Tony-award winner John Lithgow, known to pop-culture buffs as the dance-outlawing reverend in Kevin Bacon’s career-making Footloose and as an alien on the ’90s sitcom Third Rock from the Sun, has joined the ranks of Cyndi Lauper, Queen Latifah and Rod Stewart in mining the Great American Songbook for an album. But unlike Lauper, Latifah or Stewart, Lithgow’s upcoming The Sunny Side of the Street, due for release Aug. 29, is meant for children.
Featuring cover versions of classics like “Getting to Know You” and “Inka Dinka Doo,” Sunny Side is Lithgow’s third album for kids, following Farkle & Friends and Singin’ in the Bathtub. The album will be released on Razor & Tie, also responsible for the popular and successful Kidz Bop CD series.
Part of Lithgow’s growing children’s entertainment empire-he has also written six best-selling illustrated books and will be the host of John Lithgow’s Paloozaville, an original 20-part series based on his books, CDs and live performances-Sunny Side also features vocals from actor Wayne Knight (Jerry’s rival Newman on Seinfeld), cabaret singer Maude Maggart, jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux and actress Sherie Rene Scott.
Dedicated to Lithgow’s children and granddaughter Ava, Sunny Side might be worth a spin for your kids, as well.
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