This Show Takes the Biscuit: “The Biscuit Brothers”

TV Shows We Love: The Biscuit Brothers by Jan Hames
Not too far from Austin, Texas–the Live Music Capital of the World–lies a magical, musical farm where Old MacDonald created the Educational Institute for Every Instrument in the Orchestra, also known as E.I.E.I.O.


The Biscuit Brothers Dusty and Buford, along with their sister Buttermilk and best friend Tiny Scarecrow, take care of the farm for Old MacDonald, making sure that the baby instruments have enough fresh melodies to grow strong and fill up with all kinds of music. Along the way, the Biscuit Brothers bring to life old favorite songs with a modern twist and original compositions, all well seasoned with a hefty dose of music education.

The Biscuit Brothers Television Show is a non-profit project, dedicated to bringing music and learning together into the lives of families everywhere. First aired in April 2005, this Emmy Award winning show is now in its fifth season on Austin’s local PBS station KLRU. Founders Allen Robertson (Buford), Jerome Schooler (Dusty), and producer writer and musician Damon Brown, make the series available free – that’s right, free – to PBS stations around the country.

(L to R) Buford Biscuit, Dusty Biscuit

What I love about the show is its high quality education and production values, despite The Biscuit Brothers Show’s shoestring budget. Each episode is 30 minutes in length, and covers a musical day in the life of the farm. You can learn new dances at Buttermilk’s dance party; just follow her dance cards. It’s great fun when Buttermilk helps everyone understand big music terms like rhythm, pitch, and fortissimo when she brings out the Big Book of Music. Fundamentals of music theory, like music is math, are entertainingly taught in Old MacDonald’s musical schoolhouse, through music, of course. You may get to experience a Crazy Classic (my favorite is “The Can, Can”) or bop along with an original kid’s video like “Do it Myself.” Every episode ends the musical day at Symphony Barn, with lively, reinterpreted renditions of favorites like “The Tiger Rag.” You’ll see and hear wonderful Austin musicians in Symphony Barn, including special guests like Willie Nelson. Taking care of E.I.E.I.O. is a lot of hard work, but in the words of Buford Biscuit, “Actually, it fills you up.”

Want more of The Biscuit Brothers? You can find more videos, the Biscuit Jukebox, links to online music games, family games, CDs and DVDs, and more at biscuitbrothers.com. If you’d like to see The Biscuit Brothers Show as part of your PBS station’s line up, call or write the programming director. Remember, the series is distributed to PBS stations free. But don’t spend all of your time online … take the advice of the Biscuit Brothers, and get out there and go make music!

Photos ©2008 Biscuit Biz