Raffi

Biography

Raffi Cavoukian (Armenian: Րաֆֆի, born 8 July 1948), known professionally by the mononym Raffi, is an Armenian-Canadian singer-lyricist and author. A performer of children's music, The Washington Post called him "the most popular children's singer in the English-speaking world". He founded the Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring, an initiative focused on promoting children's rights and well-being. He has also been involved in advocacy for environmental and social causes, addressing issues like commercial exploitation of children and climate change through his music and public appearances.

Early life

Raffi was born in Cairo, Egypt, to Armenian Christian parents who fled Turkey during the Armenian genocide. His mother Lucie Cavoukian named him after the Armenian novelist Raffi. He was exposed to music at a young age, as his mother sang to him and his father sang and played accordion. In a 2024 interview, he noted that "In my early childhood, growing up in a fairly authoritarian family, my parents loved me greatly. But it was at times a coercive love, not exactly a respectful love". The family left Egypt in 1952, living in Jerusalem and Syria before immigrating to Canada in 1958, eventually settling in Toronto, Ontario.
His father, Arto (Artin) Cavoukian, was a portrait photographer with a studio on Bloor Street in Toronto. His older brother, Onnig Cavoukian, known as Cavouk, is also a portrait photographer. His younger sister is Ann Cavoukian, Ontario's former Information and Privacy Commissioner. His parents died within twelve hours of each other, his mother dying first of abdominal cancer. He visited Soviet Armenia once in 1972.

Children's entertainer

In the early 1970s, Raffi frequented a Toronto guitar store near Yonge and Wellesley called Millwheel, where he met other Canadian musicians such as David Wilcox and John Lacey. He befriended Lacey, a folk guitarist from Oakville, Ontario, who helped Raffi improve his finger picking. Raffi continued playing folk guitar in coffee houses in Toronto and Montréal before hitchhiking to Vancouver in 1972.
His first performance for children was in 1974, at a nursery school run by his mother-in-law. His first album, Singable Songs for the Very Young×Singable Songs for the Very Young1976 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracksA1The More We Get Together1:11A2Down by the Bay2:11A3Brush Your Teeth1:15A4Robin in the Rain1:56A5Five Little Frogs1:44A6I Wonder If I'm Growing1:36A7Aikendrum1:19A8Bumping Up and Down1:34A9Must Be Santa2:25B1Willoughby Wallaby Woo1:56B2Spider on the Floor2:17B3Baa Baa Black Sheep1:01B4Going to the Zoo1:41B5My Dreydel0:35B6Peanut Butter Sandwich1:00B7Five Little Pumpkins0:33B8The Sharing Song1:07B9Mr. Sun1:17B10Old McDonald Had a Band2:13, was produced in Daniel Lanois's basement and released in 1976. The album was influenced by three educators, including his then-wife.
Most of Raffi's children's albums include small, simple, folk instrumentations featuring Raffi's vocal and guitar work. Early works included contributions from Toronto-area folk musicians, including Ken Whiteley, The Honolulu Heartbreakers, and Bruce Cockburn. Raffi also incorporated world music sounds into his records, including "Sambalele" (More Singable Songs, 1977) and "Anansi" (The Corner Grocery Store, 1979). Some of Raffi's best-known children's songs are "Bananaphone×Bananaphone1994 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Bananaphone3:162Shake a Toe2:223The World We Love3:284Slow Day3:275The Changing Garden of Mr. Bell4:136Naturally3:077Spring Flowers2:428C-A-N-A-D-A2:539Michael Row the Boat Ashore3:2910First Peoples4:4311Dee Myth2:2312Cowlit Night3:2313The Gorilla Song2:1314Simple Gifts2:1815Down by the Riverside3:1716The Shmenge Polka2:11", "All I Really Need", and "Down by the Bay".
In 1979, he wrote "Baby Beluga×Baby Beluga1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracksA1Baby Beluga2:43A2Biscuits in the Oven2:27A3Oats and Beans and Barley Grow1:28A4Day O3:01A5Thanks a Lot2:29A6To Everyone in All the World1:46A7All I Really Need3:46B1Over in the Meadow2:19B2This Old Man2:26B3Water Dance1:55B4Kumbaya2:23B5Joshua Giraffe6:05B6Morningtown Ride2:24", after meeting a female beluga whale named Kavna at the Vancouver Aquarium.
In 1989, his album Raffi In Concert With The Rise And Shine Band×Raffi in Concert With the Rise and Shine Band1989 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Time to Sing2:132Tingalayo2:583Rise and Shine2:254Five Little Ducks3:075Bathtime2:436Apples and Bananas2:027De Colores2:588Day O3:189Knees Up Mother Brown1:2810Like Me and You3:0811Baby Beluga2:4312Shake My Sillies Out2:3713All I Really Need4:1614Medley4:0015The More We Get Together0:4616Everything Grows3:12 was listed on the RPM Top 100 Albums chart. He took a break from music from 1989 to 1990.
In 1999, he released his autobiography, The Life of a Children’s Troubadour.
After a seven-year gap in publishing, Raffi released an album, Let's Play, in 2002. Between 2003 and 2013, he took a hiatus from touring.
He is he president of Troubadour Music Inc., a triple-bottom-line company he founded to produce and promote his work. He released recordings for a number of other artists, including Caitlin Hanford and Chris Whiteley.
As of 2017, Raffi continues to perform and appears occasionally across Canada and the United States. His most recent album is "Penny Penguin×Penny Penguin19 April 2024 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1The Birdies Sing2:522You'll Sing A Song2:333JIMBO2:194Penny Penguin2:435Much More Love3:206Mama Loves It2:187Peekaboo Song1:538Hum Hummingbird3:059Arabella Miller1:4110Wild Mountain Thyme3:1011Peace Like A River2:2312By The Bay0:5513My Forest Friend2:4714Doucement S'en Va Le Jour1:45", a collaboration album with Canadian trio The Good Lovelies which was released in 2024.

Advocacy

Raffi's recent musical work focuses on social and environmental causes and appeals to the generation who grew up with his children's music ("Beluga Grads") to effect change in the world. He also promotes those causes through his books, academic lectures and as a speaker.
Raffi has been involved with environmental advocacy since 1989, releasing a music album for adults about climate change, Evergreen, Everblue, the following year.
In 2004, he released "Salaam Shalom," a song calling for the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In 2007, Raffi wrote, recorded and produced the single "Cool It", a rockabilly "call to action" on global warming with Dr. David Suzuki in the chorus. "Cool It" was the theme song for Dr. Suzuki's recent Canadian tour to promote action on climate change. In February 2016, Raffi released the song "Wave of Democracy" in support of American Senator Bernie Sanders run to be the Democratic nominee for US Presidency. In September 2019 he released song "Young People Marching", which was written for Greta Thunberg.
In August 2020, Raffi released a song titled "For All You Do," featuring Lindsay Munroe and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The song honoured frontline and essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Proceeds from downloads and streams were donated to Direct Relief to support healthcare workers globally.
Raffi is a member of the Canadian charity Artists Against Racism.

Child honouring

In 1997, Raffi developed the idea of "child honouring", which he described in 2021 as "a vision of an extraordinary social-change revolution with the universal human at its heart, and that universal human is the human child". In 2006, he described the child honouring ethic is described as a "vision, an organizing principle, and a way of life—a revolution in values that calls for a profound redesign of every sphere of society." His "Covenant for Honouring Children" outlines the principles of this philosophy.
In 2006, with Dr. Sharna Olfman, he co-edited an anthology, Child Honouring: How to Turn This World Around, which introduces child honouring as a philosophy for restoring communities and ecosystems. It contains chapters by Penelope Leach, Fritjof Capra, David Korten, Riane Eisler, Mary Gordon, Graça Machel, Joel Bakan, Matthew Fox, Barbara Kingsolver, Jean-Daniel Ó Donncada, and others. The book's foreword is by the 14th Dalai Lama. The musical album Resisto Dancing×Resisto Dancing2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Human Child4:072A Covenant1:213Where We All Belong (Chant)4:024Blessed Be3:035It Takes a Village3:186Tomorrow's Children3:477Count With Me2:448Resisto Dancing3:519Salaam Shalom, Side by Side3:5110Turn This World Around4:4611Where We All Belong (Ballad)3:0412Counting on You3:1713Song for the Dalai Lama3:46: Songs of Compassionate Revolution was released as a tie-in for the book.
In a 2006 speech, Iona Campagnolo, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, referred to child honouring as a "vast change in the human paradigm."
Raffi advocates for a child's right to live free of commercial exploitation and he has consistently refused all commercial endorsement offers. Raffi's company has never directly advertised nor marketed to children. In 2005, he sent an open letter to Ted Rogers of Rogers Wireless, urging them to stop marketing cell phones to children. He also turned down a film proposal for "Baby Beluga×Baby Beluga1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracksA1Baby Beluga2:43A2Biscuits in the Oven2:27A3Oats and Beans and Barley Grow1:28A4Day O3:01A5Thanks a Lot2:29A6To Everyone in All the World1:46A7All I Really Need3:46B1Over in the Meadow2:19B2This Old Man2:26B3Water Dance1:55B4Kumbaya2:23B5Joshua Giraffe6:05B6Morningtown Ride2:24" because of the nature of the funding, which was based on exploitative advertising and marketing.
In October 2006, Raffi was presented with the Fred Rogers Integrity Award by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood at the Judge Baker Children's Center in Boston, for his consistent refusal to use his music in endorsements that market products directly to children.
In 2012, after learning details surrounding the online bullying, exploitation and ultimate suicide of teenager Amanda Todd, Raffi and his Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring co-founded the Red Hood Project with business owner, former Crown prosecutor, community and arts philanthropist and advocate Sandy Garossino and design professional, writer, educator and community activist Mark Busse. Red Hood Project is a movement for consumer protection for children online that launched in November 2012.
In June 2013, Raffi published the book Lightweb Darkweb: Three Reasons to Reform Social Media Before it Re-forms Us, which examines both the benefits and the dangers present on the internet and in social media.

Personal life

In 1975, Raffi married Deborah Pike, a kindergarten teacher and high school classmate; they divorced in 1991. He became a vegetarian in 1980.
Although Raffi's music is geared towards children, Raffi has never had any children himself.
He owned a home on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia from 2008 until 2024, when he put the property on the market. He has been a critic of American President Donald Trump, especially regarding the effects of his policies on children and youth.

Awards and memberships

Order of Canada (1983).
125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992).
Canadian Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002).
Canadian Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
Order of British Columbia (2001).
Doctor of Music, from the University of Victoria (honorary degree)
Doctor of Letters, from the University of British Columbia (honorary degree)
Doctor of Letters, from Wilfrid Laurier University (honorary degree)
Fred Rogers Integrity Award (2006)
Special Achievement Award at the SOCAN Awards in Toronto in 2000.
2010 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award Winner.
Honorary Doctorate of Letters, Vancouver Island University (2014)
Companion of the Order of Canada (2025)

Studio albums

Good Luck Boy (1975)
Singable Songs for the Very Young (1976)
Adult Entertainment (1977)
More Singable Songs (1977)
The Corner Grocery Store (1979)
Baby Beluga (1980)
Rise and Shine (1982)
Raffi's Christmas Album (1983)
One Light, One Sun (1985)
Everything Grows (1987)
Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band (1989)
Evergreen Everblue (1990)
Raffi on Broadway (1993)
Bananaphone (1994)
Raffi Radio (1995)
Country Goes Raffi (2001) (tribute album)
Let's Play (2002)
Where We All Belong (2003)
Song for the Dalai Lama (2004) (commemorative CD)
Resisto Dancing – Songs of Compassionate Revolution (2006)
Communion (2009)
Love Bug (2014)
Owl Singalong (2016)
Dog on the Floor (2018)
Nursery Rhymes For Kinder Times (with Lindsay Munroe) (2022)
Penny Penguin (with The Good Lovelies) (2024)

Compilations

Raffi in Concert (1996)
The Singable Songs Collection (1996)
Raffi's Box of Sunshine (2000)
Quiet Time (2006)
Animal Songs (2008)
Songs of Our World (2008)
Fun Food Songs (2013)
Best Of Raffi (2017)
Motivational Songs (2019)

Singable Songs for the Very Young (1976)

"The More We Get Together"
"Down By the Bay"
"Brush Your Teeth"
"Robin in the Rain"
"I Wonder If I'm Growing"
"Bumping Up and Down"
"Willoughby Wallaby Woo"
"Spider on the Floor"
"Baa Baa Black Sheep"
"Peanut Butter Sandwich"
"The Sharing Song"
"Mr. Sun"

More Singable Songs (1977)

"Six Little Ducks"
"You Gotta Sing"
"Oh Me, Oh My!"
"He'll Be Coming Down the Chimney"
"Shake My Sillies Out"
"If I Had a Dinosaur"
"I've Been Working on the Railroad"

The Corner Grocery Store (1979)

"Knees Up Mother Brown"
"Cluck, Cluck, Red Hen"
"My Way Home"
"Anansi"
"The Corner Grocery Store×The Corner Grocery Store1979 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracksA1You'll Sing a Song and I'll Sing a Song1:36A2Pick a Bale o' Cotton1:25A3Frère Jacques1:07A4There Came a Girl From France1:10A5Cluck, Cluck, Red Hen1:34A6Boom Boom1:23A7Here Sits a Monkey1:02A8My Way Home2:14A9Les Zombis et les loups-garous2:42B1Swing Low, Sweet Chariot1:50B2Anansi2:11B3The Corner Grocery Store1:52B4Jig Along Home2:14B5Popcorn0:18B6Y a un rat / Sur le pont d'Avignion2:08B7Going on a Picnic1:12B8Rock-A-Bye Baby1:10B9Goodnight, Irene3:04"
"Y A Un Rat"/"Sur le Pont d'Avignon"
"Going on a Picnic"
"Goodnight, Irene"

Baby Beluga (1980)

"Baby Beluga×Baby Beluga1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracksA1Baby Beluga2:43A2Biscuits in the Oven2:27A3Oats and Beans and Barley Grow1:28A4Day O3:01A5Thanks a Lot2:29A6To Everyone in All the World1:46A7All I Really Need3:46B1Over in the Meadow2:19B2This Old Man2:26B3Water Dance1:55B4Kumbaya2:23B5Joshua Giraffe6:05B6Morningtown Ride2:24"
"Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)"
"Thanks a Lot"
"All I Really Need"

Rise and Shine (1982)

"Rise and Shine×Rise and Shine1982 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracksA1Rise and Shine2:04A2Walk, Walk, Walk2:03A3Thumbelina1:50A4Wheels on the Bus1:34A5Daniel3:19A6Five Little Ducks2:14A7He's Got the Whole World2:12A8Big Beautiful Planet2:41B1I'm in the Mood3:00B2Something in My Shoe2:29B3Michaud1:26B4Nursery Rhyme Instrumental1:14B5Tete, Epaules0:41B6Let's Do the Numbers Rhumba2:02B7Ducks Like Rain1:17B8Row, Row, Row1:19B9This Little Light of Mine1:55"
"Walk, Walk, Walk"
"The Wheels on the Bus"
"Daniel"
"Five Little Ducks"
"He's Got the Whole World"
"Big Beautiful Planet"
"I'm in the Mood"
"Something In My Shoe"
"This Little Light of Mine"

Raffi's Christmas Album (1983)

"Every Little Wish"
"A Child’s Gift of Love"

One Light, One Sun (1985)

"Time to Sing"
"Apples and Bananas"
"Fais Dodo"
"Riding in an Airplane"
"Like Me and You"
"The Bowling Song"
"Tingalayo"
"De Colores"
"One Light, One Sun×One Light, One Sun1985 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Time to Sing1:482Apples and Bananas1:403Take Me Out to the Ballgame2:074Octopus's Garden2:565Fais Dodo1:316In My Garden1:517Riding in an Airplane2:578Like Me and You2:429Down on Grandpa's Farm2:4510The Bowling Song2:0811Tingalayo3:0512Somewhere in the World1:4113Walk Outside2:0514De Colores2:3815Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star1:1116One Light, One Sun2:13"
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

Everything Grows (1987)

"Everything Grows×Everything Grows1987 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracksA1BathtimeA2Brown Girl in the RingA3The Little HouseA4The Mountain PolkaA5Savez-Vous Planter Des ChouxA6Mary Wore Her Red DressA7Eight Piggies in a RowA8Let's Make Some NoiseB1Everything GrowsB2Ha Ha ThisawayB3Teddy Bear HugB4Saturday MorningB5Little White DuckB6Haru Ga KitaB7Just Like the Sun"
"Bathtime"
"Just Like the Sun"
"Haru Ga Kita"
"Teddy Bear Hug"
"Eight Piggies in a Row"
"Let's Make Some Noise"

Evergreen Everblue (1990)

"Evergreen Everblue×Evergreen Everblue1990 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks0Intro0:241Evergreen Everblue4:222Mama's Kitchen3:313Big Beautiful Planet3:234Alive and Dreaming3:465Where I Live4:056What's the Matter With Us3:427Our Dear, Dear Mother3:158Just Like the Sun2:449Clean Rain3:0710One Light, One Sun2:0911We Are Not Alone4:10"
"Big Beautiful Planet"
"Clean Rain"

Non-album singles

On Hockey Days
Wave of Democracy
Song For Healing (featuring Lindsay Munroe)
For All You Do (featuring Lindsay Munroe and Yo-Yo Ma)
Young People Marching (for Greta Thunberg)

Adult

The Life of a Children's Troubadour (2000)
Raffi; Olfman, Sharna, eds. (2006). Child honoring: how to turn this world around. Westport, Conn: Praeger Publishers. ISBN 978-0-275-98981-1. OCLC 63660166.
Lightweb Darkweb (2013)

Children

Raffi (1987). Down by the bay. Raffi Songs to Read. Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN 978-0-517-56644-2.
Raffi Christmas Treasury (1988)
Raffi (1987). Shake my sillies out. Raffi Songs to Read. Illustrated by David Allender. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN 978-0-517-56646-6.
Shake My Sillies Out (1988)
Tingalayo (1988)
Raffi (1989). Everything grows. Raffi Songs to Read (1st ed.). New York: Crown. ISBN 978-0-517-57275-7.
Raffi (1992). Baby Beluga. Raffi Songs to Read. Illustrated by Ashley Wolff. Random House Children's Books. ISBN 9780517583623.
Rise and Shine (1995)
One Light, One Sun (1995)
Like Me and You (1996)
Spider on the Floor (1996)
This Little Light of Mine (1997)
Wheels on the Bus (1998)
Five Little Ducks (1999)
Raffi (2021). Thanks a lot. Raffi Songs to Read. Illustrated by Jaime Kim. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-593-17263-6. OCLC 1267537263.