No Audience Too Big or Too Small
Missouri Touring Performers Directory -- Babaloo, Cheap!
Babaloo is a one-man musical comedy act for kids of all ages. Be warned; this is no run-of-the-mill kids’ crooner. A Babaloo performance is a high-energy, over-the-top, fun-filled experience. “My shows have been called ‘carefully controlled chaos,’” says Babaloo. “There’s no ‘criss-cross-applesauce, sit-still-and-zip-your-lip’ stuff. But there is lots of shouting and singing; dancing and stomping; magic and mayhem; bean-bag-bopping and bubble-popping and bucket-beating – whatever it takes to keep everyone energized and laughing!”
And what kid could keep from laughing with songs like I Lost My Pants in the Swimming Pool; Don’t Pass the Gas; or Gorilla in the Middle of my Bedroom Floor? He even won an international songwriting contest for his tunes, The Wee Wee Dance, and My Toothbrush Fell in the Toilet. These are just a few of the upbeat, hilarious tunes found on Babaloo’s two cds, Bean Bag Bop and Room For Everyone. Don’t worry, you’ll also find uplifting songs dealing with sharing, acceptance, and character issues. But they’re never overly-sweet or corn-syrupy.
My job is to connect with kids; to make them smile and sing,” says Babaloo. “And not just during a performance. I want them smiling and singing all the way home in the car, at the dinner table, in school the next day, and clear into the next year!"
No Audience Too Big or Too Small
Not much is needed for a Babaloo concert -- just an electric outlet and a bunch of wound-up kids. Babaloo plays over 300 shows a year from St. Louis to Aberquerque to Philadelphia, and has fans all over the world. His show is great for Fairs; Festivals; Corporate and Non-Profit Events; School Assemblies; School Celebrations; Libraries; Fundraisers; Scouting Events; and Private Parties.
Babaloo is comfortable interacting with audiences of 30 to 3,000 or more. A typical performance lasts 30 minutes to one hour, depending upon the clients’ needs. Experienced, professional, flexible (and a little goofy), Babaloo knows what it takes to make every event a success.
Go to the Contact Babaloo page to learn more about scheduling a show.
Missouri Touring Performers Directory -- Babaloo, Cheap!
The Missouri Arts Council recently named Babaloo “ … among the state’s most distinguished touring artists” (go figure) and added him to it’s Missouri Touring Performers Directory. This allows eligible, Missouri-based organizations to obtain partial funding for artist’s fees. For more information go to Missouri Arts Council - Missouri Touring Performers.
“It Aint Bragging If You Did it”
Babaloo’s unique ability to connect with kids has resulted in thousands of cd sales worldwide and a good deal of recognition, including …..
~ First-place and Second-place winner of the 2008 International Songwriting Contest (ISC, the largest in the world) www.songwritingcompetition.com.
~ Runner-up in 2007 ISC songwriting competition
~ Named “Best Recording Artist for School-Age Children” by The Children’s Web Awards, 2008. www.childrensmusic.org
~ Named “Best Kids’ Entertainment” in 2008 “A-List” issue of St. Louis Magazine.
~ Selected as Touring Arts Performer by Missouri Touring Arts Council, 2009
A Brief History of Babaloo -- (Dangerously Close to Becoming a Clown)
At just three years of age little Babaloo was kidnapped by a troupe of roving gypsy clowns. He tapdanced, sang, and juggled flaming hamsters (all at the same time) in front of audiences across the globe. One year later, he was deposited in his front yard with a note pinned to his shirt that read, “Baba-loser … no can sing … we recommend career in accounting or fast food.”
Crushed and heartbroken, Babaloo changed his name to Rob and lived a normal life in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from high school (Parkway North, 1979) and went on to earn bachelor degrees in Writing and Wildlife Conservation, but all the time he held on to his dream of entertaining audiences without the indignities of oversized shoes and face paint.
Rob piddled away his adult years building museum exhibits, selling tires, and counting paddlefish. He even wore a tie and acted like an important corporate marketing executive for a while. He played with grown-up bands in his spare time, trying to satisfy the entertainer within, wondering why the crowds never looked up to him. Then it struck him -- he would find an audience that had to look up to him! So he changed his name back to Babaloo and started entertaining kids.
Today, Babaloo has more fun than ever, playing for kids and their parents across the country. When not Babalooing, he hangs out in Washington, Missouri and tries to keep up with his five kids. He finds peace on the streams, rivers and lakes of his Ozarks home and counts the stars in the night sky with his lovely wife, Doris. But sometimes, late at night, he reaches into the recesses of his closet, dons the clown shoes and face paint, stares into the mirror and thinks, “Naaaaaaah!”
“He’s in a league all by himself … His name is Babaloo and he’s redefining Children’s entertainment. … Every show is different, and every show’s a party!”
~Show-Me Saint Louis
“Call him the anti-Raffi …. Rob Compton -- known to St. Louis-area audiences as Babaloo -- isn’t afraid to tackle various real-life kid dilemmas, such as losing your pants in the swimming pool or being so desperate to go to the bathroom that you do the “wee wee dance.” … he spins imaginative yarns and sings about sharing, too. But the secret of his success is that he’s able to get his songs across to kids in ways that they can understand.
~St. Louis Post Dispatch
”Wacky seems to be the key word …. He’s the guy kids know simply as Babaloo -- singer, storyteller and all-around funny man. Parents recognize Compton as a top-notch entertainer …. The secret to his success seems to be that he’s as popular with the adults as he is with the kids.
~Washington Missourian
“Some might even call it Punk rock for kids.”
~New Haven Leader
“You have such talent and we really do enjoy hearing humorous children’s music that is also easy on the ears for adults. It‘s quality children’s music with a twist, so adults are drawn to it as well. Thanks for all you do … .”
~The Andrews Family
