For Those Who Can't Wait For Summer Music Festivals

Perhaps you're thinking you don't want to wait until August or September to see a whole bunch of kids' music artists. Perhaps you're also thinking, hey, I'd like to see the Judds reunite! (Coachella's got Portishead, you decide which you'd prefer.) Well, then, Coachella's countryfied cousin, Stagecoach has come to rescue. In addition to booking the Eagles for the festival's second, Stagecoach also is doing its Half-Pint Hootenanny once more and announced its lineup today, with some familiar names on the list:

Brady Rymer
Buck Howdy with BB
The Bummkinn Band
Tom Freund and Friends
Uncle Ron and Aunt Sandii
Kid Fiddlers
The Bon Family and California All-Star Cloggers
Croakers Youth/Family Square Dancers Club

That's a decent lineup there. Stagecoach is May 2 through 4 in Indio, California.

And what if you prefer Austin in springtime?
Well, there's always South By Southwest March 12 through 16 with a bajillion bands and those who love (or hate) them. The free kids show on Auditorium Shores takes a different tack, with Sara Hickman's Super Pal Universe (remember them? they were at Austin Kiddie Limits) and the Rachel Tractenburg Morning Show making an appearance Saturday afternoon.

If you're actually attending the conference, be sure to check out Rockin' in the Wee World (yeah, those kid-music puns can fade away now), which at the very least features three very nice people -- Sara Hickman, Austin Kiddie Limits/Kidzapalooza producer Tor Hyams, and Stagecoach Half-Pint Hootenanny producer Karen Rappaport McHugh -- among others. And, hey, it's Friday at 12:30 -- you'll totally have woken up from Thursday night's shows...

It's Never Too Early To Start Thinking About Summer Music Festivals

I've hear rumors of particular bands being booked for C3's twin titans of summer kid-friendly music festivals, Kidzapalooza and Austin Kiddie Limits, and some of those rumors would appear to be inching toward the realm of reality.

Austin Kiddie Limits has posted some new tracks on its Myspace page. New to the page are The Jimmies, Buck Howdy, Uncle Rock, and Mr. RAY. These artists would all appear to be on the bill for AKL, set for September 26 through 28. (Buck Howdy already has AKL dates on his live calendar.) And The Jimmies have a Kidzapalooza date set on their calendar. (Kidzapalooza is set for August 1 through 3.)

These aren't all the bands I've heard rumors of, so more will be announced at some point, to be sure. But, hey, it's only February -- ACL is 7 months away, after all. Now you can plan your summer 2008 road trips accordingly.

In and Out of the "Rabbit Hole": At the Grammys with Buck Howdy

Buck Howdy attended this last weekend's Grammy celebrations, a nominee for Best Musical Album for Children for his (and partner BB's) fun Chickens album.

I'll have more thoughts (and photos and comments) from the Grammys later, but Buck had written up some thoughts about his experiences this weekend and I thought they might be of interest to both consumers and fellow musicians. Thanks to Buck for letting me share them with you.

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Today I'm feeling a bit like Alice In Wonderland, having just emerged from the "rabbit hole" called The Grammy Awards.

Last December our CD BUCK HOWDY WITH BB - CHICKENS was nominated in the Grammy category Best Musical Album for Children. Now that the Grammys are over I can only say that the experience as a nominee is simply surreal - from the parties leading up to the big event, to the Red Carpet stroll we took (interviewed along the way by CNN, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, MTV), to the marathon award sessions.

One highlight was the nominee reception. Its a gathering where nominee medallions are presented (while everyone still feels like a winner) and where even a turkey-farming-singing-cowboy can rub shoulders and visit with legends like Charlie Louvin; Whisperin' Bill Andersen; young jazz star Eldar; country sensations Montgomery Gentry and too many others to recount It's a wonder BB and I didn't get whiplash, "Look there's the Foo Fighters; wait, look over there, isn't that Taylor Swift? Wow, John Tesh got old and he needs a haircut!"

Another highlight was the Kids Artist breakfast on Saturday morning at the Biltmore Hotel - a wonderful gathering of nominees and other kids artists as well as media, distributors and promoters. It's an event that should be repeated often and attended by everyone who has anything to do with making music for kids or families. Lynn Orman of Orman Music & Media and Beth Blenz-Clucas of Sugar Mountain PR co-hosted the event, and about 40 artists and industry folks were there.

Grammy day itself was a blur. Just before noon we got all gussied up and headed to the Grammy pre-telecast hall (where winners of most categories are announced). By 1:30 we learned that The Muppets took the prize in our category. And just like that it was over, though the disappointment took awhile to sink in because the Grammy celebrations extended into the wee hours of Monday morning.

But now that I've slept and climbed out of the "rabbit hole" a few thoughts remain. First, it was a experience BB and I were blessed to have. What a thrill to be praised, respected and welcomed with open arms by major stars and the media for the humble little thing we do called "kids music." But more important, I came away believing that EVERY kids/family artist should be involved in NARAS. (All it takes to join as a voting member is $100 and a bit of leg work, but it is well worth it.)

Here's why. Within minutes of the Muppet win I was receiving texts and emails from other artists (though not other nominees) who were unhappy with the result. Frankly, I was too because I believe there were more deserving nominees than the Muppets - indies such as Bill Harley and Peter Himmelman. However, anytime you pit the voting power (not to mention the production and promotion budgets) of an entertainment giant like Disney (the Muppets'
label) against the "little guys" (indie artists), more often than not, the giant will win. BUT . . . it doesn't have to be that way.

If you're an artist, get involved - if there's an artist you love, encourage them to get involved. I'd love for you all to have a chance to take a trip down the "rabbit hole" that is the Grammy experience. And most important, I'd love to see the amount of attention lavished on quality indie music for kids and families that it deserves.

A Small, Self-Serving Reference

I don't note every last reference to this website from other reaches of the web, but when an article nails a particular album so much more succinctly than I ever could, I feel the need to share (even beyond the kind words the author saves for this site). Discussing Buck Howdy's Chickens, author Sarah Bardeen writes:

"We're still lamenting the lack of fart jokes (a mainstay of previous albums) but Buck Howdy did so well with this album of chicken-fried kiddie country that we're prepared to forgive him."

Yes, I've now used the word "fart" on this website for the, er, second time.

Read the whole list here and listen to a playlist of about 2 dozen tracks from a whole bunch of CDs here.

Grammy Nominees React

So after posting the nominees in the two kids' categories for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, what's left to do except wait for the awards on Feb. 10?

Oh, well, maybe solicit reactions from selected nominees in the Best Musical Album category. (Note: now with Buck Howdy!)

Peter Himmelman (My Green Kite): "Perhaps the recognition I've received through this Grammy nomination in the children's field is a signal to me that writing songs that work to reclaim a sense of wonder and innocence is a worthy artistic direction to be headed in."

Don Sebesky & Janina Serden, producers (The Velveteen Rabbit - Love Can Make You Real): "Recording and producing The Velveteen Rabbit CD was a labor of love for me. When my daughters were little, I used to read the story to them and even made homemade tapes at their request... Let me say that finding our nomination on that GRAMMY web site was one of the most exciting moments of my life!" (Janina Serden)

Bill Harley (I Wanna Play) : "I was where I often am when I heard about the Grammy – in an elementary school with a bunch of kids – this time in Texas. It means a lot to me that other recording artists thought enough to vote for me. I’m in there with some pretty heady company. I like a lot of the other recordings, and am heartened that independent artists manage to sneak into the mix in our category. I know there are other artists just as deserving."

Buck Howdy (Chickens!): "BB and I were tickled to be nominated. I've always thought being nominated for such an honor would be life-changing. Unfortunately, the horses and other critters here at Buttercup Farm don't quite see it that way. Which means I'm still getting up at the crack of dawn to feed and water them - so much for life-changing!"

The Muppets (A Green and Red Christmas): "Arraggrgagraghha rar gagghh! Grammy!" (Animal)