Al Simmons, the master of one-man, multi-prop, music-filled performances, is back with his latest release, “The Whistling Egg Man —and other tall tales.” For over 55 years, Al has entertained audiences worldwide, spreading joy and laughter to people of all ages with his clever comedy, delivered with heartwarming charm.
Hailing from Anola, Manitoba, Al has performed in theatres and at festivals across North America, sharing the spotlight with every major symphony orchestra in Canada and gracing the stages of Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and Japan. However, in 2018, a fire devastated most of the props and costumes built over Al’s illustrious career. The outpouring of support from his fans, including donations and musical instruments, inspired Al to rebuild and continue, a testament to his enduring connection with his audience.
The next year brought the challenge of the COVID pandemic. Undeterred, Al turned adversity into an opportunity and revisited his vault of song ideas. He first recorded tracks “COVID Style” following every pandemic protocol– one musician at a time, everyone masked, and everything sanitized between takes. As restrictions lifted, Al switched from laying down individual tracks at Scott Nolan’s Song Shop, to bringing in an entire band for a fun-filled recording session at Larry Roy’s studio.
Al Simmons’ commitment to spreading laughter and joy is evident in every single one of these 14 novelty songs and stories. ”The Whistling Egg Man—and other tall tales” is a delightful collection of music and whimsy that showcases Al’s inventive wordplay, imaginative storytelling and the puns we have come to love and expect.
The biggest surprise of this recording does not come from puns or the delightfully goofy yet instructional lyrics, but from the poignant We Came Here Too Late. For the first time, listening to an Al Simmons song just might bring a tear to the eye. While Al’s mad cap songs offer something to kids and the children in all of us, We Came Here Too Late is for all the aging children, looking back over long lives.
