There is a lot of children's music out there, and some of it is really bad. But over the course of the last two decades, children's music as a genre has become a home for many smart, funny, and talented musicians. Iowa native Justin Roberts is one of them.
During this hour of Talk of Iowa, he talks with host Charity Nebbe about his newest album Lemonade, which has been nominated for a Grammy this year. It's his third time being nominated.
On this album, he has several laugh out loud funny songs, including one called "Valentine."
"I've been trying to write a song about Valentine's Day for years, and I was trying to write a sweet song. And then I thought about it, and I don't think I really liked Valentine's Day," he laughs.
He says when it comes to songs like "Valentine," he draws on his own experiences and memories from childhood to write his songs.
"A lot of my memories are from Des Moines, so if I'm thinking about a kid trying to catch a baseball in the outfield, I'm thinking about Raccoon Valley. When I think about a kid getting lost in the mall, I'm thinking about Merle Hay Mall," he says.
