"Nutmegger" is the latest recording from Steve Elci and Friends

May 5—If you think about it, Peter Pan would have been the perfect rock star because he never aged. Similarly, music fans are happily tethered to the music of their childhood so that, today, the songs and artists provide a sort of aural time machine back to those most magical years.

Meet Steve Elci — AKA Peter Pan, who is providing YOUR kids with the soundtracks of their youth.

Elci is a Waterford-based singer-songwriter who, working for the past dozen years with a malleable group of pals, under the name Steve Elci and Friends, has released a series of superb pop albums designed for children — with the express goal that Mom and Dad will love the tunes as well.

Today, their latest album, "Nutmegger," is officially out. Conforming to modern-day music industry trends and metrics, Elci says the album will only be available on streaming services like Apple, Amazon, Spotify and so on. Fees depend on the service you have.

The first local show in support of "Nutmegger" takes place June 18 at Ocean Beach Park in New London.

The album is a typically energetic, playful, positive and instantly hummable recording in the almost eerie sense that Elci isn't capable of not writing a good hook. In fact, given the priority that his music is to provide life lessons as well as educational tips, it wouldn't be surprising if the previous sentence inspired him to write a tune called "No to Double Negatives!"

The nine songs on "Nutmegger" — an A-to-Z collection of wonderful Monkees/Turtles style work — include "Silly Words," "Crayons in the Sun," "4th of July," "Yellow and Green," "Spin Around," "I Won't Say Goodbye," "Tugboat," "Daffodil Girl" and "Only One You."

The latter two songs are the first singles, and each was released with an accompanying video, which is part of an emphatic strategy to utilize all possible do-it-yourself marketing plans. It's a sound concept in any case, but also emphasizes a truism: that it's a long shot for any artist to earn a national or international fan base given the structure and realities of the industry.

But Elci has done very well in the region and throughout New England since he shifted his focus in 2010 to children's and family music. Before then, he played in rock bands like Superbald and The Steve Elci Project. Given that his wife Cheryl is a teacher and that, at the time, they were raising two young sons, Jordan and Connor, Elci's professional curiosity was piqued by the music he was hearing designed for the younger demographic.

He listened to and enjoyed work by children's music superstars like Raffi and the Wiggles, as well as established tunes-for-grown-ups artists like They Might Be Giants and Barenaked Ladies, who were and are dabbling in kids' music. It was an easy decision and a happy moment, Elci says, when he decided to focus his formidable songwriting and performance skills on educational and optimistic pop tunes that instantly engaged kids and their parents.

He formed Steve Elci and Friends — which currently includes long-time members and rappers Casey and Michelle O'Neill, drummer Sean Fakes and keyboardist Teri Leclair — and over the years they're released the albums "Vowels," "Crayons in a Box," "Imagination Nation" and "Jump in a Puddle." In support, they've performed hundreds of live shows and built a big regional fan base. Earlier this week, via email, Elci answered questions about "Nutmeggers" and his career. Answers have been edited for space and clarity.

Q: How do you plan to promote "Nutmegger" as we (hopefully) head into a summer of significantly diminished COVID?

A: We'll continue with ongoing marketing, promotion and use of videos. "Nutmegger" is the first album I've done where all the "singles" are supported with music videos, and this has no doubt helped with streaming and recognition so far.

I have many shows near and far, from New London to Trumbull. I'll be doing most of them solo, playing to backing tracks, and really focusing on the new material. I do have a few shows that will require live trio arrangements of the songs, and Shawn and Terri will join me for those. And, of course, Casey and Michele are longtime staples to the shows and will be with me whenever their schedules permits.

Basically, we're all starting from scratch and trying something new. Keeping it all fresh in part is what keeps my creativity and enjoyment high.

Q: You've experienced more than a few "near misses" in terms of breaking out nationally. Where are you emotionally and mentally in the context of the music business and your efforts therein? Is there frustration and, if so, does it impair your creativity or energy?

A: I am disenchanted by the industry. Having said that, I am inspired by all the people across the world I interact with and now collaborate with. I've been in the Grammy network since 2012 and learned the industry — like anything else — revolves around money. ... You need a notable and expensive publicist ... who is able to put artists into high-profile magazines and on radio stations to generate massive exposure.

For artists like myself (which is the vast majority), all of our marketing and networking is done text to text, post to post and, when possible, eyeball to eyeball. Needless to say, for a children's/family music artist from New London County, even with lots of "near misses," the process and costs (make big success) virtually impossible.

Yet, I still have The Dream. I still want to make the best music I can for kids and families. That's what this is all about.

Q: How did you as an artist deal with COVID given that you're in the business of writing music for children and — it's important to note — their parents. Ideally, that genre of music accentuates the positive. Was it hard to focus and generate good work in that context over the epidemic and even going back through the increasing ideological polarization in our country?

A: "Numegger" was created during the COVID lockdown. The time afforded me complete dedication to the music and writing process. Yes: wanting to create something that truly accentuates the positive for children and families, all I had to do for inspiration on a daily basis was musically counter the deceit, anger and bigotry from the former administration. I had plenty of inspiration and the result is arguably my best effort to date.

Q: You'll be touring behind "Nutmegger" for the next several months. Anything else happening musically folks should know about?

A: I'm working with Grammy producers on a global compilation album to raise money for children with special needs. I contributed a new song that could be one of my best. The album will have many children's and national artists on it with names you'll recognize. The project will be released in June with a big splash. More to come on this.

Q: You've been in the children's music business long enough that those in the target demographic for your first album are grown up and possibly have children of their own. Your own boys are adults (or almost). Do you hear from any of those early fans and does the music still resonate with them?

A: As I go about my normal life, which includes grocery shopping, banking and so on, I'm often stopped by young adults who as kids would come to all my shows. I can see it in their faces that they are a bit starstruck and typically all they want is a photo with me for social media — which I'm honored to do.

For me, this is the ultimate success. They know all the songs and they have great memories of partaking in all of the musical activities we do onstage. Most of the time, I don't even recognize them because they've changed and grown so much. There's a big difference between a third grader and a high school senior! But if in some way my songs have brightened their day or childhood, I am beyond humbled.