Ella Jenkins

Ella Jenkins Ella Jenkins, “First Lady of Children’s Music," is an iconic children’s performer, and has been one of the genre’s leading voices for more than 50 years. Nurtured by the rich musical culture of her Chicago neighborhood, Jenkins was immersed in song from her earliest days. Jenkins developed her talents working with children as a child psychology student at San Francisco State University and as a program director at the YWCA before hosting a public television program for children called “This is Rhythm.” Ella's music incorporates languages and cultures from around the world, including the African American blues and gospel music she heard during her own childhood. Ella is one of few artists to have recorded both for Smithsonian Folkways and for Moses Asch’s original Folkways label, and has enjoyed a prolific career characterized by genuine love and appreciation for the minds and hearts of children. In 2004, she was honored by the Recording Academy with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.