‘Once in Royal David’s City’

The journey of 'Once in Royal David's City' from an 1848 text to global processional hymn.
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Beauty of Belle at Yuletide

  By Robert M. Marovich   MY COLORFUL CHRISTMAS Regina Belle Tashi3  Entertainment/Altavoz Distribution http://iamreginabelle.com/   My Colorful Christmas, the first yuletide album from GRAMMY Awardee Regina Bel...
by David McGee
 

 

 

Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That String!

Canada's THE SULTANS OF STRING and their guests put a new spin on the spirit of the season, but it's is still the spirit we’ve known for bringing good tidings of great joy. Dig the best Christmas album of the 2017 Yuletide se...
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Holidays, With Ease

SAMARA JOY, a double Grammy nominee, brightens the Yule season with her new EP, A JOYFUL HOLIDAY
by David McGee
 

 

 

‘How Inexpressibly Sad Are All Holidays’

1863. HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW's wife had died in a fire, his son had been seriously wounded in the Civil War. The poet, in despair, still found a reason to believe and wrote the stanzas that later became a beloved seasonal s...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Nnenna’s Unconventional Yule

An optimistic, upbeat, celebratory outpouring of emotion and spirit completely in tune with the season that inspires its unconventional approach.
by David McGee
 

 

 

The Deep Roots Yuletide Baedeker 2020

Welcome back our CHRISTMAS BAEDEKER, the all-inclusive guide to the best in holiday fare, from movies to cartoons to music to stories behind the songs to Christmas poetry to...well, you name it, we got it! Buon Natale!
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Yuletide Report From the Chairman of the Board

Revised and updated, this appraisal of Frank Sinatra's Christmas recordings as an art form unto themselves was first published in TheBluegrassSpecial.com in 2008.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Tales of Two Carols

Origin stories: 'In the Bleak Midwinter' and 'Angels We Have Heard on High'
by David McGee
 

 
 

Christmas Blues with a Positive Spin

Appraising a Yuletide gem from Carolina beach music legend, soul veteran CLIFFORD CURRY, and a look back at Curry's interesting career.
by David McGee
 

 

 

In All Weathers, Glad Tidings

The Persuasions were just not any group of a cappella practitioners--they were the best, solid in every way, with lead singer Jerry Lawson standing out as one of the great singers of his time. The group's Christmas album, like...
by David McGee
 

 
 

A Half-Century+ of Classic Animated ‘Rudolph’

On Dec. 6, 1964 NBC premiered an animated version of RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER with BURL IVES as host. It drew a 50 share and was an instant holiday classic. From a 50 share to 50+ years as a holiday staple, we pay tribute...
by David McGee