New generations of pre-school rock and roll aficionados will owe their familiarity with the words and music to two brilliant professionals who met on a country lane in Middleburg, Virginia.

Their creation, Monty the Mini Master, is being welcomed by children and parents alike as the ideal sing-along companion for households with young families in early test markets.

Eleanor Kuhl, who for years worked closely with Dave Matthews Band and directed projects for Music Today in Charlottesville, had moved to Leith Lane in Middleburg. Two-and-a-half years ago, she walked up the lane to meet her new neighbors, Geoff and Linda Huntington. Linda, a New Yorker who had worked in the music business in Southern California since 1978, had been ready to get back to the East Coast and when her husband was recruited for a position in the Washington, D.C. area, they were delighted to find a home they loved on Leith Lane.

Although she was still developing talent for Emerald Forest Entertainment, she, too, was looking for something new to do. The rest of the Monty the Mini Master story is rapidly becoming the history of a fabulous, entrepreneurial idea founded on a serendipitous meeting of two perfectly matched professionals. That meeting led to the foundation of 3 Leith Records, and to the creation of a delightful animated character, Monty the Mini Master, who is being introduced to the market slowly in a carefully planned grassroots strategy.

Listening to the founders describe how their property will be marketed parallels conversations in Fortune Fifty boardrooms. Their experience on both sides of the music industry has allowed them to create an impeccable positioning plan that they are rolling out intelligently and to the enthusiastic applause of toddlers and parents alike.

The origin of the idea has all the characteristics of a classic response to a personal need. "I have to admit that I was getting really tired of 'Baa Baa Black Sheep,'" said Eleanor, laughing. "My children, Beach, who's two-and-a-half, and Sarah, who's one-and-a-half, love music, but I spent hours searching the children's music section of big box stores without finding anything they could play that I would enjoy as well."

"I had a lot of ideas about what kind of music I'd like to have for my kids, and enough experience in the music business to know what I wanted was absolutely possible to produce, but not enough experience in all aspects of the business to be confident that I had the network and the expertise to create a success." Linda, of course, had precisely the network, expertise and enthusiasm to provide all the missing pieces.

"I couldn't believe it when Eleanor began to tell me about her idea for a new music series for children that parents would also love," Linda continued. "When she told me how frustrated she was with the music selections available for children, I understood immediately what she was talking about. We were a perfect team. Eleanor had a brilliant idea and I knew how to create the music! Then, together we knew how to build a market introduction plan that would grow naturally and successfully into a multi-platform portfolio for many media outlets."

Monty, illustrated here, is a delightfully childlike fellow who loves to play all instruments and wants all his listeners to join him in his 'Tune Room' and learn to play music as well as sing along. His repertoire already includes a full spectrum of memorable music young parents and grandparents will love. A few of the CD titles include "I Love Rock and Roll," "Shake it Up," "Jump," "Dreams," and more.

The first objective was to turn the idea into a character who could provide the brand and introduction to children to the music. That step was simple; the character of Monty was created in the first round of drawings.

"We were so lucky to work with two amazing creative talents, Peter Bunetta and Rick Chudacoff, who produce the music for us," Linda said. Bunetta and Chudacoff are full partners in the music component of the Monty property. "We license all the songs and Peter and Rick treat them with childlike contexts that make them perfect for toddlers," Eleanor explained. "They're absolutely amazing, I defy anyone not to want to sing along with Monty!"

Linda and Eleanor are executive producers of the music and own the Monty character. They tested Monty and his music on all their friends and family until they were happy they had the right mix of music style for toddlers, and they really went to work. With the kind and generous help of Bridget Wilson at The Magic Wardrobe in Middleburg, they introduced the first CD and were astounded at the rapid and positive response from parents.

"We had no idea how much demand there would be for music parents and toddlers could enjoy together," Linda said. "We were honestly thrilled that the demand justified our own enthusiasm and we are racing to build the brand out carefully across the entire market spectrum before we move Monty to television and apparel."

"There is an enormous market right now for truly creative children's products," Eleanor explained. "We just want to be certain Monty has a secure audience and consistent demand before we go big."

Both partners are personally introducing Monty to retail outlets up and down the Eastern and Southern markets. Recently, Eleanor and her family moved to Charleston, South Carolina, so she's responsible for that segment of the market and Linda is loading Monty's CDs into her car to introduce him in Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and New York.

"Our website, www.minimastermusic.com has already created an audience," Linda elaborated, "and we will very shortly be available at Amazon. Right now, we have an artist who needs to be heard!"

Both partners hope that Monty will become a personality who is a household name, a member of many families who want to have fun with their children in Monty's Tune Room. Priced at $12.99 in retail outlets, Monty's CDs offer real value and immense pleasure to parents who, from time to time, want to listen to The Police rather than Baa Baa Black Sheep. Monty's CDs are available at The Magic Wardrobe, 108 Washington Street, Middleburg, VA and at www.minimastermusic.com