ELLA JENKINS

Recipient of the 2001 Magic Penny Award

	An interview with Ella Jenkins Ella Jenkins' web site

Ella Jenkins was selected as the recipient of The Children’s Music Network’s 2001 Magic Penny Award honoring lifetime achievement in children’s music. The award was presented at the 11th Annual National Gathering at Walker Creek Ranch in Petaluma, CA.

Ella Jenkins has been inspiring children and adults through her performances and recordings for over 40 years. The Wisconsin State Journal named her “the first lady of the children’s folk song.” Now 77, Jenkins still travels and performs unceasingly, presenting concerts, workshops, and seminars around the world.

A legendary figure in children’s music, she has appeared on numerous TV programs, including: Mr. Rogers, Barney, NBC’s Today Show and Sesame Street. Jenkins’ first LP “Call and Response” was released on Folkways Records in 1957. She has released 32 albums to date. Her classic “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song” is the best-selling album in the history of Folkways Records.

Jenkins has received numerous awards and accolades. In 1999 she became the first woman and the first African-American to receive the prestigious ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Children’s Music Network is an international network of teachers, librarians, broadcasters, performers, parents and children formed in 1986 to communicate songs and ideas abut children’s music. The Magic Penny Award is part of The Children’s Music Network’s ongoing effort to celebrate the history of children’s music, and to recognize those who have made notable contributions. Previous recipients include Malvina Reynolds and Marcia Berman.