Artist Homepages
Homepages for children's music performers and songwriters, from wholesome Tom Chapin to the dark (now really dark) Shel Silverstein.

Thoughts on Children's Songs
Your Folk Music Guide takes a philosophical look at this strange genre of music.

Amy's Weirdness in Kids' Songs Page
OK, I couldn't help listing this one - a college student muses over the prevalence of random violence of various kinds in kids' folk songs and lists about a dozen interesting examples.

Ars Nova Downloads
This site is an excellent resource for teachers, with midi files for many classical tunes and folk songs. You can download a free Mac/Win demo of the Songworks II midi player for free.

Becky Vincent's Campfire Songbook
A Girl Guides of Canada song hoard. Hundreds of songs in practical categories for group leaders including performance tips. Site has lots of other cool materials for kids and camping, almost all P.D. (public domain). Hats off!

Boy Scout Song Book
Sure are a lot of online songbooks that don't give credit to the writers. Either the Boy Scouts or the songwriters or ASCAP or all three should be upset about this one. But useful.

Children's Music Web
Run by performer Monty Harper and P. J. Swift, host of the syndicated radio program Pickleberry Pie. Lists a number of children's radio programs, artist pages, and an address for a listserv group. Many omissions.

Dr. Demento
If you cringe at educational music in the mold of Barney and Raffi, try the infamous, nationally syndicated DJ who spins weird, silly novelty songs. Site has links/contact info. for many artists and sells stuff.

KIDiddles
Canadian site has an index of over 800 classic kids song lyrics, mostly P.D. Good links.

Operas for Youth
Opera written specifically for young people to perform, based on classic folk tales and set to the music of great composers. Appropriate for school or community group production.

World Kids Network
Lyrics to about 80 P.D. children's folksongs and lullabyes.

Lucerito's Music - Children's songs in Spanish
Lyrics to some 50 children's songs, mostly folk songs from Mexico. Good resource.

Ultimate Camp Resource
Site of by and for camp people, includes extensive song collection.

YMCA Camp Loowit Campfire Songs
Well, if ASCAP doesn't get these folks on Spirit Lake near Mt. St. Helens, you'll find lyrics to a lot of old chestnuts here, from traditional songs to The Eagles...

Chapin, Tom
Dazzling instrumentalist and family-oriented entertainer.

Fink, Cathy & Marcy Marxer
Their choice of children's songs is often on the homiletic side, but their recent recordings of traditional songs mark a better direction. Sweet voices and solid instrumental work.

Gemini
Twin brothers Sandor and Laszlo Slomovits play original and traditional folk music from around the world. Awards from the Parent's Choice Magazine, etc. Good lyrics for kids and adults.

Harley, Bill
Irreverent and very funny, this sometime NPR correspondent delivers what kids want, not the moralizing, educational stuff most adults think they should listen to.

Howdy, Buck

Jennings & Ponder
Vermont duo, Tim Jennings and Leanne Ponder has a compelling storytelling CD called World Tales - folk tales recorded live at Bennington College, accompanied sparingly by harp and concertina.

Jonas, Billy
Used to be half of the Billy's, now going solo with a wacky array of percussion instruments. Warm, thoughtful songs full of witty wordplay, though sometimes too intent on a message.

Madsen, Gunnar
Madsen's been described as "cutting edge" in children's music and her recent CD, "Old Mr. Mackle Hackle" won the 1999 Parents' Choice Gold Award and an Amazon.com Editor's Choice.

Polisar, Barry Louis
Irreverent humor that doesn't condescend to kids - very much in the vein of Shel Silverstein.

Raffi
Canadian Website of Universal Music has a good site for performer and writer Raffi Cavoukian. If Raffi's universally known and loved children's songs are not folk music, nothing is.

Richter, Chip. Columbiana, Ohio. Music for Kids and their Parents. Christian focus. (T,B,P,S,$,X)

Rogers, Sally
Once a wonderful singer (and writer) of traditional and tradition-based songs for all ages, Sally is now mainly a young children's performer focusing on "educational" songs and songs co-written & performed with kids.

Seeger, Pete
Pete generally writes and performs for adults, but has made some of the best kids albums - probably for that very reason. Get Abiyoyo.

Silverstein, Shel
Nobody knew kids better than this late poet/songwriter, or better understood Twain's warning against moralists and pedants. Shel is irreverent, conspiratorial - though sometimes misogynistic. Nice site.

Trout Fishing in America
This quirky pair are among the best songwriters and performers for kids, though they have a huge fanbase of adults too.