Joel's Social Media Connection

Check it out -- Joel now has a place on Facebook and MySpace! "Like" him, watch some videos, listen to some songs, make us a Friend!

And you gotta have friends! In fact, check out the website for my friend (and often co-writer) Dave Specter.

Wash Rinse Dry for Hand Hygiene

As part of Children's Memorial Hospital’s Hand Hygiene as a First Defense Against Disease Campaign, Joel teamed up with Danny Wallenberg and the Chicago Children’s Choir to record his original song "Wash Rinse Dry." This video is free to the public so play it for your preschoolers and school-aged kids.

Joel strums, sings in Evanston Fourth of July Parade

Evanston, Illinois’ very own coffee roaster and brewer, Casteel Coffee featured Joel in this year’s Fourth of July Parade.

Seated next to a giant coffee cup, Joel strummed the guitar and sang children’s songs as well as improvised coffee songs. To the tune of Guantanamera, altogether now: “Dark Guatamala…..we’re roasting dark Guatamala…….”

JoJo the Scarecrow released in Spanish!

Juan Dies of Sones de Mexico, has recorded Joel's Jojo the Scarecrow in Spanish. A sampler with fourteen songs, half in English and half in Spanish is now available from Joel and Juan and can be downloaded right here. Songs include: "JoJo's Barnyard Bash/Fiesta en la granja de Jojo," "Hey Horse/Mi Caballo," "I'd be a Bee/Si you fuera una abeja," and "Rabbit's Hopping Habbit/Los conejos saltan lejos." If you are interested in receiving a copy on disc, contact Joel

Click Here to listen

JoJo lyrics in English and Spanish - click here

Joel joins the Old town School in making World History!

More than 1,350 people gathered at Wells Park in Chicago on the hot and sticky evening of August 7, 2007 to make their way into the Guinness Book of World Records for the World's Largest Music Lesson. (The previous record had been set in Switzerland when some 500 plus people gathered for a harmonica lesson.) Joel was on hand with the Old Town staffers to help the crowd with their lesson.

Ship of Chocolate Chips gets a “Parent’s Choice” award!! 

“The Parents' Choice Awards Committees, comprised of moms, dads, teachers, performing artists, librarians, and yes, kids themselves, search out and recommend products that help kids grow - imaginatively, physically, morally and mentally - fairly priced products that are fun, safe and socially sound. Children's media that helps children.” 

That is what they say on their website and Joel is proud to be a recipient of this venerated award.  For more info visit:

Parent's Choice Awards

"Ship of Chocolate Chips!" gets the NAPPA Award!!

Rockin' the Spertus Museum for "Something Else" event

The Spertus Museum hosted a huge event on Christmas Day for those who don't celebrate Christmas. Entitled "Something Else," the museum was host to a lot of great attractions including Joel Frankel

Joel plays at the "Hair Ball"

Joel played to an enthusiastic crowd of children at the One Step at a Time camp for kids with Cancer and Leukemia in Lake Geneva, WI. This wonderful camp provides two weeks of fun and adventure for kids with cancer and this year the "Hair Ball," a fun-filled dance and party, was organized by volunteer and hairdresser, Kelly MacAvoy. Colorful wigs were provided to the children and an original CD with the song "Wig Out at the Hair Ball", (written and recorded by Joel and blues artist, Dave Specter) was given to each participant. The dancing went on late into the night and everyone had a blast!

The Spanish Connection

Joel has been performing several bi-lingual concerts with the Old Town School's Juan Dies, also of Sones de Mexico fame. These concerts took place at the OldTown School of Folk Music for Cinco de Mayo and also at Cedar Park as part of the Chicago Park District's Summer Concert series. Juan has translated the songs from the JoJo the Scarecrow CD which he performs with Joel as well as other favorites in a bilingual show. Joel has recently enlisted percussionist Carlos Cornier of Funkadesi as well his long time rhythm partner, Lenny Marsh.

Singin' in the City

Joel is proud to be included on the Chicago Parents Magazine's compilation CD "Singin' in the City", featuring the best of Chicago's children's recording artists. Joel is joined on the CD by some very talented people including 2004 Grammy Winner Ella Jenkins, Fred Koch, Jim Gill, Justin Roberts, Steve Rashid, Nelson Gill, Susan Salidor and others. It's a great sounding CD, lovingly compiled by the above mentioned Fred Koch, and people have been telling us how much they love it. Order it directly from Crunchy Records by sending a check for $15.00/ppd to our address or you can shop the Chicago Parent website.

Chai Lifeline - A world class organization helping kids on the road to recovery

Joel joins Chaplain Jim Manzardo once a month at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, bringing songs and good cheer to children who are convalescing through the in-hospital television program that is broadcast to their rooms. Each month the music of a particular country is featured as the volunteers, staff and the families as well as the patients enthusiastically join Joel and Jim. They always have a great time. This program is made possible Chai Lifeline, a wonderful organization whose motto is "Fighting Illness With Love" which indeed it does. They do remarkable work for very sick children and are a great organization to support.