Life as a Kid Entertainer: Hullabaloo Singer Tells All

Putting their spin on the classics or singing their originals, one of Breezy Mama’s favorite bands Hullabaloo has given new meaning to “kid’s” music. Singer Steve Denyes gave Breezy the scoop on what it’s like for he and drummer Brendan Kremer to be children’s entertainers that grown-ups enjoy.

We love your saying “We’re putting the music back in kid’s music!” because we agree! How did you and Brendan meet?

Steve: Brendan and I met in Kindergarten. We first played music together in the 5th grade band. Brendan played the baritone horn and I played the trombone. Our first songs were “Twinkle, Twinkle” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Little did we know those songs would be our biggest hits decades later!

At what point did you decide to conquer the kid genre?

Steve: I recorded an album of classic kid’s songs shortly after my nieces were born as Christmas present for them. One thing lead to another and it turned into a career.

Do you have kids yourself?

Steve: I don’t have any kids of my own. I’ve been lucky to spend a lot of time with my nieces and nephew. It’s not the same as being a parent but it’s a lot of fun being a part of their lives. Brendan has twin girls. They just turned 6.

What’s your favorite song to sing?

Steve: Honestly, I love any song that the audience enjoys. That’s when music is at it’s best– whether it’s kid’s music or opera. If I had to choose just one, I’d say “Everybody Clap Your Hands” It’s a great one for audience interaction. Kid’s of all ages can
participate and have fun with it.

Which songs really get your fans dancing when you perform live?

Steve: With kids it really helps to provide a suggestion of how to dance to a song. Like grownups, they can be shy or unsure of what to do when the music starts. So, we always include “Run Bunny Run,” “Skip to My Lou” and “Mama Don’t Allow” because they’ve got some built in dance moves.

What’s the largest size crowd you’ve performed for?

Steve:  I played one show solo in Zihuatanejo, Mexico for their International Guitar Festival. There were something like 500 kids! It was tough because my Spanish is limited. It was a crazy time. . .something I’ll never forget.

Our favorite song is “Sippy Cup.” Was there a mom in particular who inspired that song?

Steve: We almost didn’t record “Sippy Cup” just because we thought it might be a little over-the-top. Turns out people can relate to it!

There was no one person that inspired the song but in the early years of
Hullabaloo I went to hundreds of playgroups to sing with the moms and
kids. So, I suppose it’s a blend of a lot of people I’ve met and the
dozens of people you see on the street attached to their grownup sippy
cups.

Are you working on another album right now?

Steve: Yes, were in the studio working on a new batch of songs right now.

Any hints of some of the songs?

Steve: We’ve got some fun new originals. There’s one about the train that runs past my house 10 times a day, one about a princess that only wears bluejeans and soccer jerseys, one about the dinosaur living in my backyard, and one about making 400 cupcakes for my birthday party.

Anything else in store for the future for Hullabaloo?

Steve: We just finished our first DVD, “Hullabaloo Home Movies” so we’re very excited about getting that out into the world. The new album should be out by May. This summer we’ll be playing libraries all over Southern California. In the fall we’ll start making more music videos. The fun never ends!!

Breezy Tip: Want the single Sippy Cup? Download it here from iTunes.

To purchase their new DVD, “Hullabaloo Home Movies,”click here.