The Christmas Music Exchange

New and Old Sounds for the Season

“Thick as pea soup” I told grandma, driving through the fog. It socked in Lynchburg yesterday, crept up the coast, muffling the days of Maryland friends. The gloom reached all the way up to Connecticut.

I like it. It’s seasonal.

The streetlights in the gym parking lot burned in the gray. “Looks like a Christmas movie”. The boxing wiz agreed.

I woke up to the sound of rain, and Brenda Lee singing on the radio.

Rockin’ around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop…

KD Country is a good station.

It’s another gray day. Long Mountain has pulled the cloud blanket close, sleeping late this morning. It’s time to put on the coffee and spin the Christmas tunes.

But, maybe you need some new ones. With exactly two weeks till the big day, I’ll be posting a selection on here. Send me your favorites, and let’s start a music exchange.

This is sparked by Carol (Of Appalachian Word of the Week in The Nighthawk). She sent me a note:

“My parents had a Mario Lanza Christmas album. Included on that album was a song called ‘Guardian Angels’ which my dad was crazy about.”

I dug it, dig it, and think you will, too. Give it a listen:

Somehow Jimmy Smith’s excellent Christmas ‘64 wound up in the vinyl library, and I’ve been spinning the heck out of it:

If you’re looking for some high-voltage yuletide glee, crank up the 1997 modern classic Merry Axemas-A Guitar Christmas. It’s alternatingly blistering, soulful, astoundingly beautiful, and delightfully tacky. That’s what happens when a bunch of guitar heroes rock out.

While spinning a Christmas special DJ show at a retirement home this week, one of my Jewish buddies stopped me in the hall. “Hey, could you play that Adam Sandler song?”

Absolutely.

And finally….Brenda Lee killin’ it last year.

Send me your favorites, and I’ll post ‘em up soon.

–Josh