He formed the indie-folk band Pimentos For Gus with Mike Merz and Tracy Spuehler at Kenyon when he was a freshman in 1988.

When Pimentos For Gus broke up in 1996, he moved to Chicago to attend graduate school, where he was a religious studies major.

In December 1996, Roberts sent Liam Davis a tape of original children's songs as a Christmas present.

In 1997, Roberts quit graduate school to instead focus on children's music and record his first album, Great Big Sun.

[1] It wasn't long before Roberts began writing and singing songs for a new generation of fans: his students.

One of the gift recipients was Liam Davis, a college pal and music producer, who suggested that they record the songs professionally.

to everyone from Elvis Costello and Fountains of Wayne to Paul Simon, Electric Light Orchestra and Nick Lowe.