Award-winning pop musician and songwriter Greg Lato, who is from Narragansett, adds to his body of adult music with the July 24 release of his first children’s album, Create My Own World, featuring two-time Grammy winning children’s entertainer Bill Harley as special guest.
Create My Own World presents a fun and inspiring soundscape in these challenging times, through music as relatable to kids as it is nostalgic to parents. The album is influenced by ‘70s and ‘80s pop artists like Hall & Oates, Phil Collins, Todd Rundgren, and The Cars, with a taste of Lenny Kravitz and the Rolling Stones thrown in for good measure.
“Writing and recording Create My Own World was the most fun I’ve ever had making an album because I was able to express myself in ways that I couldn’t on my previous adult albums.” says Greg Lato. “I saw this project as a blank canvas where I could let all my creative juices flow. The experience was particularly special for me because I made it a family affair. My two daughters are heard on a couple of tracks, and my dad plays a sax solo on the title track!”
Greg was born and raised in Providence and grew up in a musical family. His father, jazz sax player Vinny Lato, had an extensive collection of albums, and from the time Greg discovered them at age six, he was hooked. Greg started playing guitar when he was eight, and within two years had begun writing his own songs, watching MTV as a source of inspiration. Throughout high school, college, and into adulthood, Greg picked up other instruments, including drums, bass guitar, and piano, and took advantage of every performing opportunity that came his way.
With its songs about imagination, creativity, exploration, kindness, and family, Create My Own World helps kids look beyond a life of quarantine and distance learning to a future when they will truly be able to create their world anew.
Album highlights include the boppy, EDM-influenced opening number “I Like Sprinkles” and the synthy “Hi Gene,” which could be the soundtrack to a John Hughes flick for the pre-adolescent. The confidence parable “Two Slow Snails” is a duet featuring Bill Harley, while the ‘80s influenced title track is an ode to the powers of imagination. Greg brings a true ‘70s Badfinger/Todd Rundgren/Elton John-era vibe to his anthem for the absent-minded, “I Can’t Find My Sock.” His dual inspirations for “Share My Stuff” were Lenny Kravitz and the Stones.
“Try,” with its uplifting, tropical vibe, was described by the Warwick Beacon as “a motivational joy for both parents and kids.” The song was written to accompany Greg Lato’s sing-along children’s book of the same title. Greg has let his own imagination go to work envisioning his daughters’ future, and the result is his tender ballad “What Daddies Do (I Will Be With You),” a promise to his girls and an inspiration to dads everywhere.
Four brief spoken word vignettes by Greg Lato are sprinkled among the songs, and these cozy reflections contribute to the album’s up-close-and-personal feel.
Ultimately coming to see himself as a songwriter first and a performer second, Greg went on to compose for film, TV, and other artists, most recently co-writing with The Voice runner-up Billy Gilman. Greg received two awards from the Billboard World Song Contest, had one of his music videos air on the FUSE channel, wrote a song for a film that went to #1 on the iTunes movie charts and spent 8 months in the Top 10, has written for network TV shows, has had his songs played in McDonalds, Subway, several department stores and Planet Fitness franchises, and co-wrote the Young Survivors theme song for the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Foundation.
Taking a step into the literary world, Greg recently released Try, an inspirational sing-along children’s book about not being afraid to take chances.
Previous Greg Lato releases include the albums Cassetting Son (2018), Lato & The Nevers: Fire Between Us (2016), Do The Best With What I Got (2010), and Monday Morning Breakdown (2009).
Create My Own World will be available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, CDBaby, and more.
