Fun Freetime: Red Yarn's Backyard

 

Award-winning recording artist Red Yarn just launched a new series of videos for at-home learning and fun: “Red Yarn’s Backyard.” New episodes of the musical YouTube series will post every other week, and each one will feature songs, stories or activity ideas from Red Yarn, Miss Jessie and all the puppet critters from Red Yarn’s live show.

“Red Yarn’s Backyard” welcomes audiences to an inclusive space where they can sing, dance, and learn along. Over the first few episodes of the series, Red Yarn and his critters will touch on social-emotional and cultural issues like inclusion, cooperation, body autonomy, and the multicultural roots of popular folk songs.   Red Yarn’s most recent album is Backyard Bop, a rockabilly celebration of family life and nature. The album won a 2020 National Parenting Publications (NAPPA) Award, and critical acclaim. New York Family says it is “the perfect soundtrack to joyful family dance parties and summertime play,” and The Toy Insider recommends the songs as “perfect for the world we’re living in right now.” NAPPA Awards music critic Mike Berick noted the “heartfelt and handcrafted” nature of Red Yarn’s original songwriting, and calls Backyard Bop “an exuberant, uplifting album for these unsettled times (or any time at all, for that matter)."  The album is now available on CD, digital, and even a limited edition vinyl record!

Red Yarn (aka Andy Furgeson) is an Austin-born, Portland-based family folksinger and puppeteer. Since creating Red Yarn in 2011, Furgeson has established himself as a unique voice in the Portland and national kindie scenes. His previous five albums have received rave reviews, national awards and radio play. Red Yarn’s performance credits include Austin City Limits Festival, SXSW, Pickathon, Pilgrimage Music Fest, Stagecoach Country Music Fest, Symphony Space and Wolf Trap. Red Yarn, his wife and singing partner Miss Jessie, and their critter pals celebrated the release of Backyard Bop with a virtual live-streamed family concert on August 7th. This fall, Red Yarn will continue hosting concerts on Facebook Live on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week. Visit www.redyarnproductions for the latest updates, music and videos, and follow Red Yarn on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.