: LIFE For most of us parents out there, we have our kids’ music and then we have our music. Rarely, if ever, is there overlap between the two. That’s where Go Fish comes in. Go Fish is essentially three dads “on a mission to make good music for kids that won’t drive parents crazy,” so says Jamie Statema, frontman for the kid-friendly crew. Sound good? You bet! Sound planned? Hardly! “We never dreamed in a million years we’d be doing what we’re doing now,” Jamie explains. Originally, Go Fish looked like a lot of other bands out there—signed to a label, pursuing radio, pursuing hits—you know, the norm. “We were signed to InPop Records, touring like crazy, getting our singles out there, doing the typical CCM thing. “One thing we noticed everywhere we went—everyone from little kids up to grandparents were showing up for our set. Our fans were younger… always families.” Already a bit on the fringe stylistically, the group took another bold step forward and presented the idea of creating an album just for families with young kids. They approached the label with the idea. And while it didn’t fit in with that label’s direction and mission, they were generous enough to release the band from their contract to go make the project. “When the first CD, Splash came out, it blew us away,” Jamie says. “There was a huge need for music that parents and kids could agree on. Being in the same category as Barney and The Wiggles wasn’t really cool, but we wanted to focus on it. Right about that same time we did all become dads as well.” The first album caught like wildfire and before they knew it, they were fully immersed in the business of kids, families and fun. Soon, they also began to recognize the need for stronger curriculum for these kids. So they wrote their own, specifically geared towards Vacation Bible School. “Even well meaning children’s workers water down the Gospel because they think they can’t handle it. All [the kids] know is ‘Jesus can be your best friend.’ We don’t dumb down our music or lyrics for the kids. Kids are smarter than you think… and they’re dealing with all kinds of things—divorce, things at school… it’s an unstable world that we live in. To think that kids don’t pick up on that, we’re fooling ourselves. Parents need to step up. We can’t expect churches, schools, etc., to teach the Bible. That role falls on the parents. That’s really the key to turning things around.” Their latest VBS curriculum, is being used by over 1000 churches. And with their latest album, Kickin’ It Old School (traditional hymns with a hip vibe,) Go Fish is poised to continue to bring families and multiple generations together in the name of Christ and a good time. Fishers of… Families Go Fish is on a mission to unite kids and parents For more, visit gofishguys.com. more CCM 11