Farmer Jason - A Day At The Farm

As the lead man of Jason & the Scorchers, Jason Ringenberg has been working in Nashville as a hard-charging, wild rockin' "country punk" singer since 1981, putting down the closest thing to punk-metal that country music's ever seen (their bio calls them "Merle Haggard meets the Ramones") - so would it be surprising to find out this fellow sings cutesy kiddie songs? Sure! But the result is so much fun you'll forget in no time where it's coming from and just sing along with the kids and "Farmer Jason." Hop out of bed with "Get Up Up Up!" and go from there, to a silly tale about the "Guitar Pickin' Chicken," and then gallup away with "Whoa There Pony!" The ride just keeps on getting more and more fun, as we meet the rest of the residents of the farm, from the hard-working tractor to the cows, the hogs, the dog and the cat, the lamb, the corn, and, of course, a lullaby to put us all to bed with "Sundown on the Farm". The tunes are bright and catchy; the lyrics are clever and fun. It's exactly the sort of stuff your kids will absolutely love, and you'll enjoy it, too (fortunately - there is a parental warning on the disc that warns, "this CD contains songs that will have you singing along with your kids!").

"Farmer Jason" is joined in the studio by George Bradfute on guitars, the incomparable Fats Kaplin on fiddle and a slew of other instruments, the "Little Farmers Chorus," which includes Ringenberg's daughters and the children of some of the rest of the folks who help with the disc, and Ringenberg wrote all the songs. The gang don't skimp on musical quality, either, just because it's "kiddie songs." The pickin' and singin' is first-rate, one-hundred-percent country, honest and a ton of fun. Makes me sorry we don't have kids of our own, but I know I'm going to be gifting this disc (and its companion, A Day in the Forest with Farmer Jason) to my niece and nephew this Christmas! It's a delight from start to finish.