History

Ballew's first brush with children's music came in 2002 when he recorded and donated an album of traditional children's songs to the nonprofit Program for Early Parent Support titled "PEPS Sing A Long!" Having a son and daughter himself, he enjoyed making the record but didn't think about it again until 2008 when he discussed working on a children's book with his wife, collage

Collage

A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....

 artist Kate Endle. Ballew began digging up nursery rhymes and folk songs in the public domain, songs that have been reinterpreted and passed down through generations. This, in addition to a number of original songs, formed his first full-length release, "Here I Am!"

The album was a hit, and Ballew began to perform in the Seattle area. A longtime friend, Fred Northup, heard the album while working on a project with Ballew, and Northup offered to play as his live percussionist. Northup, a Seattle-based comedy improvisor, suggested his frequent collaborator Ron Hippe as a keyboard player, and Ballew subsequently auditioned Hippe. Christening the two "Frederick Babyshirt" and "Ronald Babyshoes", they officially became the Caspar Babypants live band in 2009. Ballew is the primary creative force behind Caspar Babypants and records, produces, masters and distributes the albums from his home studio. Northup and Hippe frequently appear on his newer recordings and play at live performances in various combinations.

The fourth album SING ALONG! came out on 8/16/11 and is influenced by old work songs from the turn of the century and call and response folk music from Africa as well as early rock and roll and folk music from America.

Partial discography

• PEPS SIng A Long (released 2002, re-released as a digital download in 2010)
• Here I Am! (released 2009) Special guests: Jen Wood
  Jen Wood
  Jen Wood is an American indie rock musician based in Seattle, Washington. She was a member of alternative rock band Tattle Tale and is the lead artist of the Jen Wood Trio.-Biography:...
  
  , Fysah Thomas
• More Please! (released 2009) Special guests: Fred Northup, Ron Hippe
• This Is Fun! (released 2010) Special guests: Krist Novoselic
  Krist Novoselic
  Krist Anthony Novoselic II is a Croatian-American rock musician, best known for being the bassist and co-founder of the grunge band Nirvana. After Nirvana ended, Novoselic formed Sweet 75 and then Eyes Adrift, releasing one album with each band...
  
  , Charlie Hope, Fred Northup, Ron Hippe
• Many Hands: Family Music for Haiti CD (released 2010) - Compilation of various artists
• Sing Along! (released 2011) Special guests: Fred Northup, Ron Hippe, "Weird Al" Yankovic
  "Weird Al" Yankovic
  Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
  
  , Stone Gossard, Frances England, Rachel Loshak

External links

• Official Site
• Album Artist Kate Endle