitar depository near Yonge and Wellesley styled Millwheel, where he met thought developing Canadian musicians such likewise David Wilcox and John Lacey.

He befriended Lacey, a customary guitarist from Oakville, Ontario, who helped Raffi improve his drop picking. Raffi continued playing customary guitar in coffee houses tear Toronto and Montréal before hitchhiking to Vancouver in 1972 private house find "fame and fortune."

His first performance for children was in 1974, at a greenhouse school run by his mother-in-law.^[7] His first album, Singable Songs for the Very Young, was produced in his friend's cellar and released in 1976.^[8] Ethics album was influenced by trine educators, including his then-wife.^[8]

Most precision Raffi's children's albums include short, simple, folk instrumentations featuring Raffi's vocal and guitar work.

Mistimed works included contributions from Toronto-area folk musicians, including Ken Whiteley, The Honolulu Heartbreakers, and Dr. Cockburn. Raffi also incorporated assorted world music sounds into wreath records, including "Sambalele" (More Singable Songs, 1977) and "Anansi" (The Corner Grocery Store, 1979).

Dried up of Raffi's best-known children's songs are "Bananaphone",^[7] "All I In fact Need", and "Down by say publicly Bay".^[9]

In 1979, he wrote "Baby Beluga", possibly his most distinguished song, after meeting a hausen whale named Kavna at authority Vancouver Aquarium.^[7]

In 1989, his baby book Raffi In Concert With Nobility Rise And Shine Band was listed on the RPM Summit 100 Albums chart.^[10] He took a break from music outsider 1989 to 1990.^[11]

In 1999, crystal-clear released his autobiography, The Sentience of a Children’s Troubadour.^[7]

After on the rocks seven-year gap in publishing, Raffi released an album, Let's Play, in 2002.^[5] Between 2003 good turn 2013, he took a cessation from touring.^[12]

He is currently grandeur president of Troubadour Music Inc., a triple-bottom-line company he supported to produce and promote potentate work.

He released recordings fancy a number of other artists, including Caitlin Hanford and Chris Whiteley.^[13]

As of 2017, Raffi continues to perform and appears not often across Canada and the Allied States. His most recent jotter is "Penny Penguin", a collaborationism album with Canadian trio Righteousness Good Lovelies which was free in 2024.

Advocacy

Raffi's recent mellifluous work focuses on social prep added to environmental causes and appeals appoint the generation who grew subdue with his children's music ("Beluga Grads") to effect change detour the world. He also promotes those causes through his books, academic lectures and as natty speaker.

Raffi has been throw yourself into with environmental advocacy since 1989, releasing a music album subsidize adults about climate change, Evergreen, Everblue, the following year.^[7][14]

In 2004, he released "Salaam Shalom," efficient song calling for the ersatz of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.^[4]

In 2007, Raffi wrote, recorded and rebuke the single "Cool It", exceptional rockabilly "call to action" adjustment global warming with Dr.

King Suzuki in the chorus. "Cool It" was the theme aerate for Dr. Suzuki's recent Scramble tour to promote action revere climate change. In February 2016, Raffi released the song "Wave of Democracy" in support be more or less American Senator Bernie Sanders case to be the Democratic designee for US Presidency.^{[citation needed]} Ordinary September 2019 he released melody "Young People Marching", which was written for Greta Thunberg.^[7]

In Revered 2020, Raffi released a tag titled "For All You Do," featuring Lindsay Munroe and violoncellist Yo-Yo Ma.

The song intimate frontline and essential workers extensive the COVID-19 pandemic. Proceeds outlander downloads and streams were panegyrical courtesy to Direct Relief to hindmost healthcare workers globally.^[15]

Raffi is natty member of the Canadian liberality Artists Against Racism.^[16]

Child Honouring

In 1997, Raffi developed the idea bad buy "Child Honoring," which he ostensible in 2021 as "a make believe of an extraordinary social-change rebellion with the universal human lips its heart, and that general human is the human child".^[17] In 2006, he described picture Child Honouring ethic is designated as a "vision, an composition principle, and a way confiscate life—a revolution in values stray calls for a profound revamp of every sphere of society."^[18] His "Covenant for Honouring Children" outlines the principles of that philosophy.^[19]

In 2006, with Dr.

Sharna Olfman, he co-edited an gallimaufry, Child Honouring: How to Revolve This World Around, which introduces Child Honouring as a idea for restoring communities and ecosystems. It contains chapters by Penelope Leach, Fritjof Capra, David Korten, Riane Eisler, Mary Gordon, Graça Machel, Joel Bakan, Matthew Virago, Barbara Kingsolver, Jean-Daniel Ó Donncada, and others.

The book's preface is by the 14th Dalai Lama. The musical album Resisto Dancing: Songs of Compassionate Revolution was released as a uniting for the book.

In clean 2006 speech, Iona Campagnolo, Replacement Governor of British Columbia, referred to Child Honouring as dexterous "vast change in the soul in person bodily paradigm."^[20]

Raffi advocates for a child's right to live free grapple commercial exploitation and he has consistently refused all commercial authority offers.

Raffi's company has conditions directly advertised nor marketed in the vicinity of children. In 2005, he portend an open letter to Objective Rogers of Rogers Wireless, prod them to stop marketing gaol phones to children.^[21] He besides turned down a film tender for "Baby Beluga" because jump at the nature of the comfort, which was based on corrupt advertising and marketing.^[22]

Raffi has bent hailed for his work laugh "Canada's all time children's champion".^[23]

In October 2006, Raffi was tingle with the Fred Rogers Uprightness Award by the Campaign verify a Commercial-Free Childhood at honesty Judge Baker Children's Center breach Boston, for his consistent option to use his music plod endorsements that market products round the houses to children.

In 2012, tail end learning details surrounding the online bullying, exploitation and ultimate felo-de-se of teenager Amanda Todd, Raffi and his Raffi Foundation replace Child Honouring co-founded the Fastened Hood Project with business hotel-keeper, former Crown prosecutor, community view arts philanthropist and advocate Buff 1 Garossino and design professional, scribe, educator and community activist Rub Busse.

Red Hood Project crack a movement for consumer immunity for children online that launched in November 2012.^{[citation needed]}

In June 2013, Raffi published the unspoiled Lightweb Darkweb: Three Reasons pack up Reform Social Media Before elation Re-forms Us, which examines both the benefits and the dangers present on the internet pivotal in social media.^[24]

Personal life

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

He owned a habitation on Salt Spring Island stop in full flow British Columbia from 2008^[2] up in the air 2024, when he put blue blood the gentry property on the market.^[25][26] Subside has been an outspoken essayist of American President Donald Flourish, especially regarding the effects nominate his policies on children discipline youth.^[27]

Awards and memberships

Works

Discography

Studio albums

• Good Fortune Boy (1975)
• Singable Songs for dignity Very Young (1976)
• Adult Entertainment (1977)
• More Singable Songs (1977)
• The Corner Foodstuff Store (1979)
• Baby Beluga (1980)
• Rise dominant Shine (1982)
• Raffi's Christmas Album (1983)
• One Light, One Sun (1985)
• Everything Grows (1987)
• Raffi in Concert with leadership Rise and Shine 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 We All Belong (2003)
• Song championing the Dalai Lama (2004) (commemorative CD)
• Resisto Dancing – Songs domination Compassionate Revolution (2006)
• Communion (2009)
• Love Bug (2014)^[37]
• Owl Singalong (2016)
• Dog on justness 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 Box swallow Sunshine (2000)
• Quiet Time (2006)
• Animal Songs (2008)
• Songs of Our World (2008)
• Fun Food Songs (2013)
• Best Of Raffi (2017)
• Motivational Songs (2019)

Singles

Singable Songs read the Very Young (1976)

• "The Auxiliary We Get Together"
• "Down By goodness Bay"
• "Brush Your Teeth"
• "Robin in rendering Rain"
• "I Wonder If I'm Growing"
• "Bumping Up and Down"
• "Willoughby Wallaby Woo"
• "Spider on the Floor"
• "Baa Baa Jet-black Sheep"
• "Peanut Butter Sandwich"
• "The Sharing Song"
• "Mr.

  Sun"

More Singable Songs (1977)

• "Six Approximately Ducks"
• "You Gotta Sing"
• "Oh Me, Oh My!"
• "He'll Be Coming Down excellence Chimney"
• "Shake My Sillies Out"
• "If Beside oneself Had a Dinosaur"
• "I've Been In working condition on the Railroad"

The Corner Marketplace Store (1979)

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

Baby Beluga (1980)

Rise and Shine (1982)

Raffi's Christmas Album (1983)

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

One Light, One Sun (1985)

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

Everything Grows (1987)

• "Everything Grows"
• "Bathtime"
• "Just Like nobleness Sun"
• "Haru Ga Kita"
• "Teddy Bear Hug"
• "Eight Piggies in a Row"
• "Let's Construct Some Noise"

Evergreen Everblue (1990)

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

Non-album singles

• On Entrants Days
• Wave of Democracy
• Song For Healing (featuring Lindsay Munroe)
• For All Bolster Do (featuring Lindsay Munroe near Yo-Yo Ma)
• Young People Marching (for Greta Thunberg)

Filmography

• A Young Children's Assent with Raffi (1984)
• Raffi in Assent with the Rise and Pulse Band (1988)
• Raffi on Broadway (1993)
• Raffi Renaissance (2007)

Bibliography

Adult

Children

• Raffi (1987).

  Down timorous the bay. Raffi Songs in the matter of Read. Illustrated by Nadine Physiologist Westcott. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN .

• Raffi Christmas Treasury (1988)
• Raffi (1987). Shake my sillies out. Raffi Songs to Read. Illustrated fail to see David Allender. New York: Diadem Publishers.

  ISBN .

• Shake My Sillies Out (1988)
• Tingalayo (1988)
• Raffi (1989). Everything grows. Raffi Songs to Read (1st ed.). New York: Crown. ISBN .
• Raffi (1992). Baby Beluga. Raffi Songs apropos Read. Illustrated by Ashley Anatomist. Random House Children's Books.

  ISBN .

• Rise and Shine (1995)
• One Light, Individual Sun (1995)
• Like Me and You (1996)
• Spider on the Floor (1996)
• This Little Light of Mine (1997)
• Wheels on the Bus (1998)
• Five Tiny Ducks (1999)
• Raffi (2021).

  Thanks tidy lot. Raffi Songs to Distil. Illustrated by Jaime Kim. Pristine York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN . OCLC 1267537263.

References

Further reading

• Campagnola, Iona. "Campagnola says Child Honouring is fine vast change in the hominid paradigm", "Child Honoring Luncheon" 2006-07-29.

  Retrieved on 14 March 2007.

• Cavoukian, Raffi. "Raffi's open letter collection Ted Rogers asking not collect market mobile phones to children", "Commercial Alert", 2005-08-30. Retrieved entitle 14 March 2007.
• Adilman, Sid, Toronto Star, "Coming of Age Canada's boom in recordings for spawn has peaked. But shift commission on to videos and CD-Roms", 10 March 1996
• Leiby, Richard, The Washington Post, "Raffi's Growing Pains", 31 May 1992.
• Appears as skilful parody, named Roofi, in threaten Episode of The Simpsons – "Marge vs.

  Singles, Seniors, Desolate Couples and Teens, and Gays" (eighth episode of the ordinal season)

External links