Press

For press inquiries please contact Elizabeth Waldman at Waldmania PR
Phone: 650.386.1941
elizabeth@waldmaniapr.com

Interview and music on The Children's Hour National
Radio & Podcast, February 6, 2021

Listen on Spotify

Katie Stone & Susie

Featured music on several episodes of "A Mom's Retreat" Lynn Lyons, LICSW award-winning Podcast April, 29, 2020

Interview & music on Twinkle Time Live Online August 25, 2020

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Susie and Rock Me Baby Records have been featured in the following:

Parenting Magazine
Fit Pregnancy Magazine

PBS Parents
Child Magazine

The Record

Pregnancy Buyer's Guide
Baby Talk

Working Mother Magazine

ParentLife

Williamsport Sun-Gazette

Mommies with Style

iParenting

Los Angeles Family

Sacramento Bee

abqARTS
City View, Des Moines, Iowa
Georgia Family

Parents-Express.net

Metro Parent Gift Guide
Celebrity Baby Blog

What's Hot for Tots

CBS Television 'Joan of Arcadia' featured Itsy Bitsy Spider

PBS Television featured various videos as interstitials (between shows)

ABQ-KIDS
Winner New Mexico Music Awards 2020 for Best Children's Song, "El Alfabeto"

Performer on the Grammy Winning Album 2000
Stravinsky: The Firebird; The Rite of Spring; Persephone
Michael Tilson Thomas, Conductor
Andreas Neubronner (producer), Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor), the Peninsula Boys Choir, the San Francisco Girl's Chorus & the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra & Chorus

WINNER PARENTS' CHOICE GOLD AWARD 2019 Susie Tallman has teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Peter Farnan and some very tuneful kids to present songs in both English and Spanish. This immersive language lesson album begins with the spirited traditional “Que Llueva (Bring Down the Rain),” followed by the melodic counting-song Merengue of “Los Elefantes.” “Mamá Yo Quiero/Mama Paquita (Mama I Want)” celebrates children’s love of dancing, music-making and papayas; the short and sweet “Me Gusta Tu Cara (I Like Your Face)” explores how to say ears, nose, teeth, mouth, eyes and face in Spanish, and “La Tía Mónica” tells the tale of a “Aunt Monica” who likes to dance. Richie Vallen’s classic “La Bamba” is given an acoustic spin, “El Alfabeto” sings the Spanish alphabet, and “Báte Báte Chocoláte” tells of making the traditional Mole sauce. Tallman is aided by an angelic children’s chorus on a song about “San Severino,” “Canción De Color” sings the names of colors, “Doce Meses” matches the names of all of the months of the year to a lovely, memorable melody, and “Días De La Semana” does the same for the “Days of the Week.” Tallman duets with Michael Romero Jr. on “De Colores” a song about the beauty of “Colors,” and guests, singer Vicente Griego and guitarist Eloy Gonzales present a beautiful example of “Flamenco” music. The album closes with an odd traditional Mexican song about an old rat “Una Rata Vieja,” and the classic celebratory Cuban rhumba by Jose Fernandez Diaz, “Guantanamera.” Prestigio, Susie Tallman. Lahri Bond ©2019 Parents’ Choice

WAWOS is committed to supporting and celebrating children with Cerebral Palsy and related neuromuscular delays through the application of design and technology VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: SUSIE TALLMAN Posted Oct 3, 2019 by Jacquie Robison Celebrating children is something this volunteer knows a lot about. Susie Tallman (Yarbrough), Founder of Rock Me Baby Records, is an accomplished singer whose just-released album, Spanish Songs for Children Learning Spanish is being considered for a Grammy. Susie, her husband and 3 children live in Albuquerque, NM and are active in their community. She added a fun twist to creating capes for WAWOS by hosting a "Sew & Sip Social" with a group of friends to flex their creative, crafting skills. Meet Susie. * * * * * Q. What's your history in the music industry? A. My history in the music industry started when I was in college and thankfully has continued to this day. I was lucky enough to work for A&M Records and A&M Studios in Hollywood while attending UCLA, and my job continued after university. I was able to work in the studio and help start the record company Interscope Records with producer Jimm Iovine. I was fortunate to work on many projects including The Eurythmics, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, Jon Bon Jovi, Tracy Chapman, NIN, Dr. Dre, Ron Sexsmith, Majek Fashek and Tom Jones among others. I worked in production and project management which afforded me the opportunity to work closely with the artists on everything from hiring musicians and renting studio equipment to traveling to Africa to produce a music video. Q. You must have seen some amazing concerts -- what's your favorite memory? A. You're correct, I've seen many amazing concerts! It's really difficult to list one favorite memory, but I have a vivid recollection of being on the side of the stage with Cheap Trick in Boston during a concert. Rocking out to Surrender and watching the crowd at the same time has to be near the top of my list. Q. What led you to decide to launch your label and focus on children? A. I decided to start my label in 1999 when I was holding 2 babies for a photo and they started crying. I was not yet a mother, but as a singer, I decided to do the only thing that felt natural and that was to sing a lullaby. My friends asked me to make a "tape" and since I was working at the Record Label and Studio Q Division in Boston, I was able to record my first CD, Lullaby Themes for Sleepy Dreams. That CD became one of the first items for sale on the website BabyCenter and was very successful. And, Rock My Baby Records was born, so to speak! Children and music have been the greatest sources of joy in my life. My work allows me to combine those joys. More importantly, my work allows me to spread my love of music to others. Exposing children to music at a young age, while their brains are in the critical developmental stage, provides them with immense lifetime benefits. The challenge is to make music that both parents and children will want to listen to, and which also provides an educational benefit. Meeting this challenge is a creative part of my job that I really love. When I get it right and know that I've produced a song that parents will sing along with their children and that will teach their children without their even knowing it, I gain an enormous sense of satisfaction. That is why I do what I do. Q. Keeping with the music theme, if your life were a song, what would the title be? A. If my life were a song, the title would depend on which chapter of my life you're talking about. For now, since I am in a place where I'm busy with music and my three kids, I'd have to steal a title from one of the greats and go with Let It Be. Q. What are your three favorite albums? A. No fair, that's a hard question! My three favorite albums also depend greatly on where I am in life. My favorite children's album is Marlo Thomas' Free to Be You and Me...my favorite rock album would have to be Fleetwood Mac's Rumours...and it's almost impossible to name just one additional album, but another favorite would have to be Temple of Low Men by Crowded House. Q. What song do you hear and absolutely have to dance to? A. Thank you! That's an easy answer: Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling. Q. In the spirit of WAWOS, and recognizing that we're all working on something, what skill would you like to master? A. The ethos of WAWOS definitely rings true in my life and I'm working hard on playing the ukulele! Huge thanks to Susie for being such a passionate ambassador for WAWOS. Follow Susie on Instagram @susietallmanmusic and FB @susietallmanandfriends. You and your family can hear her music on Spotify, Pandora and Amazon music.

ABQ-KIDS 2019 When friends get together, often it’s to share a meal, catch up, watch a game…But when you and your friends are amazingly talented musicians, “getting together” can result in something magical. “Spanish Songs for Children Learning Spanish,” the new album from Susie Tallman and Friends, is magical. From the first song (Que Llueve) to the last (Guantanamera), Tallman has chosen songs representing a variety of Latin cultures and presented them for children in the most authentic ways possible. One of the most authentic songs is a traditional flamenco from Spain featuring flamenco artist Vincente Griego and guitarist Eloy Gonzales. Griego incorporates the sounds of a dancer’s footwork into the song by clapping. “I wanted it to be something kids could use as they practice their [flamenco] dancing,” said Tallman. “Most flamenco songs don’t include the footwork because the singer tells the dancer what to do.” The friends Tallman assembled for this album includes a mariachi band for two recordings, De Coloresand La Cucaracha, and many ABQ kids. From a baby saying the only word she knew, “mama,” to students from Corrales Elementary, Cien Aguas International School, and the New Mexico International School, a lot of kids were involved with this project. “Spanish Songs” has already won two awards, but for Tallman something that makes this, her tenth album, different is that all three of her kids on on the album. “That was a true joy,” she said. “It made it so much more special for me.” It was feedback from her two sons that helped Tallman develop a back-and-forth format, from Spanish to English, for most of the songs. “Originally everything was in all Spanish,” said Tallman, but when she first sang the songs for her second grade boys, “their eyes would kind of glaze over, and they asked what it meant.” But when she started singing part in Spanish, then part in English, “they were really engaged,” said Tallman. With this format kids “feel like they are part [of the story]. It really helps kids understand,” she said. The authenticity of Tallman’s music makes the songs as enjoyable for parents as they are for kids. Winner: The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval Award - Spring 2019 Spanish Songs for Children Learning Spanish Early childhood development specialists tout the importance of exposing young ones to music and teaching language as early as possible. Our testers were delighted to discover Spanish Songs for Children, a really well-conceived and well-produced album. The cover art design is sweet, an artistic image of a donkey in the countryside, rather than something florescent/loud. The songs are catchy, upbeat and unique. The album borrows from sounds across Latin America, and they are not merely retreads of songs we have all heard. A couple of them are mashups of known tunes. A couple of the tunes are fresh versions of classics. They are all arranged well, with a full band of instruments, a strong singer, and numerous children who are wonderful singers in their own right. English is seamlessly interwoven into the songs, so the translations are part of the lyrics. Parents liked that the songs are sung in a normal cadence, not slowed down for Spanish learners. Not only is this fun to listen to with children, but it is a great supplemental educational tool, perfect for kids learning Spanish. While this is geared towards younger children, it is not a collection of baby songs. No one will feel sung down to. The verdict is in: Parents would absolutely recommend it. Recommended Age: 4 to 8 Price: $9.99

SUSIE TALLMAN & FRIENDS IN THE NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY! Come On, Let's Go! DVD & Animal Songs & Stories were featured on the Nashville Public Library blog Bringing Books to Life! on April 22, 2013. Thanks to Emily and Megan in Music City, USA for this great post! "We love rhymes! Our favorite nursery rhyme CD, Susie Tallman’s Classic Nursery Rhymes, has been a huge hit with preschoolers, teachers and parents alike, so we’d like to rave about Susie and her many wonderful CDs and her new DVD Come On Let’s Go! Susie has invited her talented friends from across the world to join her in unique, fun versions of children’s songs that will appeal to everyone…children, teachers, parents and grandparents…really, anyone who wants to shake their tail feathers and enjoy rhymes and music. On Come On Let’s Go! children are featured in all the videos, and there is a relaxed community feel to the whole production. The combination of people and animation is visually appealing on many songs, and the group songs are just so much fun you’ll find yourself smiling throughout. Susie says to keep an eye on PBS for her videos between shows…not surprising…for they are exceptionally high quality. This DVD would be a great addition to any parent or preschool’s collection. Here’s a deeper glimpse from Megan into Susie Tallman’s latest CD, Animal Songs and Stories. An animal CD definitely calls for ‘nature sounds’ and these are realistic and engaging. The theme of this record, as in most all Susie’s recordings, is variety – in musical styles, in vocal guests, and in choices of songs. I truly appreciate the fact that in each of her CDs, Susie uses authentic children’s voices, not the overly coached and uber-trained kids’ voices traditionally heard in television programming. This makes it all the more inviting for the young listener to actively sing along! There are a whopping 32 tracks of songs and stories, but here are a few of my favorites: “Monkeys on the Bed” is a traditional piece that gets a fresh new take with funky rhythmic interjections. “Bought me a Cat” is one of my favorite children’s tunes but rarely included on compilations, so I was delighted to see that Susie included it in this collection. “Tingalayo” was new to me, and added some novel interest and a change of pace from such well-known songs as “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Finally, “Itsy Bitsy Spider” is even more engaging because it’s performed in a variety of musical styles, ranging from jazzy to marching band. I love that a child makes the suggestions for changing it up. In all of Susie Tallman’s efforts, the musical arrangements are crisp; voices are often diverse in age, tone and accents (many of her friends are from Australia) which adds to the dynamics of the recordings, making each CD excellent for repeated listenings. Many of the songs and rhymes are familiar ones that your children already know and will love to sing along with, with plenty of new ones to experience as well. The fanciful cover artwork from paintings by Irene Hardwicke Olivieri is entrancing and evocative as well. Check out the websites for Susie’s recording company Rock Me Baby Records, and find some of her music CDs at the library. We’ll have more soon! They are all highly recommended."

'THE SURPRISING MEANING AND BENEFITS OF NURSERY RHYMES' by Michael Sizer, PBS Parents Whenever you recite "Humpty Dumpty" to your kids, did you know that you might be relating a story about a 450-year-old battle? According to some interpretations, the nursery rhyme tells of the 1648 Siege of Colchester during the English Civil War, when the king's army set up a powerful cannon ("Humpty Dumpty," a mocking term for a fat and clumsy man dating to the Middle Ages) to defend their position, only to see it fall and break to pieces when Parliamentary army forces collapsed the wall beneath it. Royalist troops ("all the king’s horses and all the king's men") could not repair the cannon ("put Humpty Dumpty together again") and eventually lost the battle.

'WHAT'S HOT FOR TOTS' - Lullaby Themes for Sleepy Dreams by AJ It was our special pleasure to meet with singer and recording artist Susie Tallman at the ABC Kids Expo in Los Vegas. This private trade show is the premiere juvenile products event in the US and features the newest innovative products in the industry. Susie, originator of Rock Me Baby Records is an extraordinarily dedicated and talented musician. Rock Me Baby Records is "dedicated to providing authentic, sincere and unique music for children that can easily be enjoyed by adults". She "founded the company in 1999 in order to unite her love for music with her love for the spirit of childhood". Her first CD, Lullaby Themes for Sleepy Dreams is a marvelous lullaby collection featuring Susie's beautiful soprano voice with gentle guitar and piano accompaniment. Her Lullabies for Sleepy Eyes, compelling in its renditions, introduces a variety of instruments in hushed nursery music. Classical Baby is an amazing collection of soothing music with melodies from classical composers. You'll love her Classic Nursery Rhymes, designed to get 2-6 year olds celebrating with 37 tracks of sing-able, upbeat and timeless rhymes. Children's Songs features great lyrics coupled with sounds from a variety of instruments as kids and parents alike "re-discover favorite and uncover beloved forgotten tunes in clever new arrangements". We were delighted to hear how her latest release Let's Go, came about. "Road trips and campfires make up strong childhood memories and they were always accompanied by song. Between my parents, brother and grandparents, we sang all the time." Her park ranger grandfather took families for nature hikes, built campfires and taught his camp favorite songs. "I decided to make this record to encourage the family to get together and sing in the car and hopefully create a soundtrack for vacation." I just can't stop singing along with her contemporary arrangements of Polly Wolly Doodle, Blowin' in the Wind, Oh Susanna and You are My Sunshine, all recorded in Australia and featuring Susie with new and fresh and voices and wonderful instrumentals. I am so impressed with her esteemed musical training, her profound experience in the field and her sincerity and devotion to preserving the heritage of traditional songs and rhymes for kids. Please join me with your kids in celebrating music with Susie Tallman.

CHILDREN'S SONGS, A COLLECTION OF CHILDHOOD FAVORITES Sacramento Bee Review 'Children's Songs' encourages young singers. For sheer joy of singing with the kids, it would be hard to beat "Children's Songs: A Collection of Childhood Favorites" by Susie Tallman and friends (RockMeBaby Records, $13.95, 72 minutes, ages 3 and up). It's one of best I've heard. Tallman's strong, clear voice and her playful arrangements of 38 favorites make magic. The variety of songs and instruments will keep repeated listenings from wearing out adult ears. Best of all for anyone who can't quite remember lyrics, Tallman includes them on liner notes. Among songs Tallman includes are "I've Been Working on the Railroad," "Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar," "Monkeys on the Bed," "La Cucaracha," "Be Kind to Your Web-Footed Friends," "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" and "Kookaburra." Several performers sing with Tallman and accompany her on guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, train whistles, accordion, Wurlitzer, pots and spoons. It's such a hoot that youngsters will eagerly join in to sing these old favorites and make them their own. The CD is available at Goore's on Marconi Avenue; it also can be ordered at bookstores (ISBN: 634 4799 83122).