Family time for Aldergrove’s Springman family often consists of singing, dancing, and performing, as the group of six make up the popular children band called The Springmans Family Band.
The Springmans have been performing as a family band for a few years, and launched their album Happy Beach in 2016, but their most recent success was winning in the youth category of the Fraser Valley Music Awards in December.
“It was especially surprising because we were up against not just other kids’ groups, but some of the artists were 20-something year old solo artists. We were thinking ‘there’s no way we’ll win’ but we did,” said Perry, the father of the Springmans.
Perry leads the band with vocals and instrumentals, and mother Julia manages the band, while their four talented children fill out the rest of the musical ensemble.
Emma, 14, plays the ukulele, sings, and dances, Ryan, 11, plays drums and percussion, Sarah, nine, plays ukulele and piano, and sings and dances, and Jacob, eight, plays the shaker.
The Fraser Valley Music Award came as a result of the group’s album Happy Beach.
“Lyrically we wanted songs so parents and kids could both enjoy them. My wife and I have four kids, they grew up listening to different kids’ artists and a lot of the music is really aimed at kids. So sometimes it’s hard to listen to. We wanted to have an album that I could listen to, or other adults could listen to anytime. I wanted to be able to enjoy it,” explained Perry.
Some of the songs on Happy Beach consist of lyrics that parents and kids can enjoy together–such as songs that encourage cleaning up.
“We call it kids’ music for grown-ups. We grow up too fast and we get way too grown up and forget how to be a kid,” added Perry.
The family-favourite song on the album seems to be Chimichanga.
“I like Chimichanga. I like performing it, it’s an upbeat song. Our audiences really like it,” said Ryan.
Sarah added she especially likes Chimichanga because the siblings had a dance instructor teach them the dance moves, that include Sarah being lifted up by her older sister Emma.
“We do really cool stuff, and it’s fun to watch and perform.”
Emma’s favourite song is the 3-Minute Clean-Up.
“When we perform it I bring out a suitcase full of toys and throw it everywhere and we have to clean it up in three minutes.”
And according to Emma–it is possible to clean up in only three minutes.
Since launching their album in 2016, the family has toured across North America and Europe, performing at various venues including schools, and churches.
In 2018, the Springmans had an especially busy year as they were on tour in Europe for a month in the spring.
Jacob said the most fun part of the tour was playing at a tower in Estonia, which was once the tallest building in the world.
“You can climb up it and look over the whole old town,” said Jacob.
And the language barrier that comes with travelling internationally is no problem for the home schooled Springmans.
“We were in Estonia near the Russian border playing a concert and they were feeding us dinner. Before that we were playing soccer, and there was a boy that wanted to play with us, and even though he couldn’t speak English, we could still play with him,” explained Jacob.
Before touring, the group even learned how to sing Itsy Bitsy Spider in Finnish and Swedish.
In 2016, the Springmans won Children’s Album of the Year at the GMA Canada Covenant Awards ceremony in Edmonta, Atla., and have since won many other awards.
READ MORE: Langley family band honoured with Children’s Album of the Year
For the 2019 season, the Springmans have shows booked in Minnesota in late February, and Florida in March.
Plans are in the works for another European tour in fall of 2019, and the group is currently working on getting funding together to record a second album.
For more information, to listen to, or to book The Springmans visit: https://www.myhappybeach.com/
