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Photo: Rockefeller Center at Christmastime
Christmas song of the day: “Do You Hear What I Hear” Vanessa Williams
The luminous Vanessa Williams sings “Do You Hear What I Hear?” on her “Star Bright” holiday CD.
This video is from Christmas Concert in Vienna with Placido Domingo, Vanessa Williams, Tony Bennett and Charlotte Church.
Christmas song of the day: “Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth” David Bowie & Bing Crosby
This clip from a 1977 Bing Crosby Christmas special always makes me smile for the cross-generational aspect AND the surprising ease that Bowie and Crosby seemed to have in the performance. As the story goes, Bowie didn’t think “Little Drummer Boy” was a good fit for him. From the Washington Post:
The original plan had been for Bowie and Crosby to sing just “Little Drummer Boy.” But “David came in and said: ‘I hate this song. Is there something else I could sing?’ ” Fraser said. “We didn’t know quite what to do.”
(Writers) Fraser, Kohan and Grossman left the set and found a piano in the studios’ basement. In about 75 minutes, they wrote “Peace on Earth,” an original tune, and worked out an arrangement that weaved together the two songs. Bowie and Crosby nailed the performance with less than an hour of rehearsal.
The recording was released for sale in 1982 and remains in heavy rotation on radio during the holidays. https://youtu.be/lCpXMy5GalI
Florida man pays off over $20K in Christmas layaway accounts
Via Newsy – When Greg Parady went into his local Walmart last Saturday, he was just planning to pick up some bikes for a Toys for Tots drive. Instead, he ended up making Christmas come early for nearly 80 strangers.
“He had heard a lady out in one of the aisles talking about how she needed to pay off her layaway, but she didn’t think she was going to be able to take care of all of it this year, so he just walked back here and started in.”
The 40-year-old financial planner paid off the layaway accounts of six shoppers at the store — then paid off half of any account over $200.
Altogether, that added up to more than $20,000 worth of charges on 76 accounts.
More at Newsy.
Christmas song of the day: “Angels We Have Heard On High” Pentatonix
Pentatonix, Season 3 winner of NBC’s competition series The Sing Off, shares a new holiday song to brighten even the gloomiest winter days.
Check their new rendition of the holiday classic, “Angels We Have Heard On High.”
Christmas song of the day: “Winter Wonderland” Annie Lennox
Christmas song of the day: “Do They Know It’s Christmas”
Music legend Judy Collins on The Candi & Randy Show
How amazing is this? I had the chance to speak with Grammy Award-winner/music legend Judy Collins about her new Christmas CD “Christmas with Judy Collins.” Hit the player below to listen.
Her stunning rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” from her landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Judy’s dreamy and sweetly intimate version of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” won “Song of the Year” at the 1975 Grammy Awards. Add to all that several top-ten hits gold- and platinum-selling albums, plus her books and painting, this is one uber-creative artist.
Music critics have called her voice “liquid silver.” Performing over 100 concerts a year, Judy Collins reflects on her career, the world that inspires her and how she approaches her creative life.
She is a modern day Renaissance woman who is also an accomplished painter, filmmaker, record label head, musical mentor, and an in-demand keynote speaker for mental health and suicide prevention. She continues to create music of hope and healing that lights up the world and speaks to the heart.
More info on Judy’s concert schedule and more at www.JudyCollins.com
Holiday song of the day: “I Think You Might Like It”
Released last year, Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta reunited for the holiday CD “This Christmas” featuring this new song.
The video made quite the splash getting over 8 million hits in it’s first week on Youtube and was shared over 10,000 times.
You can check out the CD on Amazon.
Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles parody Kmart commercial
A bit of fun from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles parodying the current “Jingle Bells” commercial from Kmart.
Don’t miss the GMCLA holiday concerts this month. Click here for more info.