Stacey Peasley

Winner of the 2010 Nickelodeon Parents Connect Parents' Pick Award for Best Party Entertainer, Stacey Peasley has just released her debut album, Together. The album covers time-tested children activities that both parents and kids can relate to, like taking that dreaded bath, driving in the car, and having fun for as long as possible - the the best part about being a kid! Stacey took some time to answer some questions for us about her career as a child artist.

Playground: Can you tell me a bit about yourself and the process that went into making your album?
Stacey Peasley: I've was a professional singer in NY before I moved to Boston and continued singing in bands when I moved to Massachusetts in 2001. Once I had my children (in 2005 and 2007), I started writing songs for them and thought I'd make a CD with my friend and band member, Marc Soucy, of Mach 10 Music, who is a producer and piano player in Boston. While I was writing and recording with Marc, I met Marty Beller, prominent drummer in New York and with his lead, began recording all the songs with live instrumentation. I was fortunate to have Debbie Cavalier, of Debbie and Friends, refer her wonderful guitar player, Eric Salt (from Natick), who did all the guitar and bass on the CD, while Marc Soucy played the piano and keyboards. Local horn player Mark Sanchez completed the album by playing horns on several songs. The mastering was done by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice at Peerless Mastering in Newton. I was very to happy to have so much local talent be involved in the making of the CD! I also wanted to use local visual and graphic artists in the packaging of the CD and was happy to work with Lance VanDyke Salemo from Boston and Jill Howarth from Westborough for the logo, cover art, and website! Massachusetts has so many wonderfully talented and creative artists!

Playground: What made you want to become a children's artist?
SP: I have always worked in education and was a middle school teacher for ten years before I had my daughter. I honestly did not know this was the path I was going to be on until I had my children! I brought my daughter to local sing alongs at the library in Brookline, and when I saw how much fun we were all having sharing music with our kids, I realized that this may be for me. While recording the songs for the CD, I decided to play some birthday parties to help pay for the cost of the CD. Before I knew it, I was booking birthday parties as well as preschools, concerts, camps, and other events! Soon after, I began to conduct kids music classes weekly for the New York based program "Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals". I am so fortunate to have been able to keep music in my life!

Playground: Where do you get inspiration or motivation for most of your songs?
SP: My own children are the number one inspiration for my songs, as well as my experience as a parent!

Playground: What was your favorite song as a kid?
SP: Hmmm...good question! I'd have to say, I was a huge fan of the soundtrack from the movie "Annie". I used to sing "Maybe" all the time! I would play that record over and over!

Playground: Why do you love the Playground?
SP: I love the Playground because it's so important for families to be exposed to the amazing music that kids artists all over the country are making! There are few stations that are playing this music for parents and children to enjoy together. Thank you for focusing and valuing family music!

And make sure to tune in every Saturday and Sunday from 5-8pm to hear Stacey's new album, Together!

- WERS Radio

NATICK —

Stacey Peasley has been a professional musician since she was 18, but it was the inspiration she drew from her time as a stay-at-home mom with her two kids that has led to national recognition.

Peasley's 2011 debut album "Together" won a Parents Choice Recognition for best children's music album earlier this year. As the title implies, the album is about the things Peasley does with her family.

"Some people write about things like dinosaurs," Peasley said. "I don't write that way. Maybe I will, but the actions of parents and kids, that's what I like. As families, it's what we're all experiencing together."

Peasley is from Valley Stream, N.Y., originally, but moved to Brookline in 2001. She spent years teaching middle school history and English in Newton during the day, and then performing in wedding bands and cover bands at night.

When her daughter was born in 2005 and later her son in 2007, she stayed home with her kids. She jumped into her then-band mate Marc Soucy's studio just to record a few songs for her kids, and things took off.

"I started writing songs first, with my kids and their antics as my inspiration," she said. "I really didn't intend to make a full CD. But the songwriting just kept coming and coming, surprisingly. I sort of had the time to explore, without the pressure of 'if this doesn't work out, I have to go back to my day job."'

She and her family moved to Natick in 2008. When it became apparent that her 13-song CD was emerging, she had to find a way to pay for the studio time, so she started to play at birthday parties.

"I'd been gigging my whole life, so I thought, 'maybe I'll try gigging towards the children's music thing,"' Peasley said. "Once I moved to MetroWest, it really started to take off. It was pretty much purely word of mouth initially, and then other types of events started."

She has a four-piece band: Peasley plays acoustic guitar and sings, and is backed by electric guitarist Bill Doucette of Hopkinton, bassist Chris Sublette of Arlington and drummer Bob Nisi of Jamaica Plain.

In 2010, she was named a Nickelodeon Parents Connect award-winner for Best Kids Party Entertainer. She performs in schools, like the Tobin School in Natick and the Westwood Children's Center; at the Natick Common Concert Series; and at venues like The Center for Arts in Natick and Framingham's Amazing Things Arts Center.

She is also heading the Boston chapter of Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals, a New York-based music education program for young children and their parents, which she teaches out of the Broadway Bound Dance Studio in Natick.

She has also started a partnership with Stephen Marcus, owner of the Natick Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream store on Rte. 9. She played there last week, and Marcus said he hopes to schedule her at least once a month over the winter.

"We're in the process (of) coming up for a date in December," Marcus said. "We've already discussed her coming back at least one day a month during the winter months. She's very engaging. She personalizes a little bit, if she sees a kid's face glowing. It's really good. I'm a father of three kids under 11, so I know what it is for parents and nannies to be looking for something to do."

Peasley's fans aren't just too small to ride a roller coaster, her songwriting engages parents as well.

"In a world of kids' music - that has a tendency to drive parents crazy, where its repetitive and predictable - Stacey's is music that's enjoyable for parents, too," said Mike Stern, a Natick father and fifth-grade teacher in Newton. "It strikes me as just good music."

For samples of her music or more information about Peasley, visit her website at www.staceypeasely.com.

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/entertainment/music/x46230234/Natick-musical-mom-turns-family-life-into-award-winning-childrens-album#ixzz1ep6snKuF
- Metrowest Daily News

Boston based, Stacey Peasley has been a professional singer for over fifteen years. A teacher for ten years, Peasley recently combine her love of children and music into a lively engaging act, which has resulted in this exceptional debut album. Peasley sings with a strong and appealing voice, that has just a hint of Country influence to it. The title track, and songs such as "Soapy Bubbles," "(I Don't Wanna Go to) Sleep Again," "Snuggle Daddy," and "We're Going For a Ride" all celebrates the joys of childhood and parenting. Standard styles of folk, rock, pop, blues, funk and reggae are employed to varying degrees of success, with Peasley's professionally trained voice soaring skillfully over the din. Eco-friendly packaging, and good sound production, round out this fine new album.
Lahri Bond ©2011 Parents' Choice - Parents' Choice Foundation

Stacey Peasley is the type of person we love around here. She’s a mom, so she knows the difference between nauseating children’s music and great children’s music.

Consider her own music to be in the latter category. Throughout her career she has performed numerous musical styles – classic rock, pop, disco/dance, oldies and standards – but in 2005, sparked by the musical bond she shared with her oldest child by attending shows and listening to children’s artists together, Stacey began to adapt her craft to Children’s Music.

Together, Stacey’s long-awaited debut CD contains 13 musical gems, slices of childhood, that every young one will relate to (and sing, clap & dance to!). Bop along to samples of each song on her website, and then add the CD to your child’s collection. You can also download the album on iTunes.

Stacey PeasleyStacey Peasley is a Children’s performer in the Boston area who has just released her debut CD! As a mom of two young children, Stacey’s catchy songs capture the spirit of being a child, brother, sister, friend, and family-member! Stacey’s song “Soapy Bubbles” has won the Silver award in the Mid Atlantic Songwriter’s Contest and she won a 2010 Nick Jr. Parents Pick Award for Best Kids Party Entertainer.
- Mom Approved Tunes

Years after she gave up singing in clubs, Natick stay-at-home mom Stacey Peasley found herself in the enviable position of getting a second chance to pursue her passion, albeit in a different incarnation

In some households, the 37-year-old is already a well-known name, but for the uninitiated, Peasley is an in-demand and award-winning children's songstress whose reputation as entertainer has spread largely by word-of-mouth.

“The word-of-mouth has really been unbelievable. One party or event has led to more and more and more,” said Peasley, a New York native. “Meeting the families and the children while doing this has been the best.”

Peasley just released her first album called “Together” a collection of 13 songs that explores issues like waiting for siblings to grow, relationships with parents, and the family babysitter. She is readying a tour to support the album.

Before having her daughter six years ago, Peasley was a middle school teacher by day and a musician by night. She used to perform with the New York-based girl group the Chiclettes at casinos, events, and parties.

“The thing I loved about teaching at the middle school level is it's almost like you're performing. I've definitely found that teaching and performing help each other. You have to be comfortable in front of a group,” she said.

She gave up both when she became a mom.

“I always hoped to keep music and singing as part of my life somehow, but I just wasn't sure if the music scene was for me any more. I put the music on hiatus for a short amount of time,” said Peasley.

But it wasn't long after the birth of her daughter that she started singing and writing songs about the subject matter that surrounded her, even if it was middle-of-the-night rocking sessions with her infant. Peasley later had a son who is now 4.

As she's watched her kids reach milestones and tackle new experiences, Peasley's songs have evolved.

“My writing has grown as my children have grown,” she said.

For the past few years, Peasley has been performing at parties and schools all around the state. This summer will be her third year performing in Natick's summer concert series on the Common.

In 2010, Peasley was picked as the top party entertainer in the Boston on Nickelodeon's ParentsConnect web site. She also teaches kids' music classes through Boston Aardvarks.

Though she performs at birthday parties with just her guitar, the album features full arrangements. Natick native Eric Saulnier plays all the guitar and bass on the album.

“It's definitely been interesting because up to this point I had been a stay-at-home mom,” she said. “It's been hard balancing the work and keeping the momentum.”

Peasley said that her husband, a businessman who works in Boston, has been supportive of her new endeavor. He takes on solo dad duty when she's performing.

She said her kids are proud of their mom, and love having music play such a central role in their lives.

“Their names are intertwined into the songs,” she said. “This whole career really would not have been in existence if it wasn't for them.”

Peasley's album "Together" is available on iTunes, Amazon, through her web site, and at Little Bits Toys in downtown Natick. - Boston Globe

Boston-area kids’ performer Stacey Peasley has just released her debut album, Together. Nickelodeon ParentsConnect 2010 parent’s pick award winner for best party entertainer, Stacey has a knack for speaking directly to kids with her catchy tunes and fun lyrics.

While I like the song “Trouble” the best (it describes my little guy a little too well), he prefers the tune “Soapy Bubbles”. The whole CD is filled with songs that are entertaining for moms and kids alike – there’s nothing too sugary on this CD! It’s currently on an endless loop in my car – both of my kids are always requesting that I play it.

To learn more, visit Stacey’s new website. In addition, check out our event calendar to find Stacey’s appearances throughout the summer.

Disclosure: I received a copy of Stacey Peasley’s CD for review.
- Family Friendly Boston

Article from local online paper about Stacey's music program! - Natick Patch