At Country Universe, we are blessed to have among our writing staff the genre’s foremost expert on Christmas country music – Leeann Ward.
Over the years, Leeann has written about seasonal music often, and collectively, her writing on the subject has more depth than you can find anywhere else.
So on this Christmas Eve 2017, let’s look back on three of Leeann’s classic features about the music of the holidays, one of which was an awesome collaboration with fellow writer Sam Gadzdiak.- KJC
2008
Favorite Songs by Favorite Artists: Christmas Edition
2009
2011
Twelve Songs of Christmas (with Sam Gazdziak)
My wife and I have been listening to Christmas songs every morning since December 1st roughly from 7:30 to 10 am. (we’re both retired).
If I could only listen to one female and one male country artist singing Christmas songs it would be Suzy Bogguss and John Berry.
From Suzy, one of my favorites is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”, a Christmas carol based on the 1863 poem “Christmas Bells” by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The song tells of the narrator’s despair, upon hearing Christmas bells, that “hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men”. A Berry favorite is “My Heart is Bethlehem” solely written by 90’s country singer Michael Peterson.
I always love reading Lee Ann Ward’s reviews and comments. Thanks for publishing this. When I think I know country music, I always learn of some artists and recordings I do not know. There are some great choices and picks here. From my perspective, Martina’s O’ Holy Night simply cannot be topped. Having heard her sing this in person 5 years ago, I admit my perspective is biased, yet I’ll sing that bias loud and proud. Aside from that, I’ll pick Faith Hill’s version of a Baby Changes Everything. What a moving rendition of a moving single. From the more secular side of Christmas, I’d go with Little Big Town’s Tennessee Christmas. A little saccharine sweet perhaps, but saccharine sweet in the way a flavored Christmas latte is – wonderful for the time of year!. Thanks for posting these lists from Lee Ann and thank you all for your hard and wonderful work at countryuniverse.net for 2017.!
I have to confess that my Christmas song picks would very likely fall a long way outside the scope of Country Universe, but if I may:
PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS–The Eagles; Aaron Neville
MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY–Elvis Presley
LITTLE ST. NICK–The Beach Boys
CHRISTMAS CANON (PACHELBEL: CANON IN D)–Trans Siberian Orchestra + Chorus
CAROL OF THE BELLS–Mannheim Steamroller
GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMAN–Mannheim Steamroller
CHRISTMAS IN CALIFORNIA–America
SLEIGH RIDE–The Ventures
HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS–Elvis Presley
AVE MARIA–Aaron Neville
CHRISTMAS WRAPPING–The Waitresses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwzCNUkt8Pk
…and Linda Ronstadt’s 2000 Christmas album A Merry Little Christmas, which includes, among other things, the traditional American carol “I Wonder As I Wander”, and “River” (written by her long time friend Joni Mitchell back in 1971).