Laurie Berkner

Children's Musical Artist

Travels From Travels From:
New York, NY, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Categories Categories:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Laurie Berkner Biography

Laurie Berkner has been a professional musician since 1992, but her success as a children’s recording artist was a surprise to her. “It was so unexpected,” says Laurie. “I’d been performing in rock bands and struggling to write original music. Writing music for kids has not been a struggle at all. The more I started working on material for children, the more I realized that it opened up creativity in me that I never knew I had.”

These days critics widely acknowledge Laurie’s major contribution toward launching what is now dubbed the progressive “kindie rock” movement – i.e. less saccharine, more rocking music that is not dumbed down for children. But it wasn’t simply an enormous amount of talent that helped create an entire genre and skyrocketed Laurie to her current position as “the queen of children’s music” (People Magazine). It was an ability to gain parents’ enthusiasm for the songs as well. According to Laurie, “When I’m writing a song, I’m thinking about whether the kids will like it and whether I’m going to connect to them through it. I’m also thinking about whether I want to sing it over and over again, so I guess that’s the part that connects with adults. Old MacDonald Had A Farm is a great song for kids, but I couldn’t sing it 100 times!”

While Laurie never planned to be a children’s performer, looking back on her career it almost seems inevitable. While growing up in Princeton, New Jersey, Laurie was always involved in music, whether singing in choirs, playing in bands, or performing in musical theater. In high school and throughout college (at Rutgers University), she toured Europe with several choirs and orchestras as a soloist and guitarist. After graduation, Laurie spent several years as a children’s music specialist at New York area preschool and day care centers. Working with children became the perfect creative outlet for Laurie to express her talents and create something that, she says, “has turned out to be incredibly rewarding.”

Laurie was the first recording artist ever to perform in music videos on Nick Jr. and appeared regularly on the network’s series Jack’s Big Music Show. Her latest television project is a short-form animated musical preschool series, "Sing It, Laurie!," which debuted in the spring of 2013 on 24-hour preschool television channel Sprout. "Sing It, Laurie!" stars Laurie’s voice and features her original music written for the series.

Laurie has released nine bestselling, award-winning albums: "Whaddaya Think Of That" (1997); "Buzz Buzz" (1998); "Victor Vito" (1999); "Under A Shady Tree" (2002); "Rocketship Run" (2008); "The Best Of The Laurie Berkner Band" (2010); "A Laurie Berkner Christmas" (2012); "Laurie Berkner Lullabies" (2014); and "The Ultimate Laurie Berkner Band Collection" (2014). Her Two Tomatoes Records has also co-released (with Razor & Tie Entertainment) two DVDs: "We are ... The Laurie Berkner Band" (2006) and "Party Day!" (2011). Laurie has authored four books based on her songs, including two Barnes & Noble NOOK Kids™ e-books.

Venturing into the world of the theater in 2013, Laurie wrote the music and lyrics for an Off-Broadway children’s musical, "Wanda’s Monster," produced by Making Books Sing. Her second children’s musical theater collaboration with Making Books Sing will be "The Amazing Adventures of Harvey and the Princess," which opened in November 2014 at Theater 3 in NYC.

Also new in 2014 was the NYC launch of Laurie Berkner’s The Music in Me, a “Me and My Grown-up” style program of preschool music classes designed by Laurie Berkner, with teachers personally trained by Laurie.

Laurie continues to be inspired by her audience. “I want to create songs that matter for children,” she says. “I was singing once and saw a four-year-old girl shut her eyes and start swaying to the music. I thought, ‘That’s the reason I got into music.’ It keeps me wanting to do more.”

When she’s not making music, Laurie enjoys visiting the farmer’s market for organic produce, knitting, biking and spending time with her husband, Brian, and their daughter, Lucy. They live in New York City.

BOOK Laurie Berkner

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 11/06/2024.

Laurie Berkner Videos

  • The Laurie Berkner Band - I'm Gonna Catch You - YouTube
  • Laurie Berkner - We are the Dinosaurs - YouTube

FAQs on booking Laurie Berkner

  • How do I book Laurie Berkner to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Laurie Berkner for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Laurie Berkner, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Laurie Berkner or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Laurie Berkner

    Speaking fees for Laurie Berkner, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Laurie Berkner are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Laurie Berkner, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Laurie Berkner speak about?

    Laurie Berkner is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Family & Parenting, Music.
  • Where does Laurie Berkner travel from?

    Laurie Berkner generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Laurie Berkner’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Laurie Berkner for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Laurie Berkner for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Laurie Berkner or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Laurie Berkner is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Laurie Berkner for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Laurie Berkner generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Patty Shukla, Jennifer Daniels, Bill Harley, Dan Zanes and Ziggy Marley. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Laurie Berkner for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP