FISTFULAYEN

The past two years I’ve taken my daughter, Lucinda (now 4), to Bonnaroo. We go with a friend, stay in a house up the road in Sewannee, and generally have an incredible time. We went the first time because we were invited by friends, we went back because Lucinda loved it so damn much and asked for nearly a year straight when we were going back. Take a look at the shot above and it pretty much says it all. Toddler, covered in salty layers of humidity and high on M&M ice cream sandwiches, diving into a crowd in a Sonic Youth shirt. That’s my girl.

Last year, just after we landed in Nashville, we made a friend at the rental car desk. Just some small talk with a very nice woman who has kids near Lucinda’s age. Oddly, we pulled *back* into the rental car lot just behind her nearly a week later, and struck up another conversation. Turns out the woman, Deborah, wasn’t in TN for Bonnaroo as I suspected, she was there recording her second children’s album under the moniker DidiPop. We chatted and exchanged some well-meaning “see you in LA” talk and she handed me a copy of her first album.

We popped it in the car on the way home and have listened to it hundreds of times since. It’s become a favorite for Lucinda and she knows every word. Good news for all y’all parents is it’s not going to make you want to put a screwdriver in your eyes like a lot of kids music does. It’s cutesy in parts but Deb has an incredible voice and there are lots of clever musical moments within. First couple listens through I was hearing kids music but on subsequent listens I heard Deb’s creative approach to connecting with the kids and having a musical moment at the same time. She’s good at it.

She’s just released the record she was recording in Nashville last June, DidiPop Goes to Hawaii. I spent a wee bit of time helping her get it set up on Topspin, too. You can buy both her new album and her first album for a kid you love right here on the DidiPop web site. Idea: you have a bunch of kids birthdays and baby showers coming up — why not buy a stack of Deb’s CDs to have on hand so you always have a thoughtful and unique gift? Give kids something they’ll love, keep good music in their lives, and support a local artist all with one fell swoop.

Also, she’s giving away a little holiday track she wrote. You can stream or download the MP3 in the widget below, or watch the video with a toddler you love on YouTube.

Enjoy!

In other news, my OTHER daughter brought home her 5th semester report card from MIT: 2 As and 2 A+s. Daaaayyyyyummmm, girl! Do we need to find a HARDER school for you or something?! Also, she’s finished her “best of 2010″ mix. Trying to get her to post it. When she does, I’ll link to it…

Sincerely,
Zoe and Lucinda’s papa