Happy New Year, friends! It’s Jim Cosgrove from Kansas City! I’m a little late to the game here, but better late than never! This is my 17th year performing music for families, and it has been one of the most fulfilling journeys of my life. Many thanks to all of you; it wouldn’t have been nearly as fun without this great community. I taught myself a few chords on a guitar when I was 20 and then meandered through a career as a teacher, newspaper feature writer, and corporate PR flak before I had the sense enough to get a “real” job as a kid’s entertainer. I met my lovely bride Jeni when she hired me to play a show. We’ve been a team ever since. And, despite the naysayers, we raised two daughters on the road with us. And, despite the thread that ran here back in October, you can make money in this business. I have supported my family (although there were many lean months) as the primary bread winner for more than a decade. It’s possible folks – you just have to gig like crazy! Many people know me as “Mr. Stinky Feet,” which is not a name I fabricated, researched, or “focus grouped.” It came about organically when kids started to call me that after the release of my second album “Stinky Feet.” It seemed to suit me, so we went with it. I perform solo most of the time, and, when I can, with my band, The Hiccups. I have performed thousands of shows in 29 states from Alaska to Florida, and at schools in Germany, Italy, England, and Spain, and twice at the White House Easter Egg Roll. I’ve released eight albums and a couple of DVDs, and I’m currently working on my first album in four years. My music has been arranged into a full-blown symphony show. I write a monthly parenting column for the Kansas City Star, and I occasionally present a keynote address for corporations and educator conferences titled “Like like a child! Succeed like a child!” Jeni and I and a friend founded Jiggle Jam, the nation’s largest independent family music festival. Every spring for the past seven years, thousands of kids and families from 14 states have gathered in Kansas City to celebrate Kindie music. However, at the request of our site host, we are taking a year off from the fest so they can make some updates to the facility. Not to worry, we will be back in 2016, and in the meantime, Jeni and I are producing a festival at another location in the fall of 2015. Two and a half years ago, I was approached by Hallmark Cards to join their ranks as an editor and writer. That’s why I’ve been a bit distant from the Kindie scene lately. But we are working on a major music project that I hope will benefit our entire industry. More to come! Stay tuned! Heres an old video...from when I had more (and less gray) hair...
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 17:20:02 +0000
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