Confetti Park Children's Workshop

Tag: beatles

  • Thanksgiving playlists make beautiful music memories for Rich Collins

    Thanksgiving playlists make beautiful music memories for Rich Collins

    Rich Collins
    Rich Collins

    It’s a childhood music memory from Rich Collins, a founder and front man for one of the most popular children’s music groups in the world, the Imagination Movers. Rich also has a burgeoning solo career, with a new album of songs geared toward adults. (Scroll down for music videos!)

    In this music memory, Rich talks about the music he associates with large family gatherings at Thanksgiving:

    “My family up in DC was large and we would all gather for all the major holidays, and the holiday that was at our house every year was Thanksgiving. And we had a very fun family, so basically the way every one of these gatherings ended was with all the tables and chairs being pushed aside, and we would put on records and start dancing.”

    Rich talks about how his father curated the albums that became the basis for Thanksgiving memories: “The soundtrack to my youth, and to these parties, and to these great family memories, was the Beatles, Creedence, and Otis Redding.”

    Today, the tradition lives on for Rich and his family.

    “Every other year here in New Orleans (where I’ve been for 25 years), I host Thanksgiving. And I have a Pandora channel with those three artists on it and I put it on and it’s playing the whole time that I’m gathered with my sisters and my mom and the next generation…”

    Thanks, Rich, for sharing this wonderful family tradition with Confetti Park. Listen to this extended interview with Rich Collins, all about the music of the Imagination Movers. 

  • Music Memory from Randy Guynes

    Music Memory from Randy Guynes

    Photo of Randy Guynes by Barbara Beaird Photography
    Photo of Randy Guynes by Barbara Beaird Photography

    Randy Guynes is a drummer and percussionist from Shreveport, Louisiana. He’s played in bands such as the Killer Bees, the Lightnin’ Bugs, and the Fiddlin’ Tim Trio.

    In this episode of Confetti Park, Randy shares a few music memories from his childhood that show how powerful the influence of song can be. In one example, the great fun he shared with his sister while dancing the Twist was probably the first time he started thinking about playing music himself. “I think somehow it was on from there!” says Randy.

    Songs shaped Randy and spurred him onward, and also created emotional experiences. In one humorous anecdote, Randy recalls how terrifying the new psychedelic  sounds created by the Beatles were to his innocent ears.

    Says Randy: “KEEL played some music at night, during the late night hours, that they didn’t play during the daytime.  I remember hearing for the first time, ‘A Day in the Life,’ by the Beatles. And it just scared me. It was almost like having a nightmare…..I’d never heard anything like that before, in music. It was mind-blowing.”

  • Guitarist David Rosser shares some early childhood musical memories

    Guitarist David Rosser shares some early childhood musical memories

    David Rosser on guitar. Photo by Sally Asher
    David Rosser on guitar. Photo by Sally Asher

    In this episode of Confetti Park, we hear a childhood music memory from David Rosser, a talented guitarist and multi instrumentalist who lives in New Orleans. Dave shares about how his big brother was one of his greatest musical influences—and how they bonded and he learned from listening to records—especially the Beatles!


    Dave has toured the world several times with different musical groups. He also produces, records, and mixes at his studio, Chateau Daveaux. Among those who he has performed and/or recorded with are the Afghan Whigs, the Twilight Singers, Mark Broussard, Ani Di Franco, Gal Holiday, Terry McDermott, Mark Lanegan Band, and the Gutter Twins.

    Lucky for us, Dave Rosser is a featured guitarist on the Confetti Park Players CD, featuring a children’s choir based in Algiers. Check out his work behind Mr. Okra and the kids on “Have You Seen the Okra Man?”