Parachute Express
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Parachute Express
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = group_or_band
| genre = Children's music
| occupation =
| years_active = 1984{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zswiAAAAIBAJ&pg=3786,3741521|title=The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search|work=google.com|accessdate=25 May 2016}}-2011
| label = {{hlist|Walt Disney|Trio Lane}}
| past_members = Rick Cunha
Donald "Donny" Becker
Janice Hubbard
Stephen Michael Schwartz
}}
Parachute Express was an American band of three California-based entertainers who performed, wrote, and produced music for children. Members were Stephen Michael Schwartz, Janice Hubbard, and Donny Becker. Parachute Express gained national prominence as recording artists for Gymboree Play & Music, Walt Disney Records, and Trio Lane Records.{{cite news
| last = Rees
| first = Brenda
| url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-16-wk-kids16-story.html
| title = How to get The Kids' Reading Room Jumping for Joy.
| work = Los Angeles Times
| date = 2004-09-16
| access-date = 2009-07-29
}} They sang the theme song to the popular television series Jay Jay the Jet Plane and have been seen on TV shows Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. Rocks and Disney's Kaleidoscope Concerts.{{cite book|title=Kaleidoscope concerts|via=worldcat.org|oclc = 29376962}} Their music was featured in over 550 Gymboree franchises throughout the world, as well as in preschools, daycare centers, and diverse informal education programs.IDEA Health & Fitness: [https://books.google.com/books?id=6ihdGgQB76UC&pg=PA24 Inspire Kids and Teens to Fitness]. San Diego, California: IDEA Health & Fitness Association, 2003, page 24. {{ISBN|1-887781-30-7}}. Accessed 2008-09-27.{{cite book|last=McDonald|first=Margaret Read|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9kFSJgEhfecC&pg=PA51|chapter=Dancing Tales|title=Shake-It-Up Tales!|location=Atlanta, Georgia|publisher=August House|year=2000|page=51|isbn=978-0-87483-570-0|accessdate=2012-10-27|quote=For this I particularly like the song "Tingalayo" as performed by Parachute Express on Shakin' It (Burbank: Walt Disney Records, 1992). I begin by letting the children trot in a circle to the "run little donkey run" refrain. Then, at certain spots in the music, we stop and just shake our hips and dance. It is fun to play the rhythm sticks to this song too.}} Parachute Express created a total of twelve albums.
History
In the early 1990s, Parachute Express released six albums as part of Walt Disney Records’ Music Box Artist Series. In 1995, the trio formed its own label, Trio Lane Records.McCormick M: "Parachute Express Is Back." Billboard 110 (39). Many of their albums have won national awards including NAPPA awards, the Film Advisory Board Award, an Indie Award, a Toy of The Year Award, and several times the Parents' Choice Gold Award.{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/It_Came_From_Beyond_Extends_at_NYMF_20050923|title='It Came From Beyond' Extends at NYMF|author=BWW News Desk|date=23 September 2005|work=BroadwayWorld.com|accessdate=25 May 2016}}
Their long list of honors further included featured performers at the 42nd and 43rd Presidential Inaugural Festivities, performing their "poetic anthem"Heffly L: [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jul-23-ca-6185-story.html "Parachute Express Drops In With ‘Looney’s’ Tunes Kids Will Love."] Los Angeles Times 1998-07-23: F49. Accessed 2008-09-24. We The Children. This song was included in the Presidential library by then First Lady Hillary Clinton. They performed half a dozen times at the Annual Easter Egg Hunt on the lawn of the White House.
Their video Come Sing With Us! won the Parents Choice Video Award and an International Monitor Award. They have been voted "Best Group" by the American Academy of Children's Entertainment. In 2010 and 2011, Parachute Express toured China, performing in Nanjing, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Guangzhou,{{cite web|url=http://www.ycwb.com/ePaper/xkb/html/2010-11/08/content_965236.htm|title=What'sNew|work=ycwb.com|accessdate=25 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052547/http://www.ycwb.com/ePaper/xkb/html/2010-11/08/content_965236.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://informationtimes.dayoo.com/html/2010-11/03/content_1174969.htm |title=信息时报 - 2010年11月3日 - D5:商周刊·业界版 - 时尚情报 |accessdate=2010-11-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109185341/http://informationtimes.dayoo.com/html/2010-11/03/content_1174969.htm |archivedate=2010-11-09 }} and Shenzhen.{{cite web |url=http://news.china.com.cn/rollnews/2010-11/03/content_5005212.htm |title=中信银行举办金宝贝国际音乐节_中国网 |website=news.china.com.cn |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723123751/http://news.china.com.cn/rollnews/2010-11/03/content_5005212.htm |archive-date=2011-07-23}} The group disbanded in late 2011.
Discography
=Albums=
- Feel the Music (1991)
- Circle of Friends (1991)
- Happy to Be Here (1991)
- Shakin' It! (1992)
- Over Easy (1992)
- Sunny Side Up (1992)
- Friends, Forever Friends (1996)
- Who's Got A Hug? (1997)
- Dr. Looney's Remedy (1998)
- Don't Blink (2005)
=Song collections=
- Gymbo's Play and Pretend Favorites (2007)
- It's a Gymboree Party! (2007)
=Singles=
- Dr. Looney's Remedy (1995)
- The Coming of December (2005)
= Tracks in compilations =
- Disney's Music Box: Disney's Spotlight (1992): Smooth Movin' Boogie Express
- The Man Who Ran Away with the Moon (1992): Smooth Movin' Boogie Express
- Pocahontas: The Enchanted Songs (1995)
- Exercise Party: Stretchin' and Jumpin' Songs for Young Children (2003): Can You Show Us; Reach Up High
- Hear and Gone in 60 Seconds: One Minute Songs by an Awesome Array of Award Winning Artists (2003): Alphabet Soup
- Jay Jay the Jet Plane: 24 Fun and Inspirational Stories for Kids (2003): Jay Jay the Jet Plane theme song
- Jay Jay the Jet Plane: 12 Fun and Inspirational Stories for Kids (2004): Jay Jay the Jet Plane theme song
- Songs for Little Boys: Trains, Cowboys, Pirates and More! (2004): I Like Trucks
- Songs for Little Princesses: Ballerinas, Best Friends, Dressing Up and More! (2004): Polka Dots, Checks and Stripes; Dress Up Queen
- Dance Party: Movin' and Groovin' Songs for Young Children (2006): Don't Blink; Dance, Puppet, Dance
- Favorite Lullabies: 15 Gentle Songs to Ease Your Baby to Sleep (2006): Good Night Moon
- Classic Animal Songs (2007): Me and My Dog
- Kindergarten Prep: Songs to Get Your Child Ready to Learn (2008): Tie a Bow; Red Means Stop
Videos
- 1989 - Live In Concert (Gymboree)
- 1995 - Come Sing With Us! (Disney){{cite news
| last = Levine
| first = Evan
| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_akEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4608,4126396
| title = 'Parachute Express' Doesn't Fly
| agency = Newspaper Enterprise Association
| format = review
| work = Chattooga Press
| date = 1995-09-27
| page = 6
| accessdate = 2009-07-29
}}
Awards
- 1991 - Parents' Choice for Feel the Music
- 1995 - Parents' Choice Video Award for Come Sing With Us!
- 1995 - International Monitor Award in the category Best Electronic Effects for Come Sing With Us!
- 1998 - National Association of Parenting Publications of America (NAPPA) Gold Award for Doctor Looney's Remedy
- 1999 - Best Group Award by the American Academy of Children's Entertainment
- 1999 - Indie Award in the category Best Children's Album for Doctor Looney's Remedy
- 2005 - Creative Child Magazine's Toy of the Year Award for Don't Blink
- 2005 - NAPPA Gold Award for Don't Blink
- 2005 - Parents Choice Gold Award for Don't Blink
- 2008 - NAPPA Gold Award for It's a Gymboree Party
In popular culture
- Emma Stone mentioned the Parachute Express song "Polka Dots, Checks, and Stripes" as the inspiration to her outfit at the 87th Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.thegloss.com/fashion/emma-stone-michael-kors-academy-award-nominees-luncheon-photos/|magazine=The Gloss|title=Emma Stone Deserves A Round Of Applause For Mixing Stripes With Polka Dots And Still Looking Cool|date=2015-02-03|first=Elizabeth|last=Licata|quote=When I was a small child, a music video for a song called “Polka Dots, Checks, and Stripes” from a group called Parachute Express had a big effect on me. It was about a little girl who did not care about style “rules” and just wanted to have fun, so she wore polka dots, checks, and stripes all at the same time, and it was weird but great. That little girl was my first style icon. [...] Emma Stone showed up to the 87th Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon wearing this look, which Red Carpet Fashion Awards reports is from the Michael Kors 2015 Pre-Fall collection.}}
- The documentary Not Just a Goof begins with the filmmakers watching "Doctor Looney's Remedy", since the video was shown before the VHS copy of A Goofy Movie.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p27367/biography|pure_url=yes}} Parachute Express Bio] at Allmusic
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Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles
Category:Musical groups established in 1984
Category:American comedy musical groups
Category:American children's musical groups