Ella Jenkins, a legendary children’s musician who transformed the genre with songs promoting unity and respect, passed away in Chicago at age 100. Known for her influential works like “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song,” Jenkins used her music to teach children about empathy and cultural understanding, leaving a lasting legacy in the field of children’s music.
Jenkins’s Unique Approach to Children’s Music
Ella Jenkins, born in St. Louis in 1924, was an untrained musician with a natural ear for rhythm and melody. Growing up in Chicago’s South Side, she absorbed the sounds around her — from playground chants to street vendor calls. Her mother, despite financial challenges, worked tirelessly to support Ella’s budding love for music. Jenkins would use homemade instruments, practicing on items like baking-soda cans, while teaching herself harmonica and ukulele.
Throughout her career, Jenkins rejected the then-common approach to children’s music, which was often cartoonish and overly simplistic. Instead, she focused on authenticity, drawing on real-life rhythms and incorporating cultural elements. In the 1950s, she pioneered the call-and-response style, a technique rooted in African American music traditions, to engage children in singing along. For Jenkins, this interactive method symbolized cooperation and mutual respect.
The Groundbreaking “Call-and-Response” Album
In 1957, Jenkins released her first album, “Call-and-Response: Rhythmic Group Singing.” This debut album introduced children to diverse cultural rhythms, featuring West African and Arabic chants alongside American folk traditions. Unlike other children’s music of the time, Jenkins’s work invited children to participate, giving them a sense of ownership and responsibility in the song’s success.
Jenkins’s “Call-and-Response” would go on to inspire generations of teachers, parents, and musicians. Songs like “Did You Feed My Cow?” became timeless, where Jenkins sang a question, and children echoed her response, cultivating a sense of shared experience and joy.
A Focus on Social Justice and Inclusion
Throughout her life, Jenkins used her music to promote social justice. She participated in rallies, including one in 1964 led by Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago, where her music resonated with messages of equality and compassion. She believed that music could bridge divides and inspire children to respect differences.
Her 1976 album, “We Are America’s Children,” was a tribute to American diversity and resilience, featuring tributes to Harriet Tubman and Native American heritage. In Jenkins’s music, children discovered a world where everyone counted, where unity was celebrated, and where peace was a common goal. “I feel very strongly about making peace and love in the world,” Jenkins once said.
Impact on Generations of Listeners
Ella Jenkins’s body of work spans 39 albums, including popular releases like “Multicultural Children’s Songs” (1995), which became a bestseller for Smithsonian Folkways Records. Children from different backgrounds sang on her recordings, their small mistakes and quirks included in final cuts. Jenkins believed these unpolished moments added authenticity and helped children feel comfortable with imperfection.
Dan Zanes, a well-known children’s musician, once stated, “There is no one who has done more for young people in American musical history than Ella Jenkins.” Many of her albums were nominated for Grammy Awards, and she received a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement in 2004, cementing her place in the history of children’s music.
Jenkins’s Later Years and Enduring Legacy
Even into her 90s, Jenkins continued performing and inspiring young audiences, often ending her shows with “Shake Hands With Friends.” Jenkins was a beloved figure in children’s music and maintained a close relationship with Smithsonian Folkways throughout her career. Her songs were known not just for their catchy tunes but for the important life lessons embedded within them.
Ella Jenkins’s dedication to children’s music and her passion for inclusivity set her apart. In her world of music, children learned that although people may come from different backgrounds, they all shared a common humanity.
Way forward
Ella Jenkins’s life and work will be remembered as a beacon of joy, empathy, and cultural celebration. Through her timeless songs and her pioneering call-and-response style, Jenkins inspired generations of children to sing, learn, and connect with one another. Her contributions to children’s music have left an indelible mark, transforming the genre into a space for learning, respect, and shared humanity.
