Album Notes

Joel Reese, The Singing Cowboy is celebrating his 10th anniversary as a children's artist with the re-release of "A Whole Lot of Animals." This CD features classic songs like "Sneaky Snake" and "A Buffalo Herd," as well as Joel's first children's songs written for his daughter, Rebecca. An uplifting, fun collection, the music is highlighted by the musical prowess of Dennis Caplinger, bluegrass and swing "king" on fiddle, mandolin, and guitar.
By the tender age of three, Joel had set his mind to becoming an entertainer. While living on a ranch in Temecula, California in the late 1960’s, Joel would sing along with country music stars on his little transistor radio and watch Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell’s musical variety shows on television. Ten years later, while spending summers on his grandparent’s ranch in Llano, Texas, he met Darrell Staedtler who had written three songs for George Strait. “Darrell showed me how to write songs and gave me the confidence I needed to learn to play the guitar.”
Later, Joel’s professional music career would begin in pizza parlors and nightclubs in Oklahoma City where he attended high school. Talent contests, special events and even a stint as a big band vocalist helped prepare Joel for his first big trip to Nashville in 1986 where he performed in the Opryland music theme park. Joel worked with many talented performers including Minnie Pearl. “Minnie Pearl was a very special lady. She gave me some important advice that I live by to this day. She smiled from under her trademark hat and said, ‘ “Love your audience and they will love you back!” ’
The 90’s found Joel back in Southern California where he formed a band and played everything from rodeos and corporate events to Wal-Mart grand openings and Concerts.
Something very special happened to Joel and his wife in 1991. A little girl was born! “Our daughter inspired me to
write children’s music and a tender, teacher’s side of me began emerging. I continued to play the popular adult music, but I began performing even more for children.”
From Opryland to LEGOLAND, Joel brings twenty-three years of musical entertainment experience, as well as fifteen years of Kindergarten-8th Grade edu-tainment programs to you and your family. Currently, Joel resides in Tennessee and is one of the songwriters used by The Country Music Hall of Fame for their “Words and Music” elementary school programs. Joel enjoys recording family and children’s music and performing for family and educational events across the country. During keynotes and workshops, Joel shows students the tools that took him from not believing he could play guitar or write songs in the 3rd Grade, to his playing for President Bush and writing songs for the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s “Ready, Set, Van Gogh” program.