The Enchanting Ella Jenkins: Having Fun and Inspiring Your Child's Interest in Music

Aptly crowned “the First Lady of Children’s Music,” Ella Jenkins has enchanted generations of children and adults with her signature call-and-response style of music making. Ella’s legendary magic has been known to get a room full of suited business people on their feet, shaking shakers and singing songs like “Miss Mary Mack” or “Did You Feed My Cow?”

As musician Michele Valeri notes, “Ella’s love for life is a rare and wonderful force. Her commitment to entertaining and educating children comes naturally.”

Ella recently celebrated her 80th birthday, and continues to make and record music, with dozens of her recordings available from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. She won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy, and a new recording, “cELLAbration: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins” won a 2005 Grammy award.

Given her stature in the music industry, one might be surprised to learn that Ella didn’t begin her career as a professional musician. “I love music and I like to make music. That’s the most important thing,” she says. Modesty aside, since she made her first recording for children on the Folkways label in 1956 (released in 1957) Ella has become a skilled baritone ukulele and harmonica player.

In her work, Ella draws on her experiences growing up on the south side of Chicago.
“I was raised with respect for my elders and teachers, which helped me throughout my life.” Her Uncle Flood played the harmonica and was her introduction to music. She remembers sitting on the floor and looking up at him as he’d play old blues records by T. Bone Walker and Memphis Slim on his jukebox. “Uncle Flood worked hard in the steel mill. Music was a nice contrast from all that hard work. That really impressed me,” Ella says.

Gospel music and the sound of tambourines were often heard from the loudspeakers of churches across the street. Ella’s family relocated frequently. Rhythms, rhymes, and games were different in each new neighborhood. While volunteering at a Chicago recreation center Ella began to create songs for children. Through her work, she gained an understanding of children of various backgrounds, and today, at age 80, continues to learn a great deal from children.

“Music can’t be forced on children. The important thing is to expose them to all kinds of music, and see what they are drawn to. Even if parents aren’t musically accomplished, they can introduce their children to a variety of recorded music – classical, light opera, rhythm and blues, folk and children’s music. Parents do have to be selective, but they have a lot of choice,” Ella advises. “Parents’ Choice”, she adds with a wink.

Ella offers some tips for introducing music in a fun and natural way:

• Go to the local public library’s children’s section and check out a few tapes and CDs. Listen to a few and see what your child likes.
• Show your child various kinds of instruments at the local music store. Ella remembers taking children on regular field trips to Frank’s Drum Shop in Chicago, where they discovered a whole range of percussive instruments.
• Explore the tones that your own body can make – clap your hands, stamp your feet, slap your legs and snap your fingers along to your favorite tunes.
• Sing a few simple songs together – hum and sing ones with solid rhythm and lyrics that are easy to remember. Ella’s “You Sing a Song, I’ll Sing a Song” is always a crowd pleaser. Recall and share your favorite songs from your own childhood. “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb” are great places to start. Children’s songs that encourage children to respect themselves are also good choices. Don’t worry if you’re a little off key or if you forget all the words. Your child won’t mind.
• Try a few hand percussive instruments such as hand drums, cow bells, maracas and rhythm sticks (or even dowels and pots and pans!) and explore natural rhythms.
• Take your child to see a concert or two – see what kinds of music your child responds to (but avoid highly amplified concerts - be protective of your child’s eardrums!)
• As a child gets a little older, it may be time to try other musical instruments, but don’t force anything on your child, and remember, music is not about competition or comparison with other children. It should be fun!

Ella’s Legacy for Children’s Music

Many of the artists who make music for children today see Ella Jenkins as their guiding light. Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, producers of “cELLAbration!,” say, “Ella is the master and our mentor. Every artist on the tribute album had a story to tell about how her music has influenced them. Her signature style of using a strong percussion rhythm call and response challenges kids to listen, repeat and put their attention where the sounds are. These skills serve children for a lifetime.”