The Biscuit Brothers
Country and folk music fun for kids and parents, with puppets and live action.
The Biscuit Brothers was a public television series made in Austin, Texas. It debuted on Austin's KLRU in 2004 and expanded to a national audience the following year. The show blended live-action, puppetry, and animation to teach children and their parents about cultural communication through country and folk music. Its run on PBS ended in 2012.
The series was created and produced by Allen Robertson, Jerome Schoolar, and Damon Brown. Segments included "The Instrument of the Day" and "Crazy Classics." The cast featured Robertson as "Buford Biscuit" (also music director), Schoolar as "Dusty Biscuit" (also producer), Jill Leberknight as "Buttermilk Biscuit" (also field producer), Damon Brown as "Tiny Scarecrow" (also director), and Ian Scott as "Old MacDonald." Willie Nelson contributed voice work. The program regularly featured Austin musicians, nationally recognized U.S. performers, and international artists like Evelyn Glennie.
The show was filmed at Pioneer Farms in Austin, with theater scenes shot at the Scottish Rite Theater. The Biscuit Brothers performed live across Texas in hundreds of venues, including the Austin City Limits Music Festival in 2004, 2005, and 2006. They also served as musical hosts for the annual Austin Family Music Festival. Several recordings were released, such as *Have a Merry Musical Christmas* (2007). Although the television program ended in 2012, the group performed at a benefit for a Lake Travis music scholarship fund in 2014.
- Ceased airing
- 2010 on PBS
- First aired
- 2004 on KLRU (nationwide distribution began in 2006 via American Public Television)
Lore & Background
The project was created and is produced by Allen Robertson, Jerome Schoolar, and Damon Brown. The program featured include "The Instrument of the Day" and "Crazy Classics". The Biscuit Brothers have performed live in hundreds of venues across Texas as well, most notably at the Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL Fest) in 2004, 2005, and 2006. They are the musical host of the annual Austin Family Music Festival, and have released several recordings, including Have a Merry Musical Christmas (2007). The program starred Allen Robertson as "Buford Biscuit" (also music director), Jerome Schoolar as "Dusty Biscuit" (also producer), Jill Leberknight as "Buttermilk Biscuit" (also the field producer), Damon Brown as "Tiny Scarecrow" (also director), and Ian Scott as "Old MacDonald". Music icon Willie Nelson also contributed voice talent. The program often featured Austin musicians, nationally recognized US performers, as well as internationally recognized artists such as Evelyn Glennie. The program was shot at Pioneer Farms in Austin, and the theater scenes were shot at the Scottish Rite Theater in Austin. The television program ended in 2012, but in 2014, the Biscuit Brothers performed at a benefit for a music scholarship fund in Lake Travis.
Reader's Guide
The program featured segments including "The Instrument of the Day" and "Crazy Classics". It used a mixture of live-action, puppetry, and animation to teach cultural communication through country and folk music.
Did You Know?
- The Biscuit Brothers first aired on KLRU in 2004 and nationwide in 2005.
- The program ceased airing on PBS in 2012.
- The show starred Allen Robertson as Buford Biscuit, Jerome Schoolar as Dusty Biscuit, Jill Leberknight as Buttermilk Biscuit, Damon Brown as Tiny Scarecrow, and Ian Scott as Old MacDonald.
- Willie Nelson contributed voice talent to the program.
- The program was shot at Pioneer Farms and the Scottish Rite Theater in Austin.
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