Gloria Domina of Bethlehem received a Grammy at the 54th Grammy awards ceremony in February. The award for the best children's album, All About Bullies... Big And Small, was given to the five producers of the album including Domina, James Cravero, Kevin Mackie, Steve Pullara, and Patrick Robinson.

The family album, oriented towards children 8 to 12 years old, contains 37 tracks by over 30 musicians, all written specifically for this album.

All About Bullies... was recorded at East Coast recording studios under the supervision of the five producers. "We are all volunteers," Domina said. "We all do this on a pro bono basis, just to make a positive change in our community."

All About Bullies... is the second Grammy nomination for the five producers—an ad hoc group that has no name. Last year, their album Healthy Food For Thought earned a Grammy nomination In the category of Best Spoken Word Album for Children. That album benefited the Healthy Eating Coalition for Schools In New York. "We were really happy to receive a nomination for that," Domina said.

"We look for a need in the community and, when we find the need, we begin to produce an album," she continued. "We gather all the artists, local and well-known. We write the songs and poems. Then we put an album together."

Last year, the five producers decided to do an anti-bullying album. "Last year's proceeds went to PACER Kids Against Bullying—the National Bullying Prevention Center."

In addition to artists from Northeastern Pennsylvania, they were able to attract nationally known artists including Vini Lopez, a founding member of the E Street Band; Eric Bazillion a founding member of the Hooters, and Trout Fishing in America.

In addition to receiving the Grammy, All About Bullies... won a Gold Parents' Choice Award, the first gold award for the five producers.

"This album was chosen because there is such a need to get the word out about bullying," Domina said. "Many of the producers were bullied as children, and last year I was bullied for a whole year as an adult. That's why it's About Bullies... Big And Small.

"It is a children's album, but actually it is a family album," she continued. "We have had parents contact us and say that this is the first children's album that they don't mind hearing over and over."

One woman wrote to her and said "My kids played this at least 200 times in the car. They know every song by heart, and so do I. I look forward to hearing it."

"We knew we pulled off something great together when teachers and librarians began buying it," Domina said. "Kids were memorizing the songs and playing it over and over. To get children to play an album 200 times—that's when we knew it was a success.

"The kids love it," she continued. "It has made some kids aware that they were bullied, and other kids aware that they were also bullies.

"The Grammy is just the icing on the cake," Domina said. "We did this project out of our hearts. It's wonderful to win a Grammy, but getting the word out about anti-bullying was our main objective."

Domina is the director of the Lehigh Valley Music Awards. "These awards are in their 14th year, and are the largest regional music awards in the state of Pennsylvania," she said.

Domina is also the founder and director of Women in Art in Pennsylvania, an organization that helps abused women and children. "My focus has always been children and community service," she said.

To find out more about these albums, go to allaboutbulliesbigandsmall.com, or healthyfoodforthought.com website.

© Al Zagofsky 2012