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A Brief History of The Animal Band
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The Animal Band concept sprang to life from a simple song that Jim Moore wrote for his children in 1989. The song All Animal Band is the story of five animal friends that form the world’s only all-animal band. The clever lyrics included the line “Willie the squirrel plays lead guitar, Ollie the owl plays bass, Slick the snake doesn’t have any hands, so he beats the drums with his face.” At the time, Moore had no idea that his simple song with a short running time of only one-minute and forty-eight seconds would be the catalyst for a fifteen-year career in the family entertainment industry. Moore began writing additional songs that included themes about safety, literacy, conservation, history, and family life. In 1990 he recruited some of Nashville’s top musicians and formed the act Jim & The Animal Band (later changed to The Animal Band). Moore added the elements of fun audience participation, colorful costumes and unique stage props to the production and began promoting the act to fairs, festivals, performing arts centers, and special corporate events.
Small ideas become big ideas: Since it’s conception in 1990, The Animal Band has performed at venues throughout North America including five consecutive sellout performances at the world renowned Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, TN (totaling over 22,000 seats). The band has been featured in over 2000 newspaper and magazine articles and scores of television appearances including their own PBS TV one-hour special. The Comedy Central Network’s Daily Show featured the band during a sellout performance at Atlanta Symphony Hall in Atlanta, Georgia. The Animal Band teamed up with film producers AGP and Venice Film Merchants in 2003 to produce and launch the band’s first concert film project. The Animal Band – Imagination Dance hit the silver screen on March 10, 2004 and included twelve songs, eye-popping pyrotechnics and state-of-the-art digital animations. It was the first concert film in movie theaters that catered to family audience and offered hilarious audience participation. The cinema event, attended by thousands of kids and adults in several major city markets, was followed by a successful run in the video rental market. KOCH Entertainment, the largest independent distributor of audio/video products in North America distributes the band’s audio and video products to retailers in the USA and Canada. The Animal Band’s recordings include; Are We There Yet? – 1992, Uncaged – 1994, Animal Rock – 1999 (NAMMY AWARD – Children’s Music Recording of the Year), The Animal Band – Imagination Dance (sound track) - 2004. In addition to audio and video products, The Animal Band’s colorful trademark can now be found on children’s apparel (Tees & Tunes), and toys. In 2004, the magical little song about an all-animal band launched another project. The All Animal Band children’s book, authored by Jim Moore and illustrated by Norris Hall, is garnering rave reviews and placed # 30 out of 450 titles at the 23rd Kentucky Book Fair, in Frankfort, Kentucky.
Thousands of educators use The Animal Band’s music in their classrooms and in school skits. In 1995 the band began a series of weekday performances in major city venues that offered elementary schools a unique fieldtrip opportunity. Jim Moore developed an exciting production that included a large cast of characters from history and storybooksmaking appearances on stage and in the isles bringing the lyrics of his songs to life. Over 50,000 students, teachers and parents attended the performances during 1995 -1999. Songs from the band’s recordings have been heard on the radio, television, and used in Public Service Announcements for automobile and bicycle safety campaigns, as well as conservation, literacy, and recycling initiatives. In 1998 a television reporter contacted Jim and informed him that a four-year-old boy had saved his father’s life by dialing the emergency number 9-1-1. During a television interview the little hero told reporters and the television viewing audience that he had learned how to dial for help by listening to his Animal Band CD. The song, written by Jim Moore and Catesby Jones, is featured on the band’s Are We There Yet recording and the DVD The Animal Band – Imagination Dance. In 2004 Jim received the first Media & Entertainment Excellence Award presented by members of Congress for his efforts in educating children through his positive message music.
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