Intro to Kindie: Stephanie Mayers

Stephanie Mayers

Stephanie Mayers

Stephanie Mayers has been behind the scenes of many of kindie's most influential people and places for more than a decade: World Cafe Live's Peanut Butter & Jams (one of the very first kindie concert series), Putumayo Kids, Dan Zanes, Kindiefest (to name the big ones).  In short, Mayers herself has been one of kindie's most influential people for more than a decade.

And now she's continuing that work with the recent creation of Mayers Consulting, a marketing and promotion firm focused on kids music and folks in that orbit.

It's in the spirit of those years of discovery that Mayers offers up her "Intro to Kindie," a list of songs introducing kids music to a newcomer to the genre.

Mayers Consulting logo

Mayers Consulting logo

When asked to put together my “intro to kindie” I decided to go about it by following my own personal kindie path. I began discovering this music 10+ years ago when I was booking for the Peanut Butter & Jams series in Philadelphia -- there I realized [there was] this exciting and refreshing budding genre and all that was starting to be.

This is a playlist of my own discovery from Philly at World Cafe Live to New York with Putumayo Kids, to working with independent artists, Kindiefest, the Dan Zanes universe and beyond. Songs from artists I was working with, songs I discovered from being a part of the community and songs that have played a part in raising my own family. This list is an abridged, incomplete, diverse collection but somewhat representative of how I’ve seen kindie.

  1. All Around the Kitchen- DAN ZANES
  2. I’m From the Sun- GUSTAFER YELLOWGOLD
  3. I Found It- BRADY RYMER
  4. Pink Piggie Polka Pancake Picnic- ERNIE & NEAL
  5. Hope My Mama Says Yes- AUDRAROX
  6. Bounce- ELLEN AND MATT
  7. Gazoopa- DIRTY SOCK FUNTIME BAND
  8. Bed Head- THE JIMMIES
  9. Polar Bear- THE QUIET TWO
  10. No More Monkeys- ASHEBA
  11. LadyBug -TERRIBLE TWOS
  12. Sometimes- FRANCES ENGLAND
  13. Pancakes- BEARS AND LIONS
  14. High Five- SHINE AND THE MOONBEAMS
  15. Hey Sister- WALTER MARTIN
  16. Folsom Preschool Blues- OPUS DITTY
  17. So Glad I’m Here- ELIZABETH MITCHELL
  18. Gotta Be Me- SECRET AGENT 23 SKIDOO
  19. Bowl of Cherries - Rhythm Child
  20. I’m a Pirate- Rhymezwell