Album Notes

Rocknoceros: The Bio

After 10 months of knob-turning and fader-sliding, Northern Virginia's premiere power-trio for children has emerged from the recording studio with it's third CD, PINK!. Rocknoceros (pronounced like rhinoceros) has dominated the Washington, DC children's music scene since its inception in 2005, winning four Washington Area Music Awards, and landing an ongoing Video-on-Demand offering through COX Cable. With the release of PINK!, Rocknoceros continues to find its way into the hearts and homes of music-lovers of all ages.

As every family with youngsters in the DC area already knows, Rocknoceros (pronounced like rhinoceros) is three guys: Coach Cotton, Williebob, and Boogie Woogie Bennie. After seeing them perform, there is no denying that they are not a typical trio. Coach Cotton is the ring-leader, frequently immersed in a sea of knee-high concert goers. Wearing a wireless head-set microphone, he wades through the mass of dancing children, dispersing high-fives and shaking a tambourine. Williebob provides the necessary string work for the show, moving among a collection of guitars, mandolins, and banjos while wearing a kazoo around his neck. Boogie Woogie Bennie is a one-man-band within the power trio, employing a contraption that one four-year-old fan described as "the piano-drum". The piano-drum allows Boogie Bennie to play the bass drum with his right foot, the snare drum and hi-hat cymbal with his left foot, and the keyboard with his hands (with his left hand playing the bass parts). Together, Rocknoceros is able to cover a dizzying range of musical styles in each set. From Tin Pan Alley to the shores of Jamaica, Rocknoceros hops from genre to genre like a toad on summer asphalt.

PINK! adds 14 new songs to the ever-expanding Rocknoceros catalogue. From the opening chords of the power-pop title track, right through to the final note of the hymn-like Always Tell Your Grandma, PINK! winds its way through a non-stop maze of musical settings. The Train Song harkens back to 1940's big bands, while the 12-string electric guitar in Playground recaptures the essence of 1960's folk pop. Mastered by Grammy-winner Charlie Pilzer of Airshow Mastering, PINK! combines clever and creative songwriting with pristine audio clarity to create a truly memorable experience for listeners of all ages.

The three bandmates grew up in Northern Virginia (if they grew up at all) and have been friends since early childhood. Boogie and Coach remember endlessly spinning Beatles' records in Boogie's suburban bedroom before meeting Williebob in high school. The three have been making music ever since, although it wasn't until 20 years later, when Coach Cotton was raising two young boys of his own, that the inspiration for Rocknoceros finally crystallized.

Today, Rocknoceros is a full-time commitment for Coach, Williebob, and Boogie. They perform more than 20 shows each month, independently produce a bi-weekly video podcast series, and they have just completed their second animated music video for the PINK! CD. They have sold almost 10,000 CDs, with their first two CDs each winning Best Children's Recording from the Washington Area Music Association. As their popularity and reputation spread beyond the DC Metropolitan area, Rocknoceros is poised to entertain much larger audiences, and with the release of PINK! it is clear the band is ready for the national stage.