We first met Rik Barron last spring when he hosted Kids’ Jam in St. John’s, Newfoundland.  We were so impressed with his music and interaction with the crowd that we asked him to back to host the upcoming KidsBeet Concert on October 30th in Boston.

A native of St. John’s, Rik Barron has toured North America and Europe for thirty years. He has played folk music for children in schools, fairs and concert halls throughout Canada.

His enthusiasm for and popularity with young audiences is undiminished. A testament to this young audience appeal is the more than one thousand performances of his Odd Sock Kids Show, including eight seasons at PEI’s Old Home Week and the Charlottetown Festival. He has also performed at many hundreds of schools throughout Canada.

In the tradition of Pete Seeger, Burl Ives and David Holt he is both an accomplished and respected folk/roots performer and an accomplished and respected family entertainer. Known for his unique banjo and guitar styles and smooth baritone voice, he entertains his audiences with a seamless blend of singing, expert playing and humour.

Rik has released ten critically acclaimed studio albums including “Shine” which was nominated for both a Canadian Folk Music Award for Children’s Album of the Year, and an Independent Music Award as Favorite Children’s Artist. He was the ECMA Children’s Artist of the Year in 2000 and has received the 2009 ECMA Award for Children’s Recording of the Year.

A faculty member of the Maryland Banjo Academy 1997 -2001 and the 2008 Smoky Mountain Banjo Academy Rik has been featured on the cover of the Banjo Newsletter.  Rik is an endorsing artist for Ovation Adamas Guitars, Deering and Vega Banjos, Weber Mandolins and D’Addario Strings and Accessories.

Rik has a newly released CD, Over the Meadow, which we are sure you will love.  Download “Wait for the Dinner Bell” FREE along with songs from the other KidsBeet performers here!

Ben Rudnick & Friends have been bringing families, music and fun together in their own unique style from their first release, Emily Songs, in 2000 to their recent A Frog Named Sam.

“…he and the band are so musically gifted that they almost create their own style of music. “ ~ Dave Loftin, Chattanooga Parent Paper

Boasting a high level of adventurous musicianship, their enthusiastic recordings and live performances seamlessly range from light folk, bluegrass, calypso, rock and even Irish Jigs.

“The words catchy and irrepressible just begin to describe the string-band music uncorked by a quintet of gifted instrumentalists.” ~ Downbeat Magazine

With countless kudos to their credit, including five Parents’ Choice Awards, the band considers it’s main focus to be providing a common ground where all family members can, without compromise, enjoy a shared musical experience. This is best exemplified in their live shows.

Touring steadily since their inception, Ben Rudnick and Friends have played extensively in their native New England, along the eastern seaboard and have recently visited Colorado. Performances big and small tend to be events, a slice of time where families relax and enjoy each other’s company.

Drawing on the original songs and traditional material from their recordings, the band seamlessly integrates classic songs such as “Route 66,” “Oh Boy!,” “Jambalaya/Hey Good Looking, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and Beatles’ tunes into their sets.

“Not only did the kids love the show, but the parents (and the grandparents) were singing and dancing as well.” ~ Betsy Siggins Schmidt, Club Passim

Recent projects have included a popular video for the title track from their recording A Frog Named Sam and a disc of original and classic holiday songs to be released in the fall of 2010 entitled, It’s Santa Claus.

Past projects have included providing the theme song and accompanying fundraiser album for the Challenger Division of the Little League and a live version of the song Route 66 for the Emmy award winning TV documentary, Route 66: The Mother Road.

The band is excited to be celebrating their Tenth Anniversary in October 2010. After a concert with special guests, a horn section and balloons with their name on them, the band is looking forward to more great shows and music.

Ben Rudnick and Friends: Jamming for the Next Generation

Enjoy a free download (I Need A Hand) from Ben Rudnick & Friends and the other KidsBeet performers on our free downloads page.

What could be better than good music, children squeeling happily, and people coming together to support a good cause?

When we organized Kids’ Jam for Janeway in St. John’s Newfoundland, a benefit concert featuring some of the Juno Award nominees, we found out that such events are infectious! The reaction we received from parents and children alike, convinced us that there is a need for more, similar events.

We are so happy to announce that the KidsBeet Concert Series has sprouted!  The first of what is planned to be a series of concerts will take place on October 30th at First Church Boston.

The concert will feature the ever popular Ben Rudnick & Friends, Juno nominee Charlie Hope & Brooklyn favorite Suzi Shelton.  Hosting the event will be Rik Barron, a popular folk and children’s performer from St. John’s Newfoundland.  Rik Barron was the host of the original Kids’ Jam in St. John’s,  and we are very excited that we could arrange to have him participate in this follow-up event.

KidsBeet is being organized and promoted in partnership with BostonChildrensMusic.com,  and the Community Music Center of Boston (www.cmcb.org) a non-profit music school in Boston’s south end.

The goals of the concert are (1) provide a quality family music event at an affordable price (2) promote top local and visiting children’s music artists to local fans and bloggers, and (3) be a sustainable concert model that gives back to the community.

We are excited to be working closely with Franciscan Hospital for Children, who will be the beneficiary of the fund-raising activities.  Tickets for this special event will be on sale here on Kids Music Connection in the coming days.