Америкалық еврей музыканты және жазушысы – Кантри Йосси Тоив

American writer

Yossi (Joseph) Toiv (born January 9, 1949), known professionally as Country Yossi, is an American Orthodox Jewish composer, singer, radio show host, author, and magazine publisher. A composer and singer in the Jewish music genre, Toiv has to his credit three albums as a member of the group Or Chodosh ("New Light") circa 1971–73, seven albums under the name Country Yossi and the Shteeble Hoppers, and a series of six albums for children called Kivi and Tuki. He also released "Country Yossi's Classic Calls" a humorous collection of actual on air phone calls to his radio show. He has also released two animated Kivi and Tuki DVDs. Toiv adopted his stage name from his parodies of popular country music tunes that he reworked to convey Orthodox Jewish themes. He then transferred the name as a brand name onto the magazine, radio show, musical albums, and children's books which he has published for the mostly Orthodox Jewish market in the United States. Toiv has become famous as the composer of "Little Kinderlach" which was adapted as the ubiquitous Kars4Kids jingle.

Yossi Toiv was born and raised in East New York, Brooklyn. His father, Chaim Toiv, was a well known hazzan. As a child in the 1950s, Yossi enjoyed listening to country music and writing Jewish parodies of popular songs, such as "Big Bad Moish" (a takeoff on "Big Bad John"). In the acknowledgments for her book Holy Brother: Inspiring Stories and Enchanted Tales about Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, author Yitta Halberstam Mandelbaum thanks Toiv for his willingness to print many of her controversial articles, including one about musician rabbi Shlomo Carlebach which led to her writing that biography. Through his magazine and radio show, Toiv has promoted the careers of many singers and entertainers catering to the Orthodox Jewish market, including Dovid Gabay, Avi Newmark, Yacov Young, Shua Kessin, Yossi Green, Eli Gerstner, and Shauli. His career has inspired many others including Yossi Green (songwriter), Lenny Solomon (Shlock Rock) and Sheya Mendlowitz (Producer).

Toiv has collaborated with Heshy Walfish on 15 humorous music albums on Orthodox Jewish themes for children. Many songs are parodies of mainstream songs that Toiv has adapted to convey Jewish messages. He composed one of the songs on Shua Kessin's 2009 album.

Toiv married Hadassah Buchinger (born 1954 in Tel Aviv) in Brooklyn in October 1973. They have four daughters. Toiv earned a master's degree in psychology from Long Island University.