Canadian folk artist expands children’s storytelling franchise with music, live events and community outreach
Simcoe, Ont.-based singer-songwriter and author Tia McGraff is expanding her growing children’s entertainment catalogue with the release of a new single, “Caterpillar Song,” timed to coincide with the upcoming launch of her middle-grade book In Your Dreams, Jake later this fall.
Released through Bandana Records, the track marks McGraff’s latest venture into children’s music and storytelling, a segment that has become an increasingly visible part of her career alongside decades of work in Canada’s roots and folk music scene.
Produced by McGraff’s husband and longtime collaborator Tommy Parham, with keyboards and mixing by California-based Kevin Fisher, “Caterpillar Song” delivers a simple message centred on perseverance, self-discovery and resilience. The release also supports the second instalment of McGraff’s Jake the Road Dawg book series, which follows a touring rescue dog inspired by the couple’s adopted Nashville shelter pet.
McGraff said the song emerged unexpectedly during a drive home following an author appearance at Indigo.
“Caterpillars walk with tiny legs / Caterpillars can’t go very fast / Inching along they don’t give up / Sooner or later home at last.”
According to McGraff, the melody and lyrics arrived spontaneously during the drive, prompting her to record the idea into her phone. Although the song remained unused for more than two years, it later aligned naturally with the storyline of a new caterpillar character introduced in In Your Dreams, Jake.
The song’s central theme mirrors the broader narrative arc of the book, focusing on growth, patience and transformation. Its bridge reinforces that message with lines aimed at younger listeners and families.
“Follow your heart, follow your nose / Follow your dream wherever it goes / Just remember when it’s time for bed / To follow your footprints back home again.”
Longstanding Canadian music career
McGraff is among Canada’s established Americana and folk artists, with a career spanning several decades. She first gained national recognition after winning the Canadian Open Country Singing Contest at age 19 and later appeared on television alongside Johnny Cash and June Carter.
Over the years, she has also collaborated with Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive and had songs placed with Anne Murray’s publishing company.
Her catalogue now includes more than 11 international album releases, along with music placements in film and television. Recent honours include Social Justice and Peace Songs of the Year at the 2021 and 2022 EmPower Songwriting Awards, a Hamilton Music Award and a semi-finalist placement in the 2026 International Songwriting Competition.
In 2026, McGraff was inducted into the Norfolk Music Hall of Fame alongside Rory Dodd and Canadian folk musician Ian Bell, recognition that further cemented her influence within Ontario’s music community.
Industry praise has also continued to follow the creative partnership between McGraff and Parham. Music publication No Depression previously described the pair as one of the leading creative duos in the genre, while Nashville-based Bill Wence Promotions called McGraff one of the strongest singer-songwriters the company has worked with in the past decade.
Books and live programming build community presence
The Jake the Road Dawg series has evolved beyond publishing into a broader community-focused initiative that combines literacy programming, live music and charitable outreach.
Inspired by the couple’s travelling rescue dog, the books have supported fundraising and awareness campaigns for organizations including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, the Niagara Falls Humane Society and several animal rescue groups.
The stories have also formed the foundation for McGraff and Parham’s live children’s presentation, Songs’n’Tails, which brings interactive music and storytelling performances to libraries, bookstores and public venues across Ontario.
Shari Cann, editor, education specialist and trustee for the Grand Erie District School Board, described In Your Dreams, Jake as “a delightful read and an invaluable addition to the education system for children from grade three to eight.”
The duo has scheduled an extensive slate of Ontario appearances throughout 2026 and into 2027, including bookstore signings, library events, community festivals and live performances connected to both the new single and book release.
Upcoming appearances include stops in London, Niagara Falls, Cambridge, Waterloo, Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford, with the official In Your Dreams, Jake book launch planned for Sept. 6 at Indigo Stoney Creek.
Additional performances tied to the Songs’n’Tails program are expected to continue across schools, festivals and community spaces as McGraff expands the educational and family-focused reach of the franchise.
For McGraff, the latest release represents both a continuation of her music career and a growing investment in children’s storytelling that blends entertainment with themes of empathy, imagination and belonging.