Zippity2Dads

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By MARK H. STOWERS
Special to The Oakland Press

Back in 2006, two Oakland County friends decided to create something worthwhile that entertains and educates kids Zippity2Dads. Shawn Ryskamp of Lake Orion and Tagg Smith of Waterford grew up entertaining folks with both skits and music. So the combination of their unique talents with the foundation of getting a positive message across to children became their goal.

In 2006, two Oakland County friends decided to create something worthwhile that entertains and educates kids — Zippity2Dads.

Shawn Ryskamp of Lake Orion and Tagg Smith of Waterford Township grew up entertaining folks with both skits and music. Using the combination of their talents, their goal is to get a positive message across to children.

“We’ve been performing together for years in churches and wedding and things like that,” Ryskamp said. “We had done that for a dozen years or so before creating this. We wanted to put something together for the schools. Our wives are both teachers and they knew what elementary kids needed to hear.”

Taking time off from their day jobs, Ryskamp and Smith traveled through Oakland County and Michigan, bringing their original songs and programs to festivals, schools and many other gatherings.

“The premise was doing assemblies at elementary schools,” Ryskamp explained. “It was entertainment, but I like to call it ‘edutainment’ — entertainment and education together. Since then, it’s evolved into straight entertainment at fairs, festivals, different types of corporate events and we’ve been to several libraries.”

Like many performing duos, each one brings a talent to the stage.

“He’s (Shawn) has always been a really good writer from a creative standpoint,” Smith said. “And I was better at doing music, not necessarily the words and such, so we fit together that way.”

Smith, a piano player by trade, plays many instruments and tackles every musical challenge in his path.

“My family was musical and I kind of play by ear. so I enjoy trying to play something new,” Smith said. “I even played saxophone in high school and was in a rock band.”

Creating skits and songs for themes such as trust, responsibility and respect took the duo into many different schools — and gave them the material to create their own CDs.

“We have two CDs out,” Ryskamp said. “The first one was ‘Having Fun in Zanzibar’ a couple of years back and now we have our new release ‘Just Being a Kid.’ ”

Filled with up-tempo music and catchy lyrics, the Zippity2Dads tunes are adult-and kid-friendly.

“We try to do fun, upbeat songs that kids can dance to and get the audience involved,” Ryskamp said. “We even bring kids up on stage. And when we make a CD, we want to make songs that adults will enjoy.”

The musician said that being on stage let’s the men be kids again.

“I get a kick out of performing,” Smith said. “It’s fun to look out and see the looks on kids’ faces. I like to have fun and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. So we just goof around and have fun.”

Ryskamp agrees.

“If you’re out there and can do what you love, it’s great,” he said with a laugh. “And if you can get paid for it, it’s even better. Its wonderful and it’s a blessing.”

And the name Zippity2Dads?

“I was driving in the car one day and the ‘Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah’ song came in my head and I thought, ‘Oh, Zippity2Dad,’ and laughed,” Smith said. “So I called Shawn and was joking around about it and then we said, ‘Wait, maybe.’ So it was a joke at first and then we thought it was kind of catchy.”

- The Oakland Press