C. Shells is a children's musical duo comprised of Cindy Kays and Shelly Craig. Together Cindy and Shelly have over 40 years of musical experience. Shelly, a Hampton Roads native, has been a featured solo performer at many local clubs. An accomplished guitarist and teacher, Shelly performs a diverse variety of music from blues to bluegrass. A native of Lancaster, PA, Cindy has performed folk and Celtic music at colleges and clubs in Virginia, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
Shelly and Cindy have performed together for the past 8 years as a children's duo. A talented songwriter, Shelly writes much of the group's material. The mother of two teenage daughters, Shelly swears that everything she writes about is true! Using stringed instruments such as the guitar, banjo, Dobro and mandolin, as well as various percussion instruments, puppets and entertainment props, Cindy and Shelly encourage the children (and adults, too!) to participate with hand motions and singing. Their song repertoire ranges from traditional and contemporary folk songs to Disney tunes and original songs.
The duo are regulars at many festivals and libraries throughout the mid-Atlantic states. They are also members of Young Audiences of Virginia and in 2001 became visiting guest artists with Young Audiences of Maryland as well as Young Audiences of Eastern Pennsylvania. Performing as "Cindy and Shelly," they present their educational programs in pre-schools and elementary schools throughout Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Cindy and Shelly released their debut album, self-titled, "C. Shells," on the Southern Branch Music label, in 1995. Fun for all ages, the album features 10 original songs and two cover songs. "C. Shells" was awarded a Parents' Choice Silver Honor in July 1998 for excellence in children's music. In March of 1998, they released their second album on Southern Branch Music titled, "Animal Tails," a fun-filled journey of songs about some of the animals in the world we live. In October 1998, "Animal Tails" was awarded a Parents' Choice Approval Seal. Their third album, "Just for Fun!" released in the fall of 2001, features all new songs as well as some old favorites.
With a delightful mix of songs and musical styles, "C. Shells" will have children of all ages laughing, smiling and stamping their feet. From rock 'n' roll to Cajun, waltzes to ragtime, blues to bluegrass, Cindy and Shelly want everyone to have fun at their concerts, so check your repertoire of dog barks and duck quacks and bring them to the show!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
C. SHELLS EARNS PRESTIGIOUS PARENTS' CHOICE AWARD
Parents' Choice Foundation bestows Recommended Seal for C. Shells latest CD release "Just for Fun!"
VA. BEACH, VA (April 2, 2002) - C. Shells (www.cshellsmusic.com) the children's musical duo of Cindy Kays and Shelly Craig announced today that it has earned a Recommended Seal from the prestigious Parents' Choice Awards program. This makes their third award from Parents' Choice. Their first album, self-titled, "C. Shells" was awarded a Silver Honor in 1998. Their second album, "Animal Tails" was awarded a Parents' Choice Approved Seal in the fall of that same year.
"Just for Fun!" the latest CD and cassette from C. Shells the Hampton Roads based children's musical duo, was released in the fall of 2001. Featuring 13 songs (nine penned by Shelly Craig, one written by Cindy Kays and 3 cover songs) ranging in musical styles from rock 'n' roll to bee bop, folk to 60's surf guitar, "Just for Fun!" will have children of all ages dancing and singing along and perhaps even jumping on the bed.
The Parents' Choice award designation recognizes products that meet and exceed standards set by educators, performing artists, librarians, parents and yes, kids. The Parents' Choice Awards Committees seek out and recommend products that help kids grow-imaginatively, morally and mentally-and that are fun, safe and socially sound.
Cindy and Shelly began performing together as C. Shells in 1992. Their first appearances were at area pre-schools. They later branched out to include festivals, libraries and elementary schools throughout Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and North Carolina. Recent appearances have included the Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, DE, the Va. Beach Neptune Festival and the Gloucester Daffodil Festival. C. Shells are also members of Young Audiences of Virginia, Young Audiences of Maryland, Inc. and Young Audiences of Eastern Pennsylvania, presenting themed educational programs in elementary schools.
Founded in 1978, Parents' Choice is the nation's oldest not-for-profit consumer guide to quality children's media: books, toys, audio, software, television, videos and magazines. The Foundation's mission is to impart solid information about the vast array of children's media products and toys that are on the market, helping parents and caregivers of all achievements and backgrounds make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children.
For additional information about the awards and a description of the significance of each awards level, consult the Parents' Choice Foundation's Web site at:
www.parents-choice.org.
Flair Family - Richmond-Times Dispatch, Richmond, VA
Tuesday, August 22, 2000
'WE GET TO BE A GOOF EVERYDAY'
By Janet Caggiano
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer
Even as children, Cindy Kays and Shelly Craig knew they stood out in a crowd.
"Most girls our age wanted to paint their fingernails," Craig said. "We just wanted to play music."
They still stay clear of the polish. Guitar playing and long fingernails just don't mix.
A small price to pay for their dream.
"I'm having so much fun," Kays said. "I certainly don't feel my age."
With good reason. She's around toddlers and elementary school children most of the day, every day. And Craig is right by her side. The two formed the musical group C. Shells in 1993 and have been performing in hundreds of programs a year since.
"It's a great job," said Kays, 44. "What other place can you perform where the audience comes up and hugs you around the knees when you are done?"
Shortly after forming C. Shells ("C" for Cindy; "Shells" for Shelly), Kays and Craig joined Young Audiences of Virginia, a national organization devoted to arts in education. They perform many programs through this group, singing their original songs that teach youngsters about science, character development, self-esteem, cooperation and honesty.
In one of their more popular programs, "The Finest Fanciest Science Fair," the two wear lab coats and sing songs about volcanoes and other science-related topics.
They perform interactive songs that help children count and remember the alphabet. And they tell children's jokes that hammer home facts about animals and conservation.
"This is not necessarily children's music - it's family music," Craig said. "It's up-tempo. It's enjoyable stuff for everyone."
Craig and Kays, who live in the Virginia Beach area, come to Richmond often. Last week, they performed at the Children's Museum of Richmond, where the members of the audience danced, clapped and sang with the performers. They even played instruments.
"I love seeing the response in the kids," Craig said. "And I love seeing the parents enjoying something with their children."
The partners write about half the songs they perform. The rest are children's favorites, or variations. "The Ants Go Marching One by One" might become "The Elves Go Marching" during the Christmas season. And "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" can easily change to "Old MacDonald Had a Haunted House" at Halloween.
Their songs can be found on two CD's, released on the Southern Branch Music label in 1995 and 1998. They both won Parents' Choice awards.
"We have wonderful jobs," Kays said. "We get to laugh and sing. We get to be a goof everyday."
They travel for weeks at a time, performing at schools, bookstores, libraries, museums, arts festivals and private parties. As they play, they talk to the children about their instruments - guitars, banjo, mandolin, Dobro (steel guitar), siren whistles and slide whistles.
They use puppets, hats and glasses to perform skits. At the Children's Museum, Craig used a crab hand puppet to talk to children about pollution. The reason he had the blues was because people pollute. The duo then broke into a blues song about the "blue crab blues." Kays and Craig also perform rock 'n' roll, fold and country. Anything to keep young minds entertained.
"It's wonderful walking through the mall or grocery store and little kids come and say, 'Look Mommy, she was at our school yesterday.'" Craig said. "It's a wonderful feeling."
Raised in Portsmouth, Craig has been performing in local clubs with bluegrass bands since she was 21. She studied horticulture in college, figuring a day job was more conducive to raising children.
"When my children were little, I didn't think it was a good idea to be working nights," said Craig, a divorced mother of two girls. "But I missed the music too much."
Kays, who grew up in Lancaster, Pa., played Celtic music when she was younger and managed local record stores. She moved to Newport News in 1980. Both started playing children's music years later - Kays for Bible school and Craig at preschools.
The two met in 1993 while working at a Tidewater guitar shop. Kays was a clerk there and Craig was teaching guitar. They began talking and realized both were performing children's songs.
"We decided to join forces," Craig said.
They started out in preschools and gradually expanded to festivals and museums. The two also are members of a four-piece group, Music of the People, which performs in schools. And Craig continues to teach guitar while Kays sings with her husband John, a talented singer/songwriter, at local Irish Pubs in Norfolk and Va. Beach, VA.
"They say it's hard to make a living in music," Craig said. "But you can if you join a lot of groups."
Neither has any intentions of becoming rich and famous.
"Sure, we'd love to become rich, but that's just not going to happen," Craig said. "But we are doing good things with kids. That's the satisfaction. That's the huge paycheck."
www.metrokids.com
June 2002
Good Songs for Good Kids
SOUND OFF
By Kathy O'Connell
Summer is a great time of the year to look for C. Shells. No, not SEAshells. I'm talking about the singing duo of gals from Norfolk, VA, Cindy Kays and Shelly Craig, who perform as C. Shells. I love their albums! I've raved about their mix of rock and fun before, but they're worth discovering anytime. Their "Just for Fun!" CD includes covers of kid classics like "The Unicorn Song" and "Waltzing with Bears" as well as originals like "Bee Bop" and "Salad Swing." In the tradition of great duos like Trout Fishing in America (whose "We are the Dinosaurs" they cover), these two performers make a lot of sound. This CD has great sounds for kids in the transitional phase between Barney and Britney. Find C. Shells at www.cshellsmusic.com.
Kathy O'Connell is a contributing writer to MetroKids and host of the Peabody-award-winning "Kid's Corner" on WXPN-FM. www.kidscorner.org.
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