Skip to main content

Maverick Ad

Home

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Cover Stories
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Legacy Awards
  • Past Covers
  • Weekly Archive
Canadian Kindie-Rocker Russell Sprout Delivers Family Songs with Much-Needed Positive Messaging

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • Canadian Kindie-Rocker Russell Sprout Delivers Family Songs with Much-Needed Positive Messaging
Russell Sprout
Fri Dec 03, 2021
Cashbox Canada

Delivering messages of kindness, caring, community and more, Canadian singer/songwriter Russell Sprout’s new single “We Rise Above” is one for the ages — young and young-at-heart alike.

Check out “We Rise Above” here:

Produced by GRAMMY Award-nominated and JUNO Award recipient Ken Whiteley (Raffi, Fred Penner), the song is freshly picked from Sprout’s new sophomore album; the youth-friendly release stitched with lessons of tolerance and kindness is called Together.

Beginning as a plucking melody with simply beautiful lyrics, and speaking to rising above through the verses, the lovely new kindie ballad sees Sprout churning out a gentle chorus along with a children’s choir of “we rise above!” while asking elsewhere: “Are you kind? Are you fair? Do you help, do you care?”

Rounding out the instrumentation on the track, calming strings, violin and a crescendo-esque percussion builds as the message grows stronger. “Like a bird that flies above the sea, open your wings, be all you can be!” Sprout rolls out the anthem in fantastical fashion, giving promise to another day, month, year of positivity and smiling in the face in whatever obstacles may be presented in front of us. His appeal to keeping the lyrics in line with his audience of youngsters is an endearing representation of the artist.

Sprout (Russell Leon) is a long time teacher of music, a multi-instrumentalist, and accomplished performer in Toronto and has been for more than two decades. A faculty member of University of Toronto’s Jackman Institute of Child Study (OISE) and Humberside Montessori School, Sprout has involved himself in children’s music during the tenure of his career, including having received the “Best Children’s Song” award from Folk Music Ontario.

Sprout is as entertaining in his music as he is in his on-stage persona; an oversized cap, a bee adorning his blue suit jacket. In wide sunglasses and sneakers, he is silly and funny — and capable of getting onto the level of his audience through song and rapport.

“I knew the underlying theme of the record was going to be about kindness, mental and physical health, and events that would have a positive outcome,” Sprout recalls of creating Together. “Even if a cat was chasing a mouse, or there was a barn fire, or if you are in a bad mood, everything was going to work out.”

“We Rise Above” was chosen as the single because “the message is so important,” says Sprout on the notions of kindness, caring, educating, and community. “It was also the song that selected schools that I work with have already adopted as their own. Kids love to sing along, they especially like the actions that go along with it. The music video was shot in a local Toronto music studio and elementary school.”

The album is currently available to be sung along with, note by note, having been posted online at Sprout’s website with the option of reading the professionally notated sheet music. In addition to physical CDs, Sprout has also packaged a vinyl recording of Together featuring a 12-page fully illustrated sheet music booklet included.

For more on Russell Sprout check out these links:
russellsproutmusic.com/
instagram.com/russellsproutkids/
facebook.com/russellsproutmusic
open.spotify.com/artist/3Rzs9jvBOu5WMf5u9c2i9H

Reviews
Album
Russell Sprout
Month: Jan 2022
Victoria Alex Canadian Alt. Pop-Punk Artist Victoria Alex is "Screaming…
Blues Matriarch Dalannah Celebrates Releases Song of Sorrow  with New Single“Blues Keep Knockin’” Blues Matriarch Dalannah Celebrates Releases Song of Sorrow…
AUS!Funkt Electro Post-Punkers AUS!Funkt Get You To Dance with New Single…
Month: Feb 2022
Doug Schmude Orange County Troubadour Doug Schmude Gives a Reason To Believe…
Francine Honey Francine Honey Offers a Solution for Couples Needing to Reconnect…
The Duke Robillard Band The Duke Robillard Band Set to Release New CD, They Called It Rhythm and…
The Manic Boys And Girls Club The Manic Boys And Girls Club’s High-Voltage Distress Call “Blacked Out…
Bryan Bravo Bryan Bravo Invites Audiences to “Feel Lucky” with Release of His New Single
jsin Power-Rock Artist jsin Unleashes High-Voltage New Single, “You Can’t…
Alexis Lynn Artist Alexis Lynn Addresses the Struggle With Addiction in New Single “…
 Jano Alek Montreal-Based Syrian Pop-Rocker Jano Alek Unleashes Powerful…
Bree Whitworth Bree Whitworth Searches for the “Real Thing” in Emotionally Charged New Single…
HOT MONDY Halifax Country Rockers HOT MONDY Raise the Roof on Self-Reflection…
DJ Views Australian Hip Hop Producer DJ VIEWS Taps Technical Wizardry of…
HOROJO Trio Award-Winning Soul-Rockers HOROJO Trio Featuring JW-Jones Release…

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 58
  • Page 59
  • Page 60
  • Page 61
  • Current page 62
  • Page 63
  • Page 64
  • Page 65
  • Page 66
  • …
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

CEO/PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF
SANDY GRAHAM

email:sandygrahamemg@gmail.com 

Canadian Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Don Graham
email: dongrahamwriter@gmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Lisa Hartt
email: lisahartt87@hotmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada 
Michael Williams
email: greydread@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

International Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Malin Osth
email: malin@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Jonas Tancred
email: jonas@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - USA
Rob Durkee 
email: rockster2746@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Web Developer/Technical Support
Chris Wardman

email: info@chriswardman.com
website: chriswardman.com

Cashbox Cover Design and Graphic Artist
Jain McMillan

email: jainmcmillan@gmail.com

Contributing Photographer 
Tracey Savein - South Paw Productions
southpawproductions@rogers.com

 

 

 

Footer menu

  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Archive
  • Issue Archive
  • Past Covers