Justin Roberts (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Justin Roberts
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Roberts performing in 2007
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| Years active | 1991–present |
Justin Roberts is an American singer-songwriter who creates music especially for children. He performs with his band, the Not Ready for Naptime Players. Justin Roberts has been nominated for a Grammy Award multiple times! His albums Jungle Gym, Recess, Lemonade, and Wild Life were all nominated for "Best Musical Album for Children" or "Best Children's Music Album."
Justin Roberts released a Greatest Hits album in August 2016. He also released a new album of acoustic songs in October 2016, which featured another artist named Robbie Fulks.
Contents
The Story of Justin Roberts
Roberts was born in Des Moines, Iowa. When he was a child, he loved music and sang in different groups. He went to Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. There, he was part of an a cappella singing group called the Kokosingers.
In 1988, during his first year at college, he started an indie-folk band called Pimentos For Gus. He formed the band with his friends Mike Merz and Tracy Spuehler. After graduating from Kenyon in 1992, the three friends moved to Minneapolis. Their band became quite popular in the indie music scene there during the 1990s.
Becoming a Children's Music Star
In 1992, Justin Roberts also started a second job. He became a teacher at a Montessori preschool. This is where he discovered his passion for children's music! He began writing and performing his first children's songs for his young students. The kids loved his music right away.
When Pimentos For Gus broke up in 1996, Justin moved to Chicago. He was going to graduate school to study religious topics. But in December 1996, he sent a tape of his children's songs to his college friend, Liam Davis, as a Christmas gift. Justin didn't think much of the songs, but Liam, who was a music producer, thought they were great and wanted to record them!
In 1997, Justin Roberts decided to leave graduate school. He chose to focus completely on making children's music. That same year, he recorded his first children's album, called Great Big Sun.
Growing Popularity
After Great Big Sun was released, music critics started to notice Justin Roberts. They compared his music to famous artists like Elvis Costello and Paul Simon. By 2001, Justin was performing music full-time. More and more people heard about him, and his shows began to sell out!
He has performed at many famous places and festivals. These include Symphony Space in New York City, National Geographic Live in Washington D.C., and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. He has also played at big music festivals like Lollapalooza and the Ravinia Festival.
Music Albums
Justin Roberts has released many albums throughout his career.
With Pimentos For Gus
- Musica Psycoustica (1993)
- The 17-Minute Workout EP (1995)
- East of Sweden (1996)
As a Solo Artist (for adults)
- Bright Becomes Blue (1999)
Children's Albums
- Great Big Sun (1997)
- Yellow Bus (2001)
- Not Naptime (2003)
- Way Out (2004)
- Why Not Sea Monsters? Songs From The New Testament (2004)
- Why Not Sea Monsters? Songs From The Hebrew Scriptures (2006)
- Meltdown! (2006)
- Pop Fly (2008)
- Jungle Gym (2010)
- Lullaby (2012)
- Recess (2013)
- Greatest Hits (2016)
- Lemonade (2016)
- Wild Life (2020)
- Space Cadet (2022)
Awards and Recognitions
Justin Roberts has won many awards for his children's music. He has received eight National Parenting Product Awards (NAPPA). He also has eight Parents' Choice Gold Awards. These awards recognize excellent products for children and families.
His album Not Naptime was chosen as one of the 25 best children's CDs of the past 25 years by Parents' Choice. Jungle Gym was named the top children's CD of 2010 by MetroKids.
Several of his albums, including Meltdown, Pop Fly, and Jungle Gym, were picked as the "Number One Children's CD of the Year" by Fids and Kamily. Also, his albums have been on Amazon's "Top 10 Children's CDs of the Year" list four different times. Meltdown was even featured by Time Out NY Kids as an example of the "Best Children's Music of the Past 30 Years."
Grammy Nominations
Justin Roberts has been nominated for a GRAMMY Award several times for his children's albums:
- Jungle Gym was nominated in 2010.
- Recess was nominated in 2013.
- Lemonade was nominated in 2017.
- Wild Life was nominated in 2021.
