Husband and Wife Blogging Duo Are Becoming a Cartoon—To the Delight of Nashville Kids!
Jack and Kitty Norton, Nashville’s beloved Zinghoppers, are bringing their goofy folk songs for kids to life as a cartoon! 🌐 #News #NashvilleTN #Tennessee #Lifestyle
NASHVILLE, TN — Over a decade ago, a loveably goofy and energetic couple with thick Minnesota accents came to Tennessee with a guitar in hand and a song in their heart—like so many dreamers who choose to make Music City a home.
But these singing high school sweethearts weren’t cranking out country tunes on Music Row or chasing any neon rainbows on Broadway: they were making simple folk songs for preschoolers and their families.
A Music City Success Story
To say Jack and Kitty Norton’s The Zinghoppers Show was an overnight success is an understatement. The husband-and-wife duo started their career in an unexpected way: in Kitty’s preschool classroom. She crafted a simple hand puppet, Jack brought a guitar, and they made up songs on the spot—tunes helping young children with colors, shapes, and how to be a good friend.
It caught on. In a big way. The pair were soon seen daily on Nashville Public Television, and their never-ending performances at area Chick-fil-A Kids Nights and Toddler Time at Whole Foods stores in Green Hills and Cool Springs soon became a regular fixture for grateful preschool moms and dads.
Celebs Loved Them Too
Over the years, local celebs like Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Brad Paisley and wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley, and American Pickers star Mike Wolfe were all spotted in the audience of Zinghoppers concerts.
“I’ll never forget the time I got to meet Nicole Kidman,” laughs Kitty. “I was dressed in a possum mascot and playing the ukulele at the Green Hills Public Library!”
Returning to the Screen in Animated Form
A lot has happened since Jack and Kitty called Nashville home. After their stint on Nashville PBS, the duo took some time off from live performance and became ordained ministers.
“Hey, we figured if Mr. Rogers could do it, we can too!” Jack jokes.
During the pandemic, they launched an uplifting news, culture, and lifestyle blog called JackAndKitty.com, published a series of books, and host a popular podcast, Jack and Kitty’s Feel Good Podcast. Now, the creative couple is turning to animation.
“We always wanted to animate characters from The Zinghoppers Show,” explains Kitty. “Thanks to today’s technology, it’s finally affordable to do it in a DIY, low-budget style.”
Kitty produces all of the duo’s music on her laptop and even earned an Emmy Award for composing a song heard in local PBS kids’ show Janet’s Planet, hosted by Nashville actress Janey Ivey.
The Zinghoppers Are Back—But Their Fans Are Gone!
Today, the Nortons split their time between their home in rural Winona, Minnesota, and an apartment in Franklin, Tennessee. They have fond memories of the times when Nashville Parent Magazine named them “Best Children’s Entertainers in Tennessee” (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013).
With the show relaunching on YouTube and additional traditional media partnerships in the works, Jack and Kitty face one problem: all their fans are gone! Well, not gone, just grown up.
“Yeah, I think anyone who loved us as a toddler in 2013 probably won’t enjoy our music today!” laughs Kitty, reflecting that her young fans are now in their teens. “I don’t think they will think we’re cool anymore!”
Jack adds with a smile, “Just give ’em a few years, and they’ll be having kids of their own—then all of a sudden we’ll be cool again!”
Subscribe to the Zinghoppers YouTube channel and visit their webpage here to follow them on social media. The duo plans on releasing new animated content, live action music video and “throwbacks to the O.G. Zinghoppers” (as they call it) which will include clips from their NPT show. In short, if you have a kid ages 2 to 8 in your life, you need to subscribe! 🙂
Watch “What Will the Weather Be” Here!
As a thank you for reading this article, enjoy 25% off our new Feel Good Stories eBook. Do you have an uplifting story or fascinating news tip? Email us! news@jackandkitty.com.
RELATED TOPICS: Kids and Family | Lifestyle
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Your opinion matters! Leave a comment below and join the discussion. We love hearing from you!
