Since the very beginning, Country music has been a family. And now, Country is being created for the family.
Conceived and crafted by hit songwriter and producer Ross Copperman, BBR Music Group/BMG’s Homegrown Kids Country Volume 1 presented Country in a fresh way – with kids singing a fun mix of current chart-toppers and longtime favorites, all in family-friendly style, now with its second volume, Copperman is taking it back to the 1990’s. Featuring smash hits from the “good” decade like “Wide Open Spaces” and “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” Homegrown Kids ‘90s Country is expected to introduce kids to the Country hits that take us back to the days of meeting in the middle underneath that Georgia pine.
“My kids are little and all they want to do is sing and listen to music,” Copperman explains. “I’ve worked on so many records but really just wanted to make one for them that we can listen to while we drive around in the car, and one they can relate to by hearing other kids singing.”
One of the most prolific and influential songwriters working in Country today, Ross Copperman was the perfect maestro for such a project. A skilled tunesmith with eighteen Country No. 1 hits to his credit, he a two-time BMI Songwriter of the Year (2016 and 2017), the winner of five CMA Triple Play Awards (recognizing a songwriter with three No. 1 singles in a 12-month span) and was also recently nominated at the Grammys® for Country Song of the Year as well as for Songwriter of the Year at this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards. As a producer, Copperman was nominated twice this year for “CMA Album of the Year” (Keith Urban’s Graffiti U and Dierks Bentley’s The Mountain) and “ACM Album of the Year.” He also won the ACM Award for Music Event of the Year having produced Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne’s “Burning Man” collaboration.
“When kids hear other children singing, their eyes kind of light up,” Copperman adds, explaining that getting kids involved in music – and specifically Country music – was another driving force behind the album. “So, this is a great record that they can enjoy and parents can enjoy, too.”
“I only hope that this music can make others as happy as it has made us,” noted Hannah of the Homegrown Kids cast.
The team carefully selected each track for the Homegrown Kids, making sure to curate a list of wildly popular tunes, perfect for kids. Each song on Volume 1 accumulated sales of more than 9 million copies, raking in more than 1 billion digital streams and topping Country radio playlists nine times. Whereas each track on Homegrown Kids ‘90s Country has gone PLATINUM, and in many cases MULTI-PLATINUM.
But there’s even more to love about these reimagined hits. Sung by a diverse, inclusive group of youngsters who represent a wide range of ages, backgrounds and ethnicities, the songs are embedded with a positive message – perfect for bringing families together and inspiring children to make their world a better place. Classic jams like Diamond Rio’s “Meet In The Middle” teaches kids about the importance of compromise, while Garth’s “The River” encourages kids to live life to the fullest and not be complacent. John Michael Montgomery’s “Life’s A Dance” and Dixie Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces” reminds kids that life is a journey in ups and downs and both wins and failures and it’s okay to make a few mistakes along the way. Even the fun bops like “John Deere Green” and “Down On The Farm” are infused with a few key life lessons (reminder: don’t mess with the bull). It’s truly a batch of tunes parents can be proud to leave on repeat, with a little bit of something for everyone.
Produced by Dana Anderson and David Wise, each track was professionally recorded with a hand-selected group of youth singers – plus Nashville’s world-class musicians and studios – highlighting the song’s essence in unexpected ways.
“They are so talented and they were such quick learners,” Copperman says of the Homegrown Kids cast, whose enthusiastic collaboration offers hope for a divided world. “You listen differently when it’s sung by a kid. When I hear these kids sing ‘Love Can Build a Bridge,’ it just gives me chills. The same with ‘Most People Are Good’ from Volume 1. And then with ‘Happy Girl,’ it’s like ‘Wow, to hear a 13-year-old sing that, it’s incredible.’”
Homegrown Kids cast member, Dakota says “music connects me to people and their stories. It is an international language that everyone can understand at any age.”
Cast member Ally adds, “Without the arts I would not have met the people I have, embraced the culture I have, or learned what my calling was. Music is part of who I am and always will be.”
With Country’s mainstream popularity on the rise, and digital streams of children’s music exploding in the last two years (up 66 percent for on-demand listening, and more than 1250 percent for programmed playlists), it’s the perfect time for a big-picture project like this. Copperman hopes to turn it into a fully-realized brand, with multiple videos (like the “Dirt On My Boots” line dance) and tours injecting positivity into an era defined by distrust – but it will go even further than that. The Country music family is about to get a little bigger, and a little closer.
Homegrown Kids cast members in their own words about the impact music has on their life:
“Without the arts I wouldn’t be able to express myself. I wouldn’t be who I am today without music.” – Karis
“Music makes me feel free. I feel like I can do anything when I’m surrounded by music.” – Mayson
“Music is my therapy. When I’m having a bad or stressful day, it lifts me up and always makes me feel better.” – Marisa
“When I listen to music I always have a sense of comfort that I can’t really explain.” – Jake
“Because of the arts, I’m able to express myself better. I find joy in singing and I find gratitude in projects like these for allowing me to do what I love!” – Hannah
“When I sing, I forget all my worries.” – Dakota