The musical director of “Barney & Friends” received death threats over songs

Barney & Friends musical director Bob Singleton didn't warm everyone's hearts with his catchy melodies.

Appearing on the new Generation Barney podcast, Singleton recalled receiving death threats from people who hated the songs he wrote for the children's television series.

“When I was nominated for a Grammy, a local talk radio station said, 'Hey, that's great.' Then someone called and said, 'I wish I could put my hands around this guy's neck. 'I'd just really like to get him out,'” Singleton said, according to People.

He continued, “My email address was out there and I was getting people emailing me…that.” [were] They threaten me and my family with terrible death, dismemberment and terrible things.”

Singleton called the death threats “terrifying” and admitted that one of his haters even confronted him personally about not liking his music.

“I remember one time I went to a luncheon and we were sitting at a table,” he explained. “I said I was the music director at Barney, and this one guy – and I'm sure he meant well – said, 'Wow, my kids loved you, but I just wanted to kill you.'

“At that moment I have to think, 'Okay, is that someone I need to watch out for in the parking lot,' you know?” Singleton added. “Or is this just his way of saying, 'My kids liked it, I didn't.' So it was uncomfortable.”

Barney & Friends was about America's favorite purple dinosaur and aired from 1992 to 2010.

The series was based on “Barney & the Backyard Gang,” whose final season in 1991 featured Singleton as music director. He was then responsible for the music for the first three seasons of “Barney & Friends”.

For producing the show's debut album, Barney's Favorites, Volume 1, Singleton was nominated for Best Children's Music Album at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards in 1994.

Selena Gomez, who got her start on “Barney & Friends” alongside Demi Lovato, looked back on her childhood role in 2018.

“It was amazing to be 7 years old and be able to experience that. It was wild,” the Only Murders in the Building star said in an interview with BBC Radio.

Gomez also said that she tried to have the cast reunite a few years earlier, but was told she “couldn't be on the show.” [because] I’m not in the right union.”

Lovato, 32, told Howard Stern last year that when she was 10, she “was teased in school” because she was on “Barney.”

“I can’t remember what they teased me about,” she continued. “I just remember my mom saying when I got home from school, 'You're laughing all the way to the bank.' “