After combining his experience as a camp counselor and his gigs playing music on the college circuit as a young man, Roger Day found success as an award-winning children’s musician, who just released his sixth studio album, Invincible. “I can't tell you how much I love performing and creating for family and children,” Roger tells Franklin Lifestyle. With 20+ years of music and performances under his belt, Roger sat down with Franklin Lifestyle to talk about his career, his new music and what’s up next.
Franklin Lifestyle: Tell me a little about Roger Day? Who is he?
Roger Day: Roger Day is a children's singer-songwriter. I have lived in Franklin for over 20 years. I travel all over the country and perform for schools, libraries, theaters and professionals. I’ve pretty much played everywhere from California to New York. I love writing joyful music
that brings families together and encourages kids to use their imagination.
FL: How did you get started doing that?
RD: The children's music part really dates back to me being a camp counselor at a summer camp in Birmingham, Alabama. I really learned the power of music to bring people together and to bring children together. I started writing songs for my nieces and nephews for Christmas. I would
write a song for them every year and my wife would put some activity together. So one year, I was just having fun and I wrote one song called ‘Marvin, the Marvelous Moose.’ My wife made a little coloring book that went with it and my nieces and nephews, all of whom now have their
own children, just loved that. By this point, my youngest son was born and I was writing even more songs. So I kind of said, ‘You know, I feel like essentially, this is what I'm supposed to do.’
FL: You just released your sixth studio album, Invincible. What can we expect from it?
RD: It’s all about how kids have all the superpowers they need with their imagination, their heart, and their love, and that they actually don't need any kind of crazy superpowers. They have all that they need to solve the problem and save the day. It’s really about telling kids, 'You've got
this. You can break down the problem and you can solve it with your own imagination.'
FL: Do you have a favorite on the album?
RD: My favorite really is the song that I wrote with my son, Thomas, ‘I’ll Be Your Superhero.’ It’s about a kid who's ready to save the world but he can't find his cape, his shoes or his mask. And when I perform it live, I have all the kids pointing at their parents and hitting their chest singing, ‘When the world needs a superhero, boom, I'll be your superhero.’
FL: What do you enjoy most about performing children's music?
RD: The thing I enjoy the most is that it is the last place in music where you can be unabashedly joyful. And I feel like joy is a deeper emotion than silliness or fun and that's part of it. I like to be silly and I like to have fun, but the deeper emotion is joy and joy will stay with you for the rest of your life.
FL: When not playing music what do you like to do?
RD: Here in Franklin I’ve been very involved in Boy Scouts. My two sons were both Eagle Scouts out of that program and I still help out. We’re pretty involved in Franklin First United Methodist Church. My wife teaches the 3-year-old class and I sing for them on Sundays.
FL: What’s next for Roger Day?
RD: I actually have most of my next CD already written and recorded. It’s going to be called Ready, Set, Read. I’m excited about getting that out soon. And I hope everyone can come see me live soon.
RogerDay.com
