ROSS ORENSTEIN

Award-winning children’s songwriter Ross Orenstein started his children’s songwriting career licensed by the National Crime Prevention Council to write music for McGruff the Crime Dog. He followed that up by creating his own character, the Safety Ape. The Safety Ape was licensed by Liberty Mutual Insurance for a Radio Disney Tour to teach children important safety messages using music as the messenger. Ross produced a puppet production on reading and literacy for Coca-Cola and Reading is Fundamental (RIF) for their Story Traveler Tour featuring his original music. He produced a children’s show featuring Eco the Butterfly and The Eco Team puppets as a partner in Music as Message. The pilot episode aired on WSRE/PBS on Earth Day 2018.The “Be a Green Hero” spinoff short film won best score music short at Show Low Film Festival in 2022.  Ross has written over 600 songs for the non-profit Songs of Love Foundation and released his “RossO’s Happy Songs for Kids” album on YouTube and all streaming media. He is now writing songs for the Sing Me a Story Foundation. “Waiting to be a Waitress,” a musical comedy that he wrote the music and lyrics for, premiered in Pensacola to sold-out crowds in August 2023 and raised $30,000 for Gulf Coast Kids House. Ross serves on the Board of Directors of the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival and coordinates the school visits.