One of the select group of live artists to be featured on the Disney label, Craig Taubman made an splash on the kid's market with several albums in the early 90s. The pop-oriented albums for young children were well received, and Taubman's band, Craig 'N Company, became a mainstay on the kid's pop concert circuit. But then Taubman "returned to his roots" and began to make albums closer to his heart. The resulting works, upbeat lessons about Jewish history and culture for kids, hit closer to the hearts of many in Taubman's audience as well, and garnered multiple awards. Born in Tennessee in 1958, Taubman came from a musical family. His brother Gene, and his sister, Caren, were also musicians; in fact, Caren (Glasser) had her own kids' music career in the '80s with Kid Rhino. The family moved to California in the '60s, and Taubman attended Los Angeles Hebrew High School. While there, Taubman created his first album, a religious outreach record for teens. Taubman went on to study at UCLA and Hebrew University, and then launched a career as a pop vocalist in 1973. By 1979, Taubman was drawn into the children's field, and produced two albums for kids with his sister Caren, Makin' Music and Pennies for Your Thoughts. He developed a large following through multiple concert appearances in the greater Los Angeles area, and also began writing for kids' video and movies. Taubman's career made a major leap in the early '90s, when he was signed for the newly minted "Music Box" group of artists on Walt Disney Records. He produced three albums in two years for Disney -- Morning 'N Night and Rock 'N Together in 1992, and Rock 'N Toontown in 1993. Craig 'N Company also became part of only two bonafide children's acts to be paired with "name" pop musicians such as Paula Abdul and Michael Bolton on the wildly popular For Our Children: The Concert in the early '90s. But then Disney released all of its human artists from their roster. Taubman recovered quickly with Imaginit, winner of the Dove Award in 1996. Taubman developed his own recording company to produce more secular material as well. The Craig 'N Company label launched in 1995 with My Jewish Discovery, which won a Parent's Choice Award. The carefully produced album featured educational yet humorous songs such as "Deli-lightful," which explained "kosher" in terms kids could understand. My Jewish Discovery was followed two years later with the equally successful My Newish Jewish Discovery, a further elaboration on the theme. My Newish Jewish Discovery received a Parent's Choice Award as well. ~ P.J. Swift
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