<Tr> <Th> Label </Th> <Td> Bell Records (original issue) Arista Records (reissue) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Producer </Th> <Td> Carole Hart, Stephen J. Lawrence, Bruce Hart </Td> </Tr> <P> Free to Be...You and Me was a children's entertainment project, conceived, created and executive - produced by actress and author Marlo Thomas . Produced in collaboration with the Ms. Foundation for Women, it was a record album and illustrated book first released in November 1972 featuring songs and stories sung or told by celebrities of the day (credited as "Marlo Thomas and Friends") including Alan Alda, Rosey Grier, Cicely Tyson, Carol Channing, Michael Jackson, Shirley Jones, Jack Cassidy, and Diana Ross . An ABC special, also created by Marlo Thomas, using poetry, songs, and sketches followed two years later in March 1974 . The basic concept was to encourage post-1960s gender neutrality, saluting values such as individuality, tolerance, and comfort with one's identity . A major thematic message is that anyone--whether a boy or a girl--can achieve anything . </P> <P> The original idea to create the album began with Marlo Thomas, who wanted to teach her then - young niece Dionne about life, in particular that it is acceptable to refute or reject the gender stereotypes expressed in children's books of the period . In an Emmy Legends interview Thomas explains: </P>

Who wrote free to be you and me