The Kerplunks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Kerplunks
Tofino Whalefest 2017: Dinah D (upright Bass), Phil Wipper (drums), Jocelyn Hallett (horns) Aaron Cadwaladr (guitar)
Background information
Origin	Gabriola Island, BC
Genres	Children's Music
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Independent
Members	Dinah D, Jocelyn Hallett, Aaron Cadwaladr, Phil Wipper
Past members	Tina Jones

The Kerplunks are a fun Canadian children's music group from Gabriola Island, British Columbia. They started making music in 2006 and released their first album in 2007. The Kerplunks have been nominated for many Juno Awards and have won several Parents' Choice Awards. Their music is loved by kids and parents alike! You can find this four-person band playing at big music festivals across Canada and even in other countries.

The Kerplunks are made up of talented musicians: Dinah D, Jocelyn Hallett (who joined in 2016), Phil Wipper, and Aaron Cadwaladr. Their first album, The Kerplunks, came out in 2007. It was mostly written and performed by Dinah D and Tina Jones (who was with the band from 2006 to 2016), with Phil Wipper playing drums. This album helped the band get many awards and nominations in Canada, including the famous Juno Award.

Their second album, Walk On, was released in 2009. This album introduced Aaron Cadwaladr as the guitarist and earned them even more awards. Their third album, Number 3, came out in June 2010 and also won many international awards. In June 2012, The Kerplunks released a full-length DVD called Get Creative, which was also very popular. The band's fourth album, "Pants & Mammals", was released in June 2015. In 2016, Tina Jones left the group, and Jocelyn Hallett (also known as Jojo) joined. Since then, the band has released their first lullaby album, a long sleep-themed album called Lullabies For Big Eyes.

The Kerplunks are a four-person band that performs for kids. Their shows are exciting adventures filled with dancing, singing, and lots of laughs! On their albums, they play more than 10 different instruments, from the kazoo to the upright bass. When they play live, Dinah plays the Upright Bass, Jojo plays Trumpet, Trombone, and Keys, Aaron plays Guitar, and Phil (or Brendan) plays Drums. They perform at many large festivals and smaller community events, playing different music styles like reggae, rock, swing, blues, and bluegrass.

The Kerplunks were nominated for the 2009 Juno Award, 2010 Juno Award, and 2011 Juno Award for Children's Album of the Year. They won the 8th annual Vox Populi Independent Music Awards for Best Children’s Album ("The Kerplunks") and again in 2009 for Best Children's Song ("Walk On"). Their song "Ants Dance" was also nominated for the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for Children's Song of the Year. In 2008, they won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Children's Album of the Year, the Parents' Choice Approved Award, and the Western Canadian Music Award for Outstanding Children's Recording.

The Kerplunks' Musical Journey

First Album: The Kerplunks (2007)

Their first album, also called The Kerplunks, became popular very quickly. The band started recording these 14 songs in 2006. They didn't plan to make a career out of children's music, but they soon realized there was a need for fun, catchy music with themes kids would love. The Kerplunks received great reviews and was played on the CBC and other college radio stations. This success helped the band become stronger and led to their second album. Someone online once described their sound as "Kid Content Grown Up Groove," which the band still uses today. This album helped The Kerplunks gain recognition in Canada through the Juno Awards, Western Canadian Music Awards, and the Canadian Folk Music Awards. They also won many international awards like the Independent Music Awards, the International Songwriting Competition, and the Parents' Choice Awards. Most of the instruments on this album were played by Dinah D (Bass, Banjo, Mandolin, Percussion, Vocals), Tina Jones (Horns, Vocals, Percussion), and Phil Wipper (Drums).

Second Album: Walk On (2009)

This second album built on the success of their first one, making them even more popular. It had more themes that kids could relate to and more groovy music for adults to enjoy. For Walk On, The Kerplunks welcomed Aaron Cadwaladr as a full-time guitarist, which gave their sound a more jazzy and complex feel. Libraries across the United States and Canada added this album to their collections, leading to many sales for the band. This album also won many of the same awards as their first one and helped them become a well-known name in many Canadian homes.

Third Album: Number 3 (2010)

The Kerplunks reached even higher with their third album. They brought in guest horn players (Pierre Komen, Nick LaRiviere, and Matt Carter) and guest guitarist David Gogo. These extra musicians helped make Number 3 sound very full and rich. Many of the songs on Number 3 were quite complex, making it more of a studio album that was harder to perform with The Kerplunks' usual four-person live band.

Get Creative DVD (2012)

This DVD features music videos for 10 of The Kerplunks' most popular songs. Fans helped choose which songs would be included on this DVD. Each video starts with a fun and interesting clip. The band was joined by many guest actors and child actors in Get Creative.

Pants & Mammals (2015)

This album reminds listeners of Walk On, their second album, because it's so fun, catchy, and playful. Many of the songs from Pants & Mammals are regularly played by the band during their live shows! This album also received many music award nominations and wins in Canada and around the world.

Lullabies For Big Eyes (2018)

This album was the first to feature new band member Jojo (Jocelyn Hallett). It was also the first Kerplunks album where Dinah D was the only music producer. Lullabies For Big Eyes was written and recorded after some band members had trouble sleeping. Because of this, it was carefully researched to help people sleep. This album is 65 minutes of music, designed as a sleeping soundtrack.

Discography

• The Kerplunks (2007)
• Walk On (2009)
• Number 3 (2010)
• Get Creative DVD (2012)
• Pants and Mammals (2015)
• Lullabies For Big Eyes (2018)