“Since Logan is young and in his twenties, I thought that kids might be more likely to accept him as a credible figure they can relate to,” Grandinetti says.

McCarty initially appeared on the show last year, where he shared the spotlight with another guest, Grandinetti’s dentist.

After the dentist was interviewed on his favorite teeth-brushing techniques, McCarty sang some short arias as an image of Popeye moving his mouth flashed on the screen.

“It was a bit of a tenuous connection between Popeye and the arias, and it did seem a little silly, but it was also kind of cute,” says McCarty, “I’ve never been much of a visual artist, but I like old cartoons, and they’re part of our popular heritage.”

Grandinetti was so enthusiastic about McCarty’s participation that he wrote a coloring booklet—“Logan Likes His Lyrics”—to promote McCarty’s guest appearance on his show.

After McCarty’s successful first stint on “Drawing with Fred,” Grandinetti decided to make McCarty the star of a short cartoon—by turning the booklet into a three-minute animated skit, drawn by volunteer Neil Tenczar, for his show.

The cartoon would tell the story—originally outlined in the coloring book—of McCarty rescuing a kitten from a tree, building a nest for a bird, and stopping a rain storm that threatened to ruin a baseball game—all by way of his “magical voice.”

McCarty admits that he was a little reluctant at follow Grandinetti’s vision at first.

“On the one hand, it seemed a little silly, but then, a lot of things for kids often seem silly,” says McCarty, “I figured that it would at least be a worthwhile cultural experience. I will go along with anything.”

In December 2001, the fully animated “Logan Likes His Lyrics” aired on “Drawing with Fred.”

Since then, McCarty and Grandinetti have hosted story-telling sessions at the Watertown Public Library, where McCarty has treated his little fans to impromptu songs.

Both McCarty and Grandinetti say they are particularly excited about the opportunity to present opera to children in a more accessible format.

“Kids usually go ‘yuck’ when they hear about opera,” Grandinetti says, but he hopes that by blending cartoons and opera, “We’re showing them that opera can be both fun and creative.”

Harmonious Pursuits

McCarty sees chemistry and music as two parts of his larger ambition to teach, likely at the high school level.