Good Stuff Kids

#mglit. What’s that? Oh, well, luckily this weeks guest, Corrina Allen, has the info. Corrina is a teacher and an avid reader. She loves to read and encourages those in her classroom to develop a love of reading as well. She loves reading so much that she has her very own podcast devoted to reading and #mglit. Be sure to check out Corrina on the Books Betwen Podcast. It’s also time for a bunch of my Kids Listen crew to have a series of our podcasts on the theme of “Hit the Road”. Continue reading Episode #79 – Corrina Allen on the site.

Nora Ballard directed a short film about synchronized swimming called 'Waterbabies'.  I was so excited to talk to Nora about what she learned about those who compete in synchronized swimming.  It's a sport that I don't know much about at all.  As you'll hear, Nora learned quite a bit about how they practice, and how synchronized swimming is a metaphor for life. Continue reading Good Stuff Sports #8 – Nora Ballard on the site.

I loved talking to Joe Mailander from the Okee Dokee Brothers.  He was extremely down to earth and was very open to sharing the history of his band and what inspires him and his bandmate Justin Lansing.  Here's a hint, they love being outside and exploring nature.  You should definitely check out their documentaries on Netflix.  It helps to further show the personalities behind the music. Continue reading Episode #78 – Joe Mailander from The Okee Dokee Brothers on the site.

April Eight is so talented.  She writes and produces her own songs and stories podcast, and it is so good.  April has an awesome story from being a rock musician to creating her own show.  I loved talking with her.  She's hilarious and full of energy.  April just reached her one year Podiversary - meaning she's been publishing and producing her podcast for one year.  So, check April out and subscribe to her show.  It's awesome for long car rides or even short car rides!  You can also check out the brand new Kids Listen Web App to find April's show and The Good Stuff Kids Podcast! Continue reading Episode #77 – April Eight on the site.

Ready to get sweaty and dance to some sweet tunes? Neil and Bryan from Koo Koo Kanga Roo took some time to talk with me about their music, fanny packs, and what makes their live shows so fun. Want to know the secret? Get ready to get sweaty and dance!! I also checked in with Uncle D and Auntie C who just got a puppy! Continue reading Episode #76 – Koo Koo Kanga Roo on the site.

Episode #75!  That's a lot of episodes.  I got the chance to talk to someone that we call "our guy" around Good Stuff Studios. Randy Kaplan's music has been in high rotation for years in our house and car. He's witty, smart, and unafraid of tackling the big issues like farts, chips, and nose squeezing. We love his music and he's the same person on his records as he is in conversation. Enjoy!!  Don't forget to tag friends and share to get a $100 Waiter.com gift certificate!  It's worth it! Continue reading Episode #75 – Randy Kaplan on the site.

If you've listened to kids music over the last several years you've heard Mista Cookie Jar. He has collaborated with so many of our favorite artists! It's no wonder why, I knew from the first second of our conversation that he was easy to talk to and had a big heart that goes straight into his music. This interview was in the works for a long time, and I'm so glad to finally share it! Be sure to stay tuned to the end for Cookie's new song "Serotonin". Additionally, be on the lookout for Lucky Diaz and the Family Band's new album which features Mista Cookie Jar on three brand new songs! Continue reading Episode #74 – Mista Cookie Jar on the site.

I talked to Twinkle a few weeks ago and she was so generous to share the story of how she came to the idea of Twinkle Time and Friends. Her pre-Twinkle career is pretty incredible too. She is a complete "Do it yourself-er" from songwriting to the development of the stage show. Twinkle also makes a real effort to ensure that all of her music and shows are bilingual. It's clear that her live show would be a magnet for young kids. She is in the midst of an Indiegogo campaign to finance her new album and other projects. If you like what Twinkle has to say consider helping her realize her dreams for her new album. Continue reading Episode #73 – Twinkle on the site.

Hockey is a great sport. It's fast paced and so fun to watch live. I had never thought about what it would be like to be a parent to a young hockey player. Luckily, I had a resource to fill me in. Neil Wattier, who is the host of The Hockey Parent Podcast, shared his experiences living the life of a hockey family. I learned a ton about the game and about the dedication that it takes to help a young athlete realize their dreams. Be sure to subscribe to Neil's show, and tell a friend about Good Stuff Sports as well! Continue reading Good Stuff Sports #7 – Neil Wattier on the site.

Episode #72 is a straight up book spectacular! I talked to Ben Clanton about creating the art for Laurie Berkner's book for the song 'We Are The Dinosaurs'. That's not all though, Ben is a really clever and creative artist who has several books of his own. Check them out! I also had a great time talking to Debbie Aronson who wrote the book 'Where's My Tushy?" This book is awesome! I never would have known about it if my 5 year old daughter had not brought it home from the library! I'm so grateful that she did. I had such a nice time talking to Debbie and getting to know her. Debbie was so kind to share the story behind the book with me. It's a lot deeper than you might think. Continue reading Episode #72 – Ben Clanton / Debbie Aronson on the site.

Joanie Leeds is on this week's episode! I loved talking to her about her music and to hear about her brand new album 'Brooklyn Baby' which comes out this week. Be sure to check out her brand new song 'Shayna Punim' to get a sneak peak at the new music that Joanie has written for us. It's brilliant! We covered a lot of ground on this episode, from summer camp to the band phish. Don't miss it! Continue reading Episode #71 – Joanie Leeds on the site.

Finally! This one has been almost a year in the making. We love Frances England's music in our house. Her songwriting is great and her voice is incredible. Her last (grammy nominated) album 'Explorer of the World' describes her city, San Francisco. We've had a lot of Frances' music on our 4+1 countdown, and her song 'Explorer of the World' has been on numerous times. It was such a treat to speak with Frances and to hear her story. Listen all the way to the end to hear her song 'My Street'! It's a good one. Continue reading Episode #70 – Frances England on the site.

The Good Stuff Family has been searching for something like the Peace Out Podcast for a long time. We've got three exceptionally energetic kids at home and sometimes we just need them to chill! We started listening to Chanel Tsang and her Peace Out Podcast a few weeks ago and her show is helping us a ton! My kids will listen and follow Chanel's instructions. It's a game changer for parents who just need a moment of peace and quiet. Chanel shared some of her insights on mindfulness and what her show is about. Be sure to subscribe to Peace Out on itunes. Continue reading Episode #69 – Chanel Tsang from the Peace Out Podcast on the site.

Brady has an amazing story. From playing in his jam band "From Good Homes", as well as playing bass with Laurie Berkner to his own incredible band "The Little Band that Could" Brady Rymer has honed a high energy sound that is perfect for kids and families. He shares his love for the accordion and the joy and care that he puts into his concerts. He wants to get the energy and the music going. Music lovers can relate to that!!! He loves for kids and families to leave inspired and happy. Continue reading Episode #68 – Brady Rymer on the site.

Energy! Commitment! Fun! Those were just a few of the adjectives that crossed my during a very fun conversation with Michael Napolitano from Michael and the Rockness Monsters. They have a brand new record, 'Funny Faces' coming out on April 28, and I had a blast learning about it! There's something for everyone on this album, silly songs, meaningful songs, and songs with a message. Be sure to stay tuned all the way to the end of the show to hear the brand new song 'Elevator Song'. You'll have a smile on your whole face during this entire episode. Continue reading Episode #67 – Michael Napolitano (Michael and the Rockness Monsters) on the site.

Steve Burns (you may remember him from Blues Clues) and Steven Drozd (from the Flaming Lips) have a band called STEVENSTEVEN and they have released their first album 'Foreverywhere'. It was fascinating to hear from Steve about the music that he and Steven have made and the story of how they got to this point. Continue reading Episode #66 – Steve Burns on the site.

Hullabaloo is a Kindie Rock institution. I spoke to Steve Denyes the day after their 3000th show. The band has been performing for 13 years and has put out 13 albums! You'll enjoy hearing all about the band, the music, and what Steve has learned after spending so much time singing with kids. Be sure to stay tuned all the way until the end of the show to hear the Hullabaloo song 'I Wear Pink'. Continue reading Episode #65 – Steve Denyes from Hullabaloo on the site.

Toby Pechner joins me on episode 6 of Good Stuff Sports to talk about his love of the San Francisco Giants as well as his time as a "Ball Dude" with the team. Ever wondered about what ball boys/bat boys do? What's the game like for them? Toby has answers! Additionally, Assistant Producer Zachy joins me to give his prediction for the upcoming Baseball season. Spring is here! Let's play ball! Continue reading GS Sports #6 – Toby Pechner on the site.

Do you have heroes? Historical heroes? People that you look up to and inspire you with their story? If you do, then Jonathan Sprout has probably written a song about them. Jonathan is a very accomplished singer/songwriter who has written 10 albums of family music. He has three records devoted to heroes such as: Dr. Seuss, Neil Armstrong, Walt Disney, George Washington Carver, and Rachel Carson to name just a few. Jonathan digs deep into his subject matter and his passion and devotion to these heroes comes through in the music! Continue reading Episode #64 – Jonathan Sprout on the site.

Chibi Kodama is back!!! Third time guest's Chibi Kodama talk with me about their new record 'Between Main Street and Neverland' as well as the transition of moving and starting new schools. The whole gang joins me to talk about a wide variety of topics like lice, skittles, China, and of course, music! Continue reading Episode #63 – Chibi Kodama Returns! on the site.