Well, another year has flown by, and once again we pause to reflect on how amazing and rewarding our lives truly are. We have dream ‘jobs’, and 2011 is another great example of what incredibly fun lives we live!

Highlights from the past year include the hundreds of live shows we shared in all over Canada, alongside the opportunity to introduce songs from our May 2011 release – Connecting the Dots – to families across the country! We also celebrated a SOCAN Music Award, Parents’ Choice Award and a Western Canadian Music Award nomination. Plus, the icing on the cake was definitely the addition of the youngest and sweetest member of the Bobs & LoLo family – 6 month old, Baby Anisa.

It has been an unforgettable year, and we are so excited to see what lies ahead in 2012!

Santa's Helpers

We wanted to wrap-up this year with an extra special project, and last month we wrote a song in celebration of the season. This is our first holiday tune, and we hope to add to the collection over the next year [wishing for a xmas album in 2012!]. We hope you enjoy this little musical treat from the B&L family to yours!

Bobs & LoLo – Jingle Jangle Holly Jolly Festive Time of Year

We will both be spending the rest of the month with our families on Vancouver Island, but we look forward to connecting with you again in the New Year.  Thank you so much for the continued support of our music and programming.

Happiest holiday wishes to all of you ! We can’t wait to share in many more musical adventures in 2012!

Bobs & LoLo

A girl!

We apologize for the delay on posting news about LoLo’s beautiful baby girl. We actually got back onstage 13 days after the little one arrived (crazy!), and once again, it has been a whirlwind summer of musical adventures…only made better by the addition of Anisa!

Wide-eyed wonder at 8 days old!

LoLo and her hubby welcomed Anisa into the world on June 18th at 11:24am. Anisa arrived in perfect health weighing 7lbs 3oz, and the new family of three was settling into home by 7pm the same day!

The new family of three!

Our appreciation to everyone who passed on their well wishes to the new momma, and a special thanks to all who entered a guess in the baby pool. There was a tie for the winning guess, and rather than do a random draw for a winner, both entrants will be receiving a Bobs & LoLo SUPER BUNDLE!

Congratulations to Jessica (Facebook) for her guess of a baby girl born on June 18th at 10:35pm weighing 7lbs 4oz, and Sydelle (Blog) for her guess of a baby girl born on June 18th at 4:33pm weighing 7lbs 1oz!

You will both be receiving a direct message in order to get your mailing info and requested t-shirt size.

Anisa has shared in nearly 30 performances in her short 10 weeks, and while she’s slept through most of them, she’s proven to a mini-superstar time and time again.

Anisa and her entourage - Edmonton bound!

If you would like to read more about LoLo’s adventures as a first-time momma, check out her featured article, Musical Adventures into Motherhood, in the new edition of Birth of a Mother Magazine (pg. 16). The publication can be downloaded for free via the link above.

Congrats again to Jessica and Sydelle for their winning guesses in the baby pool. Anisa has been an amazing (and adorable!) addition to the B&L family, and we are all excited to see this wee one go, go, grow!

Bobs & LoLo

Happy Earth Day! We are excited to be celebrating with a beautiful, sunny day at home in Vancouver, BC. While we do believe that every day should be ‘earth day’, having the official date fall on Good Friday this year makes it even easier to plan some special activities with the family. Maybe you’re involved in a neighbourhood clean-up, a community tree-planting event or are simply enjoying some time in the great outdoors? Please leave a comment sharing how your are spending Earth Day with your family – we’d love to hear from you!

We are thrilled to have a new soundtrack for our Earth Day celebrations this year. Connecting the Dots – our new album – arrived yesterday! We are so happy with the final product, and as with our first three albums, we have packaged the CD in an eco-friendly fashion including recycled paper materials, a cornstarch disc tray and vegetable-based inks.

Connecting the Dots (2011)

Connecting the Dots features 14 original songs aimed at inspiring kids to observe, explore and CONNECT with the world around them. The stories and ideas shared in each song show that connections exist between different things – from how sharing a smile is an easy way to brighten someone’s day, to what makes a tree a perfect home for a silly squirrel, to simply recognizing that we each have our own special ‘beat’ that makes us all unique.

In celebration of Earth Day we wanted to share a few ‘sneak preview’ songs from the album. Below is the title track – Connecting the Dots. You can also find 4 more songs featured on the music player at www.bobsandlolo.com/music. We can’t wait to hear what you think!

Pre-orders for the new album are now available on our website and through the new Store on our Facebook page. The CDs will be released into retail stores on May 17, and pre-orders will be shipped just prior. We are extra excited to announce that we have created some new B&L t-shirts…yay! It has been a couple years since our last batch! These are only available online in special bundle packages with the new album along with an autographed photo for your little superfan!

Connecting the Dots!

We are hosting a few CD Release Family Concerts in the upcoming weeks although these are all taking place somewhat close to home given the anticipated June arrival of Baby LoLo. Special advance copies of the new album will be available for purchase at the live events!

Upcoming Shows:

Surrey, BC – April 30
Early Years Festival

Victoria, BC – May 1
Isabelle Reader Theatre

Port Moody, BC – May 7
Fingerling Festival

Nanaimo, BC – May 8
Malaspina Theatre (VIU)

Vancouver, BC – May 14
Roundhouse Community Centre

Ticket info and additional details for each event can be found on our Events Calendar or in the event listings on our Facebook page.

Looking forward to seeing some of you soon. Happy Earth Day!

Bobs & LoLo

Vancouver based children’s entertainers take their award-winning music on the road for a run of 32 shows at one of Canada’s largest outdoor events!
 
Bobs & LoLo hit the stage daily at this year’s world-renowned Calgary Stampede. With a well- established fan base in their home province of BC and growing national adoration, Robyn Hardy (Bobs) and Lorraine Pond (LoLo) are looking forward to sharing their live programming with families in Alberta next month. Their extensive touring to date and regular spots on the national children’s network, Treehouse TV, is sure to have preschoolers, with parents in tow, lining up to see the live show.

What do the performers have to say?

Bobs: “We’re super excited to perform at the Calgary Stampede! We’ve had such a great year already with our recent JUNO nomination and the whole Treehouse thing…getting such a large contract for the second year in a row with the Stampede really validates how far we’ve come in the last few years.”
 
LoLo: “Yeehaw! I can’t wait to unleash my inner cowgirl! We’re looking forward to all of the fun that goes along with sharing in a big event like this, although I think the main focus for Bobs and I will be staying healthy and rested so that we can survive performing 3+ shows per day for 10 days straight!”

 
Bobs & LoLo will be performing on the Buckaroos Stage at the Calgary Stampede from July 9 – 18 with shows daily at 1:30pm, 4pm & 6pm. Additional shows are scheduled for the Kids’ Days, July 11 & 14 at 11am. All Bobs & Lolo shows are FREE with general admission to Stampede Park.  

About Bobs & LoLo
Bobs & LoLo use music, movement and make-believe to share stories and experiences that both entertain and educate, while ultimately teaching children to care about themselves, their neighbours and the planet. Their programming places an emphasis on celebrating the values of healthy-living and aims to inspire young audiences with an awareness and appreciation for the world around them. Catch Bobs & LoLo live this summer or watch for their regular appearances on the national children’s television network, Treehouse TV.

For interviews with Bobs & LoLo please contact:
Christy Allan
christy@expandgroup.ca

Celebrations beginning in Newfoundland this week will mark the 39th anniversary of the JUNO Awards and a new career milestone for independent children’s entertainers and educators, Bobs & LoLo.

Bobs & LoLo are honoured to be nominated for 2010 Children’s Album of the Year. The award for this category will be presented at a gala dinner event in St. John’s, NL on Saturday, April 17th.

Bobs & LoLo will be travelling across the country from Vancouver, BC to attend the gala and share in a number of the JUNO Award festivities including an opportunity to walk the red carpet prior to the April 18th CTV broadcast event!

Bobs & LoLo will personally be posting stories and photos from their 2010 JUNO adventures on their blog throughout the week. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates.

In addition, Bobs & LoLo are looking forward to sharing some of their music and programming during JUNO Week at two special events created specifically for children and families.

April 15, 2010 – MusiCounts Presentation

Over 350 elementary students from Larkhall Academy will celebrate a $10,000 MusiCounts instrument grant for the school’s music program with a performance by 2010 JUNO Award nominated children’s performers, Bobs & LoLo.
 
MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), is helping to keep music alive in schools across Canada. MusiCounts includes Band Aid musical instrument grants, the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, Scholarships and other initiatives. Since 1997, over $3 and a half million has been donated impacting 214 post-secondary music program graduates and over 250,000 individual students, their schools and communities, from coast to coast.
 
Bobs & LoLo are thrilled to kick-off their visit to St. John’s with a special performance for students who will directly benefit from these funds.

April 17, 2010 – Kids’ Jam for Janeway
 
Bobs & LoLo, Charlie Hope, The Bee’s Knees and The Kerplunks, all 2010 JUNO Award nominees for Children’s Album of the Year, will perform at Kids’ Jam for Janeway, a free concert to benefit the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre. The concert is sponsored by Kids Music Connection, an initiative to support music and the arts in the lives of children.

The Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre is Newfoundland and Labrador’s only hospital specializing in pediatric health care and serves thousands of children and families each year.

For more information about the event and free advance ticket reservations, please visit www.kidsjam.ca.
 

We are thrilled to announce that Action Packed, our most recent album release has received a 2010 Juno nomination!

Following on the heels of a 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award – essentially the Grammy’s of the kids’ music world – and a 2009 Western Canadian Music Award, we are overwhelmed and absolutely thrilled with the ongoing national and international attention for our third album. Warm thanks and huge cyber hugs to all of our fans, friends and family for the ongoing support of our musical adventures! This latest accolade is truly a mega highlight!

Action Packed features 12 original songs such as The Right Track, Snappy Snacks and Friends. The album is geared at connecting children to behaviours that positively impact the world around them. Using kid-friendly analogies like trains, superheroes, adventure stories and more the songs address themes such as literacy, health, teamwork and friendship.

The album was produced, arranged & recorded by Mario Vaira at Five Fathom Studios, with drums recorded by Ryan Stewart at WineCellar Music Studios and the tracks mastered at Suite Sound Labs – all of whom are located in Vancouver, BC.

For a full listing of 2010 Juno nominees, please click here.

The Juno Awards weekend will be hosted in St. John’s, NL on April 16-18. We’ve decided to fly across the country with our other halves (Mario and Kavie) to fully embrace what is sure to be a memorable and fabulous celebration of Canadian music. This might even give us an opportunity to finally do a show or two on the east coast!?

If any local BC families would like to celebrate with us this weekend, please join us in Burnaby on Saturday, March 6 for a special free family performance. Full details can be found on our events calendar.
 
Woohoo!!

Bobs & Lolo

We are excited to be taking our show home for the holidays with a special family concert in our childhood town of Nanaimo, BC. We’ll be hitting the stage at our high-school alma mater, Dover Bay Secondary this Saturday, December 12th at 2pm.

Having performed more than 300 live shows across Canada this past year alone, we’re looking forward to returning home for this event. The festivities are a perfect way to wrap up a crazy year and celebrate all of the wonderful musical adventures we’ve shared to date. With our newest album having received a 2009 Parent’s Choice Gold and a Western Canadian Music Award plus the whole Treehouse TV thing, getting an opportunity to celebrate with fans in our hometown will be amazing! Plus, we’ll be sharing the stage with our full band and both backing musicians are previous ‘islanders’ too. Mario Vaira will be on guitar and Mark Harvey on bass…the kiddie mosh will surely be rockin’!

We first met at a Girl Guide camp in the late 1980’s and following a fun-filled weekend of campfires, sing-a-longs and outdoor fun, a life-long friendship was sealed. We were both thrilled to end up at the same highschool (Dover Bay) a few years later - Bobs & Lolo were actually our highschool nicknames! We soon started performing together through numerous choir concerts and piano recitals, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Retro Bobs & Lolo (~16 yrs old) – not much has changed!

We hope to see some of you at the event this weekend, and regardless, we’ll be sure to post some pics on our Facebook Group next week. Happy holidays!

Bobs & Lolo

Event info:

Bobs & Lolo are performing at Dover Bay Secondary on December 12th at 2pm. Tickets $8 in advance or $10 at the door. Children under one year FREE. Advance purchases recommended. Tickets are available at Kool & Child and Kiyo Salon in Nanaimo. For more info, please call 250-758-9727.

Doors open at 1:30pm. Be sure to arrive a few minutes early to enjoy the complimentary arts and craft stations. Kids will also be able to check out a fire truck with a special visit from the Nanaimo Fire Department (1:30-2pm).

Action Packed, the latest album from critically-acclaimed BC duo, Bobs & Lolo, has received a 2009 Western Canadian Music Award for Children’s Recording of the Year. Following on the heels of a 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award – essentially the Grammy’s of the kids’ music world – Robyn Hardy (Bobs) and Lorraine Pond (Lolo) continue to garner national and international attention for their third album’s refreshing lyrics, rich harmonies and original, ‘get on your feet’ tunes for preschoolers.

Action Packed features 12 original songs such as The Right Track, Snappy Snacks and Friends. The album is geared towards connecting children to behaviours that positively impact the world around them. Using kid-friendly analogies like trains, superheroes, adventure stories and more the songs address themes such as literacy, health and fitness, teamwork and friendship.

To listen to sample songs from the award-winning album, please visit www.bobsandlolo.com/music.html.

Bobs & Lolo use music, movement and make-believe to share stories and experiences that inspire kids to care about themselves, their neighbours and the planet. Already a hit with children, parents and educators alike, this award only reinforces the fact that Bobs & Lolo are hitting all the right notes on their musical adventures!

What do Bobs & Lolo have to say about all the excitement?

“Wow! Thank you! We were sorry that we couldn’t be there to accept the award in person in Brandon, Manitoba last night, but we are so honoured to be recognized in this year’s category for Children’s Recording of the Year. We want to first thank all of our friends, family and fans for their support and encouragement on our many musical adventures, and we also want to give special recognition to our producer, Mario Vaira for always believing in us and for fully investing his talent into making Action Packed an album that we are all proud of and excited to share with children everywhere. And finally, we want to thank our good friend, and fellow nominee, Will Stroet. His album, “My Backyard” also deserves top recognition. He accepted the award on our behalf at Sunday’s ceremony, a true indication of the warm and supportive nature of the children’s music world. Thanks again everyone! Woooohoooo!”

Action Packed was Produced, Arranged & Recorded by Mario Vaira at Five Fathom Studios, with drums recorded at WineCellar Music Studios by Ryan Stewart, and mastered at Suite Sound Labs, all of whom are located in Vancouver, BC.

See the Live Show:
Bobs & Lolo next perform at the Early Literacy Fair in Port Hardy (Sept 26), the Vancouver Island Baby Fair in Victoria (Sept 27), the Baby & Toddler Fair in Langley (Oct 3), the Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby (Oct 3) and at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam (Oct 4). Full calendar listings and event details are at http://bobsandlolo.com/blog/the-big-calendar/

Action Packed has received a 2009 nomination for Best Children’s Recording of the Year from the Western Canadian Music Alliance! Following on the heels of a 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award – essentially the Grammy’s of the kids’ music world – Bobs & Lolo continue to garner national and international attention for their 3rd album’s refreshing lyrics, rich harmonies and original, ‘get on your feet’ tunes for preschoolers.

Action Packed features 12 original songs such as The Right Track, Snappy Snacks and Friends. The album is geared towards connecting children to behaviours that positively impact the world around them. Using kid-friendly analogies like trains, superheroes, adventure stories and more the songs address themes such as literacy, health and fitness, teamwork and friendship. Already a hit with children, parents and educators alike, the recent WCMA nomination only reinforces the growing success of Bobs & Lolo’s latest project!

The Western Canadian Music Awards honour the best of Western Canadian recordings. This year’s awards ceremony will take place in Brandon, Manitoba on September 20th, 2009.

To listen to sample songs from the award-winning album, Action Packed, please visit www.bobsandlolo.com/music.

Bobs & Lolo use music, movement and make-believe to share stories and experiences that both entertain and educate, while ultimately teaching children to care about themselves, their neighbours and the planet. Their programming places an emphasis on celebrating the values of healthy-living and aims to inspire young audiences with an awareness and appreciation for the world around them. Watch for regular appearances by Bobs & Lolo on the national children’s television network, Treehouse TV!

“Watch out Penner, Diamond and Raffi. Speaking of Penner, the duo opened for the legendary Canadian children’s entertainer this [past] summer.” -  Fiona Hughes, The Vancouver Courier

Vancouver-based children’s entertainers, Bobs & Lolo, take their award-winning music on the road for a run of 35 shows at one of Canada’s largest outdoor events!

Bobs & Lolo will hit the stage daily at this year’s world-renowned Calgary Stampede. With a well-established fan base in their home province of BC and growing national adoration, Robyn Hardy (Bobs) and Lorraine Pond (Lolo) are looking forward to sharing their live programming with families in Alberta next month. Their extensive touring to date, plus regular spots on the national children’s network, Treehouse TV, is sure to have preschoolers, with parents in tow, lining up for a chance to see the live show.

What do the performers have to say?

Bobs: “We’re super excited to perform at the Calgary Stampede! We’ve had such a great year already with our recent Parents’ Choice Gold Award and the whole Treehouse thing…getting such a large contract with the Stampede really validates how far we’ve come in the last few years. It’s crazy to think that less than two years ago, we were still doing 3-4 birthday parties each weekend!”

Lolo: “Yeehaw! I can’t wait to unleash my inner cowgirl! We’re looking forward to all of the fun that goes along with sharing in a big event like this, although I think the main focus for Bobs and I will be staying healthy and rested so that we can survive performing 3+ shows per day for 10 days straight!”

Bobs & Lolo will be performing on the Buckaroos Stage at the Calgary Stampede from July 3 – 12 with shows daily at 2pm, 5pm & 7pm. Additional shows are scheduled for July 4, 5, 8, 11 & 12 at 11am. All Bobs & Lolo shows are FREE with general admission to Stampede Park.

To learn more about the Calgary Stampede, please visit www.calgarystampede.com.

Bobs & Lolo use music, movement and make-believe to share stories and experiences that both entertain and educate, while ultimately teaching children to care about themselves, their neighbours and the planet. Their programming places an emphasis on celebrating the values of healthy-living and aims to inspire young audiences with an awareness and appreciation for the world around them. Catch Bobs & Lolo live this summer (event calendar) or watch for their regular appearances on the national children’s television network, Treehouse TV.

For more information about Bobs & Lolo, please visit www.bobsandlolo.com.