After a recent show, yet another mom approached me and said, “I’m so glad to finally hear some music I can tolerate. There is just no other decent children’s music out there.”

How sadly under-informed she is and so very wrong!

I hear this so frequently that’s it’s time I offered a primer of American children’s music.

Folks, there has never been a better time for really fantastic, diverse family music. I started in this business 13 years ago, and the changes since then have been monumental. Just in the past three years the musical offerings have become so good that I’m starting to get nervous!

Let’s start with the local scene. I like to remind local folks that Kansas City has one of the strongest family music scenes in the country. And that’s not just biased opinion. The number and quality of our children’s acts is comparable to that of Chicago, New York, and LA.

People are taking notice of what’s happening here in large part because of the overwhelming success of Jiggle Jam – held annually on Memorial Day weekend at Crown Center.  It is regarded by many in the industry as the biggest and best family music festival in the country.

So, first check out our local music acts:

Dino O’Dell is a master composer and performer who has been rockin’ around KC for more than a decade.

Funky Mama is the coolest mom in the business, and her voice will blow you away.

The Doo Dads offer a full-blown rock and roll experience for kids. And they’ve had a #1 hit on XM Kids satellite radio.

The La La's sing sweet harmonies that children of all ages love.

Rockin’ Rob is relatively new to scene and brings years of experience as an award-winning “Barbershopper”. He wowed audiences at this year’s Jiggle Jam.


There are many non-local acts that get “two thumbs up” from our girls and get lots of play time in the van. There is so much great music out there, that I can only scratch the surface with these few recommendations…

Hands down our favorite CD in the past couple of years is the Grammy-nominated and self-titled “Here Comes Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could.” Their music just feels great, like a well-worn pair of jeans. They’re a little bit Springsteen and a little bit Woody Guthrie. They totally rocked at Jiggle Jam last year, and we hope to bring them back to KC next year.

Another group that gets a lot of play at our house is the Sugar Free Allstars from Oklahoma City. Their music is funky and fresh and different than most things you’ve heard. Check them out on line and listen to “Rock Awesome” and the totally goofy “Banana Pudding.” They’ve been a regular crowd favorite at Jiggle Jam.

Some of the most clever writing is from Seattle’s Recess Monkey. They’ve set out to achieve a Beatles-esque sound and they’ve achieved it well. Fabulous harmonies and quirky lyrics reminiscent of the Fab Four’s Sgt. Pepper’s phase. They, too, had a fabulous showing at last year’s Jiggle Jam. They’ve got some really cool and goofy videos, too.

In my meager opinion, I think that the shoe-in for this year’s Grammy for best children’s album will go to Justin Roberts for “Jungle Gym”. It’s that good, and he’s long over due for recognition. He is a master at the craft of song-writing, and his albums are musically playful and meticulous. If you get a chance to see him live, don’t pass it up. With his band “The Not-ready for Naptime Players,” he’s simply awesome.

One of my sentimental, feel-good favorites is the album “Ranky Tanky” by Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem. They’ve been around for years in the New England folk/roots circuit and ventured into the kid’s realm this past year. The tunes are familiar classics as well as traditional songs done in a pleasant rootsy cadence with lots of fiddle and mandolin.

For the hip-hop lovers, you’ve got to check out Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. He’s artfully tapped a genre that had been previously under-represented. His lyrics are relevant, poignant, and just plain fun. His performance at this year’s Jiggle Jam brought down the house!

And there are a slew of former pop artists and rockers who are making children’s music and doing it well… They Might Be Giants (multiple Grammy winners), Ziggy Marley (this year’s Grammy winner), The Verve Pipe (my favorite is the song “Suppertime”), Farmer Jason (also of Jason and The Scorchers), and many others.

And I must give recognition to perennial favorites Trout Fishing in America, who paved the way for so many of us and still put on one of the best live shows in the biz.

Really I think the best music is the music shared as a family. We like the Beatles, The Who, Crash Test Dummies, Elvis, Aretha Franklin, Jimmy Bufett, and lots more. It doesn't have to be "kid" music to be enjoyed by your kids. 

I could go on and on, but I won’t. Just get out there and sample some tunes. Check out the following blogs for great insight into the family music scene: Zooglobble, Out with the Kids, Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child, Kids Music That Rocks, and Gooney Bird Kids.

What's the favorite music at your house?