November 2007 Tour Dates

November 3 at 11:00, Storytelling Tent, Louisiana Book Festival, State Library of Louisiana, Downtown Baton Rouge, LA
November 3 from 12:00-1:00, Book Signing, Pelican Booth,Louisiana Book Festival, State Library of Louisiana, Downtown Baton Rouge, LA
November 3 at 2:00, Author Presentation and Book Signing, Seminar Center, State Library of Louisiana, Louisiana Book Festival, Baton Rouge, LA
November 3 from 3:00-4:00, Book Signing, Barnes & Noble Booth, Louisiana Book Festival, State Library of Louisiana, Downtown Baton Rouge, LA
November 8 at 5:30 p.m., Tots N Tunes, Mandeville, LA
November 10 at 1:05 & 3:45, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Children's Tent, Downtown Covington, LA
November 13 at 1:00, Book Signing, Cherry Books, Thibodaux, LA
November 14 at 9:30, Gibson Branch Library, Gibson, LA
November 17 from 11:00-1:00, Book Signing, Sam's Club, 1527 Manhattan, Harvey, LA
November 24 from 2:00-4:00, Book Signing, Sam's Club, 10444 N. Mall Drive, Baton Rouge, LA

Fins and Grins on the Grammy Ballot!

My latest CD titled "Fins and Grins" is on the 50th Annual Grammy Awards first ballot!!! My CD is up for Best Musical Album for Children. Votes on this first ballot determine which CDs will be Grammy Nominees. Votes on the second Grammy Nominee ballot will determine which CD is a Grammy winner.

If you are a NARAS voting member, please vote for my CD. Here are the details:

Field 18 Children's
Category 77
Best Musical Album for Children
Johnette Downing
027. Fins and Grins

All you have to do is BELIEVE....and vote!

International Youth Summit

I had the great honor of performing at an International Youth Summit in Giza, Egypt in August. Teens from fifty different countries were in attendance. During my performance, I asked for volunteers to come on stage with me. The result was a magical moment with teens from all socioeconomic, religious and ethnic backgrounds enthusiastically joining me to play, sing, laugh and dance together as one. Music truly is the thread that unites the world and what a blessing it was for me to witness this first hand. I will never forget that moment nor the connections I made with teens there. See the photo at right.

October Tour Dates

Here are some of Johnette's public performance dates for October, 2007.

October 12 at 10:00, Dularge Library, Houma, LA
October 17 at 6:00 p.m., Educators Night, Barnes & Noble, Harvey, LA
October 19 at 2:30, Washington Parish Fair, Children's Stage, Franklinton, LA
October 20 from 11:45-12:45, Book Signing, Catholic Library Association Conference, Metairie, LA
October 26 at 7:45 p.m., Boo at the Zoo, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA
October 27 at 10:00, Monster Mash, Boga Falaya Park, Covington, LA
October 27 at 7:45 p.m., Boo at the Zoo, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA

We hope to see you there!

NAPPA Honors Book Award!

Hurray! Yippee! Johnette's first book Today Is Monday in Louisiana just received the prestigious NAPPA Award (National Parenting Publications Award)! The results will be announced Nov. 1, 2007 in 40 regional parenting magazines across the country and online at Parenthood.com. This distinction recognizes products as the best among toys, books, DVDs, software, video games, music and spoken-word recordings available for children today.

Welcome Friends and Fans!

Welcome to Johnette Downing's new Blog. Here you will find a "behind the scenes" look at Johnette and her music and books as she brings her special brand of musical and literary spice to children around the world. The latest and greatest news and information will all be posted here, so check in as often as possible. Also, be sure to check out Johnette's performance schedule on her website at http://johnettedowning.com/calendar.php and come out to see Johnette in concert when she is in your area! Until then, keep a song in your heart!