GA Russell

My favorite Snowfall was my first - Wes Montgomery from Wes' Best on Fantasy. https://www.amazon.com/Wes-Best-Montgomery-His-Brothers/dp/B000LZSZQU/

Is that a legit photo of Bishop? He looks different to me in this photo.

Thanks TTK! I had forgotten that I have a re-release of the Jack Jones Christmas LP. It's been years. I'll have to dig it out. The song that I remember is the song about St. Bernadette. I had no idea that The Supremes (or any other Motown) Christmas album was released as early as '64. I don't think that I started noticing them until a couple of years later.

The Complete Jerry Lee Lewis on Sun (Not really complete. 5 CDs with 159 songs.) $25.73 (36% off) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WB1C41M/

Concord Holiday Hits 2023 We're thrilled to share with you & your listeners a wide array of selections spanning the December holidays and emotions. From perennial favorites to new classics, we hope you find a few songs you'll enjoy sharing. Included are special tracks like: * Hot charting singles: David Foster & Katharine McPhee "Carol Of The Bells" and Lindsey Stirling "Sleigh Ride" * Brand new Steve Perry 2023 intro for his version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" * Previously unreleased version of "Blue Christmas" by Stax legend Carla Thomas * Previously unreleased alternate mix of Otis Redding's beloved "Merry Christmas Baby" * Evergreen Vince Guaraldi Trio gems from A Charlie Brown Christmas newest remaster + beautiful renditions by Toni Braxton and newest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Chaka Khan * Live versions of Andy Williams classics from his Live - Christmas Treasures album * Teddy Pendergrass' 25th anniversary of This Christmas (I'd Rather Have Love) from the first Black Artist to have 5 consecutive #1 Albums and first time album available on DSPs * Holiday favorites Bing Crosby, Julie Andrews, Natalie Cole, Charlie Parker, Gene Autry, Jewel, Indigo Girls, William Bell, Kristin Chenoweth, Etta Jones, Rita Coolidge, Laurie Berkner, and Lawrence Welk & His Orchestra * Compelling performances from emergent voices Allison Russell, Margo Price, Sierra Ferrell, Devon Gilfillian, Valerie June, Katie Pruitt, and Samantha Fish * A variety of Hannukah and Kwanzaa songs plus Latin classic "La Murga" * Extra fun (some naughty, some nice) from Steve Martin, Tiny Tim, Rufus Thomas, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, August Burns Red, Keb' Mo', My Kid Brother, and Albert King * Holiday soul from Fantasia, Odetta, The McCrary Sisters, The Emotions, The Rance Allen Group, The Swan Silvertones, The Persuasions, and Big Maybelle * Indie goodness from Andrew Bird, Manchester Orchestra, iDKHOW, BAILEN, Sylvan Esso, Best Coast, The Shins, Matt Nathanson, JD McPherson, and Greg Laswell * Instrumental beauty from Booker T. & The M.G.'s, Oscar Peterson, Elf score, John Fahey, Hans Zimmer, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Don Patterson, Tuts Washington, and Danny Wright * Rootsy fun from Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, Mindy Smith, and Bela Fleck & The Flecktones # Artist and Track Title Time 1. Steve Perry - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (2023 radio intro) 03:07 2. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Linus And Lucy (2022 Stereo Mix) 03:06 3. Andy Williams - Happy Holidays / It's The Holiday Season (live) 02:21 4. David Foster & Katharine McPhee - Carol Of The Bells 02:54 5. Teddy Pendergrass - This Christmas (I'd Rather Have Love) 03:47 6. Lindsey Stirling - Sleigh Ride 03:02 7. Otis Redding - Merry Christmas Baby (Alternate Mix / Remastered 2023) 03:08 8. Chaka Khan - The Christmas Song 04:02 9. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal 2022 / Stereo Mix) 02:46 10. Sierra Ferrell - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree 02:07 11. Kristin Chenoweth - Happiness (Is Christmas) / Christmas Time Is Here (Medley) 04:26 12. Jewel - Winter Wonderland 03:39 13. Andy Williams - White Christmas (live) 02:41 14. Steve Perry - Silver Bells (edit) 03:30 15. Allison Russell - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 03:29 16. Katie Pruitt - Blood Related 03:41 17. Margo Price - River 04:06 18. Carla Thomas - Blue Christmas (Remastered 2023) 03:17 19. Devon Gilfillian - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 03:00 20. Valerie June - Let It Snow 02:16 21. Teddy Pendergrass - Happy Kwanzaa 05:13 22. I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME - Merry Christmas Everybody 03:26 23. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - Santa Baby 03:21 24. Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers - Strangest Christmas Yet 03:42 25. Albert King - Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin' 03:52 26. Rufus Thomas - I'll Be Your Santa Baby 03:32 27. Tiny Tim - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer 02:26 28. Kristin Chenoweth - Santa, I've Got A Bone To Pick With You! 04:00 29. Keb' Mo' - Christmas Is Annoying 02:13 30. Keb' Mo' - Better Everyday 03:35 31. Indigo Girls - Happy Joyous Hanukkah 03:40 32. The Living Sisters - Hanukkah 04:09 33. Houston Person - Happy Hanukkah My Friend 03:55 34. Bela Fleck & The Flecktones - The Hanukkah Waltz 02:34 35. Brave Combo - Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah 02:50 36. The Swan Silvertones - Go Tell It On The Mountain 02:52 37. The McCrary Sisters - Go Tell It On The Mountain 05:02 38. Sierra Ferrell - Jingle Bell Rock 02:23 39. Andy Williams - The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (live) 02:37 40. The Shins - Wonderful Christmastime 02:27 41. Best Coast - Little Saint Nick 02:16 42. JD McPherson - Twinkle (Little Christmas Lights) 02:00 43. Samantha Fish - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 03:53 44. William Bell - Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday 02:37 45. Fantasia - This Christmas 03:23 46. The Persuasions - Do You Hear What I Hear? 03:25 47. Toni Braxton - It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year 04:16 48. Odetta - Ain't That A-Rocking 02:04 49. Natalie Cole - No More Blue Christmas' 04:21 50. Andy Williams - Oh, Holy Night 03:04 51. Keb' Mo' - Moonlight, Mistletoe & You feat. Gerald Albright 03:29 52. Booker T. & The M.G.'s - Winter Wonderland (Take 2 / Remastered 2023) 02:08 53. Bela Fleck & The Flecktones - Linus And Lucy 02:54 54. Vince Guaraldi Trio - O Tannenbaum (2022 Stereo Mix) 05:10 55. Andrew Bird - Skating 03:38 56. John Fahey - Joy To The World 01:52 57. Hans Zimmer - Light My Fire 01:14 58. John Debney - Christmas Medley 02:23 59. Robert Shaw & Robert Shaw Chamber Singers - The First Nowell (Arr. R. Shaw & A. Parker) 01:39 60. Cincinnati Pops Orchestra & Erich Kunzel - I'll Be Home For Christmas feat. Tierney Sutton, Indiana University Singing Hoosiers 03:23 61. Cincinnati Pops Orchestra & Erich Kunzel - Precious Moments (from 'Home Alone') 02:45 62. August Burns Red - Home Alone Theme 03:48 63. Lindsey Stirling - Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy 02:39 64. Don Patterson - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer 03:12 65. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - Baby It's Cold Outside 03:17 66. Manchester Orchestra - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 02:37 67. Sylvan Esso - There Are Many Ways To Say I Love You 02:03 68. BAILEN - Christmas Is All Around 02:40 69. Manchester Orchestra - God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 03:09 70. Matt Nathanson - Farewell, December 04:01 71. Héctor Lavoe, Willie Colón, & Yomo Toro - La Murga 05:34 72. Gene Autry - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer 02:58 73. Gene Autry - Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) 02:43 74. Gene Autry - Up On The House Top 02:35 75. Gene Autry - Joy To The World 01:19 76. Lindsey Stirling - Little Drummer Boy 03:52 77. Teddy Pendergrass - Little Drummer Boy 04:08 78. Jewel - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 03:21 79. Kristin Chenoweth - Why Couldn't It Be Christmas Every Day 04:19 80. Rita Coolidge - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 03:32 81. Andrew Bird - Christmas Is Coming 03:25 82. Indigo Girls - It Really Is (A Wonderful Life) 03:19 83. Big Maybelle - Silent Night 02:20 84. The Emotions - What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas? (Remastered 2023) 03:23 85. The Swan Silvertones - Silent Night 02:34 86. Lawrence Welk & His Orchestra - Deck The Halls 01:11 87. Etta Jones - I'll Be Home For Christmas 03:13 88. Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen - Blue Christmas Lights 02:17 89. The Laurie Berkner Band - Frosty The Snowman 02:36 90. Mindy Smith - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? 03:53 91. Greg Laswell - New Year's Eves 03:22 92. Andrew Bird - Auld Lang Syne 04:31 93. Julie Andrews & Irwin Kostal - My Favorite Things (Part 1) 02:18 94. Bing Crosby - White Christmas 03:23 95. Charlie Parker - White Christmas (Live at Royal Roost / New York, NY / 25 December, 1948) 05:00 96. The Rance Allen Group - White Christmas (Remastered 2023) 02:48 97. Tuts Washington - White Christmas 02:40 98. The Original Five Blind Boys Of Alabama - White Christmas 03:18 99. Oscar Peterson - White Christmas 03:53 100. Gene Autry, Carl Cotner's Orchestra - White Christmas (From The Sergeant Gene Autry Radio Show Broadcast Nov. 8, 1942) 02:25 101. My Kid Brother - White Christmas 03:05 102. Danny Wright - Count Your Blessings White Christmas ("Home For Christmas" Version) 04:21

!! The Christmas Waltz has long been a favorite of mine. I didn't know that My Favorite Things was associated with Christmas as early as 1964. I wonder who was the first to link the two.

I think the problem is that there are five Power 5 conferences, but only four seats available. If there were only four power conferences, the playoffs could be with the four champions. (I am also very much against rematches. When I was a boy, LSU played Ole Miss again in the Sugar Bowl. Not long ago the national championship game was a rematch between LSU and Alabama. Maybe nowadays many of these conference championship games are rematches. Army plays Navy only once.)

CRAFT RECORDINGS / CONCORD RELEASE A DEFINITIVE SUPER DELUXE EDITION OF THE SOUND OF MUSIC OUT NOW The expanded and remastered soundtrack features over 40 previously unreleased tracks, including the complete score for the first time, rare cast outtakes, demos, interviews, instrumentals & more Recent/Upcoming: Good Morning America feature, Wall Street Journal profile, strong DSP support, and MUCH more! Also available here are interviews with Richard Rodgers, director/producer Robert Wise, and Charmian Carr (Liesl von Trapp) to help you create your own station features on this beloved collection Today, Craft Recordings / Concord releases the Super Deluxe Edition of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical masterpiece The Sound of Music. Alongside this release is the unveiling of a video clip of the beloved song “Edelweiss,” paired for the first time with Christopher Plummer’s original vocals (his performance was dubbed by Bill Lee in the 1965 feature film). Alongside this alternate version of “Edelweiss,” the Super Deluxe Edition offers never-before-heard alternate takes of the film’s iconic songs, including such favorites as “My Favorite Things” featuring Julie Andrews and cast, “The Sound of Music,” “Something Good,” “Sixteen Going On Seventeen,” “Maria,” and over 40 other previously unreleased tracks. https://youtu.be/c1TaI4NvVBQ?feature=shared “Edelweiss” paired for the first time with Christopher Plummer’s original vocals The Sound of Music (Super Deluxe Edition) is available as a 4-CD/1-Blu-ray Audio box set and on digital platforms and compiles every musical element from Robert Wise’s 5X Academy Award®-winning film adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s timeless classic. This set represents the first time that the complete score of the film has been available in its entirety, including all score cues, plus instrumentals for all songs, rare demos, interviews, alternative takes from the cast and more. Audio for the collection was remixed and mastered from the original multi-track tapes by Robert Wise associate Mike Matessino, an acclaimed writer and film preservationist, with particular emphasis on the restoration of classic film music. His work includes soundtrack projects for the Star Wars Trilogy, Poltergeist, Superman, Alien, The Goonies, Back to the Future, Home Alone, the Star Trek feature films and Empire of the Sun. The Sound of Music opened in March 1965, breaking multiple box office records, selling out in movie theaters for over a year, while its extended original run continued until December 1969. Among other honors, The Sound of Music earned five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Score in 1966. Its soundtrack, meanwhile, had an equally awe-inspiring journey: topping the Billboard 200, holding steady in the Top 10 for an astounding 109 weeks (a record for a soundtrack) and remaining on the chart for more than four-and-a-half years. Fifty years later, Billboard named it as the second-best charting album of all time. Across the Atlantic, The Sound of Music spent a whopping 70 weeks atop the UK album charts and was ranked as the best-selling album of 1965, 1966 and 1968. It was later named the second-best-selling album of the decade (behind the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band). In 2018, the album was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry, and today The Sound of Music is counted among the most successful soundtracks ever, with more than 25 million copies sold worldwide. The 5-disc box set is housed in a 64-page hardbound book with a treasure trove of rare production photos and brand-new, insightful liner notes by Matessino. The accompanying Blu-Ray Audio disc offers the full high-res score and a new Dolby Atmos® mix of the original 16-track soundtrack for a truly immersive listening experience. Fans can also find the remixed and remastered album on Deluxe 2-CD and 3-LP triple-gatefold vinyl formats, which include the film’s expanded complete score. https://youtu.be/HFmJOly0yO8?feature=shared "My Favorite Things (Part 1)" lyric video One of the most enduring and successful musicals of all time, The Sound of Music was based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp: a young Austrian postulant who became the governess—and later stepmother—to the seven children of a widowed naval commander, all while the country was falling under Nazi occupation. In 1959, their story was adapted for the stage, with music by the era-defining songwriting team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Carousel). While the production marked the final collaboration of their highly influential careers (Hammerstein succumbed to cancer months after the show’s premiere), it was by far their most successful—leading to a 1965 film produced at 20th Century Fox that starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Helmed by director Robert Wise (West Side Story, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Haunting) and screenwriter Ernest Lehman (The King and I, West Side Story, North by Northwest), The Sound of Music incorporated the majority of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s now-classic songs from the stage musical (including “Edelweiss,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi” and, of course, the title track), while Rodgers was enlisted to write the music and lyrics to two new songs: “I Have Confidence” and “Something Good.” Bringing his music to life was the Academy Award-winning arranger and conductor Irwin Kostal, who also created the underscore, building upon the original stage arrangements by Robert Russell Bennett and Trude Rittman. There’s no question that The Sound of Music (the film) remains a multi-generational masterpiece, but it can certainly be argued that its music—now ingrained in the collective consciousness—has had an even broader reach, transcending borders and time. And now, finally, fans can appreciate all of the music from the film, fully restored, more than half a century after The Sound of Music’s release. In addition to instrumental versions of every song are Kostal’s emotionally charged cues, which blend melodies from the musical’s well-known songs. “What Kostal did, using some of the stage version’s transitional music as a launching point, was treat the Rodgers song melodies as leitmotifs,” explains Matessino. What this means is that he applied “recognizable melodies to specific characters or story elements, which may reappear and intertwine as a narrative progresses.” Among the previously unreleased highlights is “The Little Dears,” which combines “I Have Confidence” and “My Favorite Things,” and plays as the first cue after Maria meets the von Trapp children. “New Governess,” which was ultimately not used in the film, is also a play on these two songs. The first extended piece of underscore, “The Gazebo,” follows Liesl to her rendezvous with a messenger boy, Rolf, and (as listeners may recognize) leads into “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” One of the more significant cues is “The Captain Apologizes,” which bolsters the moment when the Captain first hears his children sing “The Sound of Music.” The song features elements of the aforementioned song, plus “My Favorite Things” and “Edelweiss”—all of which represent the Captain and Maria. In Act II, one of the film’s most dramatic moments is punctuated by the strings-based “Unthinkable,” which blends melodies from “Edelweiss” and “Something Good,” as the Captain makes the heartbreaking decision that he and his family must flee their country, amid the rise of the Nazis. Beyond the album’s instrumental additions, this expanded release also offers fans a rare opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes. One of the most interesting elements, Matessino writes, is that “The Sound of Music provides a window into the arcane world of voice doubles for screen musicals. It was a subject considered verboten until the whiskered kittens started to be let out of the brown paper packages in early 1964.” A prime example of this comes from the classically trained singer Marni Nixon—whose voice can be heard in films like West Side Story (performing songs as Natalie Wood) and My Fair Lady (singing for Audrey Hepburn). Cast as Sister Sophia in The Sound of Music, Nixon also spent quite a bit of time in the recording booth during the early days of production, performing (among other songs) a demo of Rodgers’ new song “I Have Confidence.” Another intriguing addition comes from a selection of Alternate versions of the film’s beloved songs (including the “Something Good” single), which were used as “playback” recordings for the actors on set. Notes Matessino, “the tracks were played over speakers as the cameras rolled, with the actors singing to their own recordings...The songs would then be enhanced for the finished film, months later, with sound effects and dialogue added as needed. In some cases, the vocals and orchestra recordings remain unchanged, while in other instances one, the other, or both might be altered entirely...Careful listeners, and especially those intimately familiar with the original album and film, will enjoy detecting these variations.” Together, all of this incredible music offers a full, sonic picture of The Sound of Music, allowing fans to find an even greater appreciation for the film’s soundtrack and score. Throughout, Matessino’s attention to detail cannot be understated—from his meticulous audio restoration and his thoughtful assemblage of the music to his fascinating liner notes. What is most apparent, however, is his adoration for this classic musical. “Every mountain was indeed climbed for this endeavor, but the view from the top has made it all worth it,” he writes. “Producing and assembling this release is something I considered a sacred duty, but it was also a thoroughly satisfying and joyful experience for which I will remain very proud and very grateful, mainly because it can now be shared with all of you.” About Craft Recordings Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., Joan Sebastian, and Traveling Wilburys. Plus, the catalog recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likeness and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers. Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. About Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II After long and highly distinguished careers with other collaborators, Richard Rodgers (Composer, 1902-79) and Oscar Hammerstein II (Librettist/Lyricist, 1895-1960) joined forces in 1943 to create the most successful partnership in American Musical Theatre. Prior to joining forces, Rodgers collaborated with lyricist Lorenz Hart on musical comedies that epitomized wit and sophistication (Pal Joey, On Your Toes, Babes In Arms and more), while Hammerstein brought new life to operetta and created the classic Show Boat with Jerome Kern. Oklahoma!, the first Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, introduced an integrated form that became known as “the musical play.” Their shows that followed included Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music. Collectively, the Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals have earned Tony, Oscar, GRAMMY, Emmy, Pulitzer and Olivier Awards. The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization is a Concord Company, www.concord.com. For more info, visit RodgersandHammerstein.com and follow on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. # Artist and Track Title Time 1. Julie Andrews, Irwin Kostal - Prelude / The Sound Of Music - Film Version (Film Version) 03:32 2. Margery MacKay, Portia Nelson, Anna Lee, Marni Nixon, Ada Beth Lee, Doreen Tryden, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Maria - Film Version (Film Version) 03:18 3. Julie Andrews, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: I Have Confidence - Film Version (Film Version) 03:47 4. Irwin Kostal - The Little Dears 00:33 5. Irwin Kostal - The Gazebo 02:14 6. Dan Truhitte, Charmian Carr, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Sixteen Going On Seventeen - Film Version (Film Version) 05:03 7. Julie Andrews, Irwin Kostal - My Favorite Things - Part 1 (Part 1) 02:18 8. Julie Andrews, Irwin Kostal - My Favorite Things (Part 2) / Salzburg Montage 02:58 9. Julie Andrews, Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, Kym Karath, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Do-Re-Mi 05:38 10. Julie Andrews, Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, Kym Karath, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: The Lonely Goatherd 03:14 11. Bill Lee, Charmian Carr, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Edelweiss - Duet (Duet) 02:20 12. Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, Kym Karath, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: So Long, Farewell - Film Version (Film Version) 03:01 13. Margery MacKay, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Climb Ev’ry Mountain - Film Version (Film Version) 02:43 14. Julie Andrews, Bill Lee, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Something Good - Film Version (Film Version) 03:41 15. Julie Andrews, Charmian Carr, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Sixteen Going On Seventeen - Reprise (Reprise) 03:09 16. Richard Rodgers - Richard Rodgers Speaks 09:17 17. Robert Wise, Dick Stroud - Robert Wise Interview 05:32 18. Richard Rodgers, Dick Stroud - Richard Rodgers Interview 05:38 19. Charmian Carr, Dick Stroud - Charmian Carr Interview 05:16 20. Marni Nixon, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: I Have Confidence - Demo Version (Demo Version) 03:41 21. Julie Andrews, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Prelude / The Sound Of Music - Alternate Version (Alternate Version) 02:31 22. Julie Andrews, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: I Have Confidence - Alternate Version (Alternate Version) 03:36 23. Julie Andrews, Irwin Kostal - My Favorite Things - Alternate Version (Alternate Version) 02:57 24. Christopher Plummer, Charmian Carr, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Edelweiss - Duet / Alternate Version (Duet / Alternate Version) 02:20 25. Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Something Good - Alternate Version (Alternate Version) 03:04 26. Irwin Kostal - Rodgers: Sixteen Going On Seventeen - Reprise / Instrumental Version (Reprise / Instrumental Version) 01:49

I got this for my birthday. Haven't heard it yet.

Last chance at $4.95. https://www.hamiltonbook.com/michael-weiss-persistence-compact-disc

Let's review some headlines since the Grey Cup. The Montreal Carabins won the Vanier Cup, to go along with the Als winning the Grey Cup. https://3downnation.com/2023/11/25/make-it-a-montreal-double-carabins-win-58th-vanier-cup-16-9-over-ubc-thunderbirds/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/27/ferguson-five-takeaways-from-the-2023-vanier-cup/ ***** A position-by-position look at the upcoming free agents. https://3downnation.com/2023/11/26/a-position-by-position-look-at-2024-cfl-free-agency/ ***** Ottawa free agent analysis. https://3downnation.com/2023/11/26/opinion-10-free-agents-the-ottawa-redblacks-should-bring-back/ ***** Final 2023 Power Rankings https://3downnation.com/2023/11/27/3downnation-power-rankings-als-climb-to-the-top-of-the-fking-mountain/ ***** There will not be a Touchdown Atlantic game this year. Instead, it will be Touchdown Pacific! The Lions will host the Redblacks in Victoria, BC, Aug. 31. https://3downnation.com/2023/11/29/touchdown-pacific-b-c-lions-ottawa-redblacks-to-play-cfl-regular-season-game-in-victoria/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/29/touchdown-pacific-2024/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/29/west-coast-vibes-touchdown-series-heads-to-victoria-in-2024/ ***** The Alouettes sold 700 *new* season tickets in less than two weeks following the Grey Cup. https://3downnation.com/2023/11/29/montreal-alouettes-add-700-season-tickets-holders-after-grey-cup-win/ ***** More free agent analyses. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/27/oleary-five-free-agency-game-changers/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/28/ferguson-my-top-20-pending-national-fas/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/28/costabile-five-pending-fas-that-need-to-stay-put/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/29/cfl-cas-top-30-pending-free-agents-9/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/30/cauz-five-under-the-radar-pending-free-agents/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/12/01/ferguson-pending-free-agents-on-every-teams-priority-list/ ***** The Riders have hired Corey Mace to be their new head coach. https://3downnation.com/2023/11/29/saskatchewan-roughriders-hire-corey-mace-as-head-coach/ https://3downnation.com/2023/11/30/i-want-this-fcking-job-corey-mace-went-all-in-to-become-riders-head-coach/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/30/report-riders-hire-corey-mace-as-head-coach/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/12/01/nye-corey-mace-ticks-all-the-boxes-in-riderville/ ***** League analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/30/oleary-off-season-storylines-to-follow/

A travelling salesman walks up the driveway, and knocks on the door. After a while the door opens, and a little boy, about 9, stands with a glass of whisky in one hand and a cigar in the other. The salesman says, “Oh, hi. Is your mummy or daddy home?” The little boy looks at his whisky and his cigar, and says, “Does it look like it?”

# Artist and Track Title Time 1. Norah Jones, Laufey - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 04:18 2. Norah Jones, Laufey - Better Than Snow 02:47 NORAH JONES & LAUFEY COLLABORATE ON A COZY PAIR OF NEW HOLIDAY SONGS CHRISTMAS WITH YOU TWO-TRACK SINGLE FEATURES THEIR ORIGINAL “BETTER THAN SNOW” & “HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS” WATCH PERFORMANCE “HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS” “BETTER THAN SNOW” AIRED: NOVEMBER 27th Norah Jones and Laufey have collaborated on a cozy pair of new holiday songs with their two-track single Christmas With You, available now. Two artists who seamlessly blend jazz and pop sensibilities, Norah and Laufey combine their distinctive sounds on two vocal duets—a delightful version of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and their playful new co-written original “Better Than Snow.” The songs were recorded in an intimate setting with Norah on piano and Laufey on guitar and cello. Christmas With You is out digitally on Now with 7” vinyl to follow on December 15 including a red color variant which is available exclusively via official artist stores and the Blue Note Store. The credits for Christmas With You are as follows: 1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (4:18) Written by Ralph Blane & Hugh Martin Norah Jones – vocals & piano Laufey – vocals & cello ISRC: USUM72315028 2. Better Than Snow (2:46) Written by Norah Jones & Laufey Norah Jones – vocals & piano Laufey – vocals & acoustic guitar ISRC: USUM72315026 Produced by Norah Jones & Laufey PHOTO BY ELI RITTER * * * ABOUT NORAH JONES: Norah Jones first emerged on the world stage with the 2002 release of Come Away With Me, her self-described “moody little record” that introduced a singular new voice and grew into a global phenomenon, sweeping the 2003 GRAMMY Awards including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. Since then, Jones has become a nine-time GRAMMY-winner, sold more than 52 million albums, and her songs have been streamed ten billion times worldwide. She has released a series of critically acclaimed and commercially successful solo albums—Feels Like Home (2004), Not Too Late (2007), The Fall (2009), Little Broken Hearts (2012), Day Breaks (2016), Pick Me Up Off The Floor (2020), the live album ‘Til We Meet Again (2021), and her holiday album I Dream Of Christmas (2021)—as well as albums with her collective bands The Little Willies, El Madmo, and Puss N Boots featuring Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper. The 2010 compilation …Featuring Norah Jones showcased her incredible versatility by collecting her collaborations with artists as diverse as Willie Nelson, Foo Fighters, Outkast, and Herbie Hancock. In 2022, Jones launched her podcast Norah Jones Is Playing Along which features candid conversations and impromptu musical collaborations with some her favorite musicians. ABOUT LAUFEY: Laufey (pronounced lāy-vāy) was raised between Reykjavík and Washington, D.C. with annual visits to Beijing. She grew up playing cello as well as piano and became hooked on the jazz standards of Ella Fitzgerald after digging through her father’s record collection. In 2020, while still a student at Berklee College of Music, Laufey released her debut single “Street by Street,” which went on to top the Icelandic radio charts. Following the release of her 2021 Typical of Me EP, Laufey was named Best New Artist in Jazz and Blues at the Icelandic Music Awards. Laufey’s 2022 debut full-length, Everything I Know About Love reached #1 on Billboard’s Alternative New Artist Album chart, and she was the most streamed jazz artist on Spotify that year. Her new album, Bewitched, broke the record as the biggest debut for a jazz album on Spotify in history. The album debuted at #2 on Spotify’s Global and U.S. Album Charts, as well as #23 on the Billboard 200, #1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums Chart, #1 on Current Traditional Jazz Albums Chart and #3 on Vinyl Albums Chart. It has been praised by the likes of The New York Times, Variety, Los Angeles Times, Vogue, NPR, Pitchfork, The Washington Post and more. Her North American "The Bewitched Tour" sold-out in minutes, following sold-out runs in Asia and Australia. Today, Laufey has over 1 billion streams across all platforms. Stelios Kerasidis, Katerina Stikoudi Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Format(s): Christmas, Holiday, Jazz, Vocal This is a subversive collaboration, where classical with the 11-Year-Old Piano Prodigy Stelios Kerasidis, meets pop with one of the biggest Greek female pop stars Katerina Stikoudi, and the result is an impressive festive duet on the timeless song, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, originally first performed by iconic Judy Garland and then by legendary music figure Frank Sinatra . In this sense, both Katerina & Stelios put us in the Christmas mood this year, with the cutest possible way! # Artist and Track Title Time 1. Stelios Kerasidis, Katerina Stikoudi - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas) 02:42 Caro Emerald & Metropole Orkest Something For Christmas (2023 mix) Impacting December 15th, 2023 Format(s): Holiday ‘’Something For Christmas" evokes a warm, nostalgic holiday feeling. The song is a contemporary and flirtatious twist on the timeless Christmas classics by the likes of Eartha Kitt and Etta James. It combines the lush orchestration of the Metropole Orchestra and the electronic beats that catapulted Caro Emerald to global stardom. Watch "Something For Christmas (2023 mix)" video here Connect with Caro Emerald Artist Website DELUXE EDITION OF VINCE GUARALDI TRIO’S CLASSIC HOLIDAY SOUNDTRACK A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS ARRIVES IN SPATIAL AUDIO Available in Dolby Atmos®, Hi-Res, and standard digital, the beloved holiday album features a recently upgraded stereo mix, plus 13 outtakes and highlights taken from Guaraldi’s 1965 sessions With timeless selections “Christmas Time Is Here” and “Linus And Lucy,” A Charlie Brown Christmas continues to be one of America’s most popular holiday albums with a 5x platinum certification and a No. 2 spot on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart last year Last holiday season, fans of A Charlie Brown Christmas were given an unparalleled behind-the-scenes look at the making of the classic soundtrack through a selection of never-before-heard studio outtakes in Craft Recordings / Concord’s Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions. Now, The 24-track Deluxe Edition arrives in spatial audio, allowing listeners to seemingly place themselves inside the studio with the Vince Guaraldi Trio, as they create iconic selections like “Linus And Lucy,” “Christmas Time Is Here,”“Skating,” and “O Tannenbaum” to accompany the beloved 1965 PEANUTS animated TV special. Available now in Dolby Atmos, hi-resolution, and standard digital audio formats, A Charlie Brown Christmas (Deluxe Edition) includes the original 11-track album—featuring an upgraded 2022 stereo mix from the original two-and three-track sources by the GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer, Paul Blakemore—plus 13 studio outtakes and highlights from Guaraldi’s sessions, all of which make their debut in immersive spatial audio. Last year, A Charlie Brown Christmas reached new heights—nearly six decades after its debut. In May 2022, the album was certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA, while over the holidays, it reached its highest placement ever (No. 2) on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, beating its previous peak of No. 6 in 2021. A perennial favorite, A Charlie Brown Christmas ranked as the US’ top-selling holiday album on vinyl from 2012–2021, while it remains the best-selling jazz album of all time, alongside Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue. Among other honors over the years, it was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame and was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. When A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on December 9, 1965, no one expected just how monumental the half-hour animated special would be. Based on Charles M. Schulz’s immensely popular PEANUTS comic strip, the Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning special captured nearly half of America’s TV audience that night. It would soon go on to become an essential holiday classic and launch one of the 20th century’s most popular franchises. Helmed by veteran TV producer Lee Mendelson, A Charlie Brown Christmas featured an engaging score by the Bay Area jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi. A fast-rising star—best known at the time for his GRAMMY-winning instrumental crossover hit, “Cast Your Fate to the Wind”—Guaraldi paired original cues (“Skating,” the instantly recognizable “Linus And Lucy” theme, and the Yuletide essential, “Christmas Time Is Here,” among them) with traditional holiday fare (including his spirited takes on “O Tannenbaum,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” and “What Child Is This?”). Now, with recently discovered audio from Guaraldi’s five 1965 sessions, fans of A Charlie Brown Christmas can hear his creative process—as he worked alongside Mendelson and director Bill Melendez to craft the timeless score. Joined by bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Colin Bailey for many of the sessions, as well as bassist Fred Marshall and drummer Jerry Granelli for others, Guaraldi can be heard performing multiple takes of “O Tannenbaum,” “Christmas Is Coming,” and “Christmas Time Is Here,” while a rehearsal of the vocal track (featuring young singers from San Rafael’s St. Paul’s Church Choir) is also included. Additionally, listeners will delight in out-takes of such festive favorites as “The Christmas Song,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Linus And Lucy.” Music critics around the globe were taken with the Deluxe Edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas upon its release on CD and LP in 2022. Audiophile Review wrote, “The new mix retains the heart and soul of what this best-selling…album was always about, but delivers more air and presence around the instruments and an overall greater sense of detailing…it does sound like you’re closer to being in the studio with the band!” The UK’s Record Collector noted that the bonus material “Allows the listener to be a fly on the wall as pianist Guaraldi and his trio finesse their material with multiple takes in the recording session.” Paste Magazine hailed the album as “Vital for a collector...[It] offer[s] fans a chance to hear how Guaraldi developed his solos and his approach to standards like ‘Greensleeves’ and ‘O Tannenbaum.’ And there’s something wonderfully humanizing about hearing the metronome and false start in the first take of ‘Linus & Lucy.’” Stereophile praised, “Blakemore’s remixes sound great…any student of Guaraldi’s unique approach to jazz will surely find all the bits and pieces interesting,” while JazzTimes declared, “For Guaraldi fans, hearing his different improvisational ideas take shape qualifies as a holiday year-round.” Click here to experience A Charlie Brown Christmas (Spatial Audio Deluxe Edition) About Peanuts: The characters of Peanuts and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide, which is 41% owned by WildBrain Ltd., 39% owned by Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and 20% owned by the family of Charles M. Schulz, who first introduced the world to Peanuts in 1950, when the comic strip debuted in seven newspapers. Since then, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have made an indelible mark on popular culture. In addition to enjoying beloved Peanuts shows and specials on Apple TV+, fans of all ages celebrate the Peanuts brand worldwide through thousands of consumer products, as well as amusement park attractions, cultural events, social media, and comic strips available in all formats, from traditional to digital. In 2018, Peanuts partnered with NASA on a multi-year Space Act Agreement designed to inspire a passion for space exploration and STEM among the next generation of students. About Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc.: Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is the publisher of the Vince Guaraldi musical catalog associated with Peanuts. LMFP is also the producer and co-owner of the celebrated, classic Peanuts television specials, including Emmy® and Peabody winning A Charlie Brown Christmas, It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (celebrating its 50th anniversary), along with the Hollywood animation studio Bill Melendez Productions. LMFP also produced over 50 other network Peanuts specials, 12 prime time Garfield specials, 121-program series “Garfield and Friends” and many other film and television animated, documentary and entertainment specials. Founded by the late Lee Mendelson in 1963, Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc., has received 11 Emmy Awards (from 45 nominations) and four Peabody Awards, as well as Grammy and Academy Award nominations. About Craft Recordings: Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., Joan Sebastian, and Traveling Wilburys. Plus, the catalog recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, HITCO, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likeness and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers. # Artist and Track Title Time 1. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Linus And Lucy (2022 Mix) 03:06 2. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal / 2022 Mix) 02:46 3. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Skating (2022 Mix) 02:26 4. Vince Guaraldi Trio - O Tannenbaum (2022 Mix) 05:10 5. Vince Guaraldi Trio - What Child Is This (2022 Mix) 02:24 6. Vince Guaraldi Trio - My Little Drum (2022 Mix) 03:12 7. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental / 2022 Mix) 06:06 8. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Hark, The Herald Angels Sing (2022 Mix) 01:55 9. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Is Coming (2022 Mix) 03:25 10. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Für Elise (2022 Mix) 01:05 11. Vince Guaraldi Trio - The Christmas Song (2022 Mix) 03:21 12. Vince Guaraldi Trio - O Tannenbaum (Take 2 / September 21, 1965) 01:01 13. Vince Guaraldi Trio - O Tannenbaum (Take 3) 00:57 14. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Greensleeves (Take 6 / October 28, 1965) 05:27 15. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Linus And Lucy (Take 1) 03:29 16. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental / Take 1) 02:38 17. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal / Rehearsal) 00:24 18. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal / Take 4) 01:32 19. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Skating (#7, Take 1 / September 22, 1965) 04:20 20. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Jingle Bells (#3, Takes 1-4 / September 21, 1965) 01:59 21. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Is Coming (Take 3 / September 17, 1965) 03:47 22. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Is Coming (#1, Take 3 / September 21, 1965) 03:05 23. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Für Elise (Takes 1-2) 01:51 24. Vince Guaraldi Trio - The Christmas Song (Take 8 / October 28, 1965) 01:50

The CD is now out.

My initial memory of Benson was that upon Montgomery's death, Benson was heavily promoted on the radio as the next Montgomery.

Thanks for the Horace Silver, Moms! Double, Double You was a favorite of mine. I haven't thought about it in years.

There is an article about poutine in the November issue of Readers Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/what-is-poutine/

Chief Noc-A-Homa has died. RIP. https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/levi-walker-jr-who-portrayed-chief-noc-a-homa-dies/EVWZBW5FHBEEZLGUFNJWGHJTEM/

Season Wrap-Up https://doorfliesopen.com/2023/11/23/cfl-beat-203/ ***** Grey Cup Wrap-Up https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/grey-cup-110-expanded-report-takeaways-ways-every-starter-impacted-the-game-expanded-unofficial-defensive-stats-grey-cup-clink-awards/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/24/steinberg-six-unsung-heroes-of-the-110th-grey-cup/ ***** Winnipeg's upcoming free agents https://3downnation.com/2023/11/22/the-winnipeg-blue-bombers-pending-2024-free-agent-list/ ***** Harald Hasselbach has died at 56. RIP. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/23/stamps-mourn-the-passing-of-harald-hasselbach/ https://3downnation.com/2023/11/23/former-stampeders-broncos-dl-harald-hasselbach-passes-away-at-56/ https://www.tsn.ca/nfl/super-bowl-and-grey-cup-winning-defensive-lineman-harald-hasselbach-dead-at-56-1.2039928 ***** Montreal's upcoming free agents https://3downnation.com/2023/11/23/the-montreal-alouettes-pending-2024-free-agent-list/ ***** Free agency will begin Feb. 13. https://3downnation.com/2023/11/24/save-the-date-cfl-unveils-official-list-of-2024-pending-free-agents-date-and-time-for-opening-for-free-agency/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/mathieu-betts-brady-oliveira-among-stars-set-for-cfl-free-agency-1.2040390 ***** Ten possible Ottawa quarterbacks for next year. https://3downnation.com/2023/11/24/save-the-date-cfl-unveils-official-list-of-2024-pending-free-agents-date-and-time-for-opening-for-free-agency/ ***** This thread's view count stands at 228,900, which is an increase of 1,800 in the past fifteen days!

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope he is up and around soon!

NEW LIVE Brubeck Quartet Recordings from 1959 Dave Brubeck Quartet Live from The Northwest, 1959 Jazz, Non-Com, AC, Live from the Northwest, 1959 In April 1959, sound engineer WALLY HEIDER packed his AMPEX 350-2 tape recorder in his station wagon and headed to Portland, Oregon to create some of the very first high-quality remote recording of the classic Dave Brubeck Quartet. This was just 4 months before the rhythmic invention and hallmark sound of the quartet’s historic “TIME OUT” took the world by storm. Captured with exceptional sonic clarity on April 4, 1959, in the popular Multnomah Jazz Club and on April 5th in the auditorium at nearby Clark College, the Quartet was playing-in some of the repertoire for the upcoming Gone with the Wind sessions later that month. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN - 6:38 BASIN STREET BLUES - 6:43 THESE FOOLISH THINGS - 7:14 GONE WITH THE WIND - 8:10 MULTNOMAH BLUES - 8:40 TWO PART CONTENTION - 11:45 LONESOME ROAD - 7:38 P Website: BrubeckEditions.Com

BIG BAND CHRISTMAS One O'Clock Lab Band, Canadian Brass Ray Brown's Great Big Band Jazz Notes for Christmas Holiday/Jazz/NPR/AC Ray Brown Based in Northern California since 1975, Ray Brown has played with or arranged for numerous groups, including: Stan Kenton Bill Watrous Frank Capp & Nat Pierce, Bill Berry And The LA Band Full Faith & Credit Big Band JINGLE BELLS - 2:27 CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE- 4:16 A CHRISTMAS LOVE SONG - 4:41 HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS - 3:05 THE CHRISTMAS SONG - 3:09 BONUS TRACKS THE CITY MEDLEY - 7:16 AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL- 4:27 "It's as if the Canadian Brass put out a big band record" Keats Palmer - Nashville Music Review Website: SummitRecords.com TEDDY PENDERGRASS’ BELOVED 1998 HOLIDAY ALBUM THIS CHRISTMAS (I’D RATHER HAVE LOVE) AVAILABLE DIGITALLY NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME! The long-out-of-print title finds the legendary late R&B star putting his own special touch on holiday classics and soulful originals, including “Happy Kwanzaa” and “Christmas and You” Craft Recordings / Concord is thrilled to announce the digital debut of This Christmas (I’d Rather Have Love), the sole holiday title--and final studio album--from the incomparable R&B star Teddy Pendergrass. Available now, the long-out-of-print album, which turns 25 this year, offers a soulful blend of original songs (“Happy Kwanzaa,” “Christmas and You”) plus an array of festive classics, including “Little Drummer Boy,” “Oh Holy Night” and “The Christmas Song.” Throughout his nearly four-decade-long career, Pendergrass was celebrated with a variety of honors, including five GRAMMY® nominations and a 1979 American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist. In 2021, he was inducted posthumously into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. Pendergrass is the first Black Artist to have FIVE consecutive Platinum albums. When he began writing his first-ever Christmas album, Pendergrass was fresh off a starring role in the touring gospel musical Your Arms Too Short to Box with God and was readying to publish his autobiography, Truly Blessed. It was certainly a joyful time for the artist—and that radiates throughout This Christmas (I’d Rather Have Love). Working with frequent collaborators like the GRAMMY®-winning songwriter/producer Reggie Calloway and songwriter/producer Jim Salamone, Pendergrass recorded an array of original material, including “Happy Kwanzaa” and the hip-hop inspired “Having a Christmas Party” (both written by Calloway). Other highlights include the Pendergrass/Calloway original “I Won’t Have Christmas,” while slow jams “Christmas and You” and “This Christmas (I’d Rather Have Love)” blend romance with the holiday spirit. Pendergrass also put his special touch on a slew of traditional holiday songs: from a grooving “Joy to the World” and Afrobeat-tinged “Little Drummer Boy” to soulful renditions of “We Three Kings,” “The Christmas Song,” “Oh Holy Night” and the John Lennon / Yoko Ono classic “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” Upon its release in September 1998, This Christmas (I’d Rather Have Love) debuted at No. 83 on Billboard’s Top R&B Hip-Hop Albums chart. In 2010, following Pendergrass’ death, it surged in popularity again, peaking at No. 43 on the Holiday Albums chart. The album, which marked Pendergrass’ 14th and final LP, was also received warmly by critics, including AllMusic, which proclaimed, “Pendergrass' smoldering vocals make This Christmas (I'd Rather Have Love) one of the most romantic seasonal records on the market.” Album producer, Jim Salamone shares “What a thrill to realize that Teddy's album is being re-released! So many great memories are attached to the creation of this timeless work. It will be very satisfying for people to be able to enjoy this record every Holiday season.” Adds Daniel Markus, Pendergrass’s co-manager “Teddy was very proud of this album. He put it all together himself with some help from the Calloway Brothers (of Midnight Star fame) and Jim [Salamone].” *** Multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Teddy Pendergrass (1950–2010) was one of the most successful R&B artists of his era, despite enormous obstacles and a life-altering tragedy. Born in South Carolina and raised in Philadelphia by a single mother, Pendergrass was heavily involved in church as a child—not only training his voice in the choir but becoming an ordained minister at just 10 years old. At 20, he became the lead singer of the long-running Philadelphia soul group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Within months, they signed to Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s legendary Philadelphia International Records, scoring their first major hit, “If You Don’t Know Me by Now,” in 1972. The now-classic song, which topped Billboard’s R&B chart and peaked at No.3 on the Hot 100, was the first in a string of bestselling singles for the group, including “The Love I Lost,” “Bad Luck” and “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (also famously recorded by Thelma Houston in 1977). As the group’s breakout star, Pendergrass embarked on a solo career, releasing his self-titled debut in 1977. An immediate bestseller (thanks to hits like “I Don’t Love You Anymore” and “The Whole Town’s Laughing at Me”), Teddy Pendergrass marked the first of five consecutive Platinum-selling albums for the singer-songwriter, making him the first Black artist to achieve such a feat. Among them was 1978’s Life Is a Song Worth Singing (featuring the R&B No.1 “Close the Door”) and 1979’s Teddy, which topped the R&B Albums chart, thanks to the sultry “Turn Off the Lights” (one of his signature “bedroom ballads”). By the end of the decade, Pendergrass was one of R&B’s biggest stars and a bona fide sex symbol, who was known for his popular “women-only” concerts. He continued the momentum as the new decade began, with Top 20 albums like TP (1980) and It’s Time for Love (1981), as well as Top 5 R&B hits like “Love T.K.O.” and the Stephanie Mills duet “Two Hearts.” But his life was forever changed in March 1982, when a car accident left him paralyzed from the chest down. It was a long road to recovery for Pendergrass, who underwent years of physical therapy. In 1985, he made his triumphant return to the stage during Live Aid, appearing in front of nearly 100,000 fans (and countless others via satellite) at Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy Stadium. A year earlier, he recorded his first album since the accident, Love Language (featuring “Hold Me,” a duet with a then-unknown Whitney Houston). In 1988, he was back at the top of the R&B charts with his enduring hit “Joy” (the title track to his GRAMMY®-nominated 10th studio album), while the following decade would find him enjoying a regular schedule of releases. In 2006, Pendergrass announced his retirement from the industry, turning his focus to his charity, The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, established to help others with spinal cord injuries rebuild their lives. Four years later, amid failing health, the singer-songwriter passed away at 59, leaving behind a rich musical legacy. About Craft Recordings: Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., Joan Sebastian, and Traveling Wilburys. Plus, the catalog recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, HITCO, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likeness and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers. Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. # Artist and Track Title Time 1. Teddy Pendergrass - Joy To The World 05:01 2. Teddy Pendergrass - Little Drummer Boy 04:08 3. Teddy Pendergrass - Christmas And You 04:09 4. Teddy Pendergrass - The Christmas Song 04:09 5. Teddy Pendergrass - Having A Christmas Party 04:36 6. Teddy Pendergrass - I Won't Have Christmas 03:16 7. Teddy Pendergrass - We Three Kings 05:29 8. Teddy Pendergrass - Oh Holy Night 04:20 9. Teddy Pendergrass - Happy Kwanzaa 05:13 10. Teddy Pendergrass - This Christmas (I'd Rather Have Love) 03:47 11. Teddy Pendergrass - Happy Christmas 05:39 Staci Griesbach You and Me at Christmastime Impacting November 3rd, 2023 Format(s): Holiday Ring in the holidays with the perfect new original upbeat hit for your Playlists! “You and Me at Christmastime” is the lead single off Staci Griesbach's fourth studio album CHRISTMASTIME (Out Nov 10th). The playful original song features a "Meghan Trainor meets Katy Perry" vibe including du-wop background vocals and a catchy hook that will top this year's holiday playlists! “The holidays are such a special time of year, and I’m thrilled that my first original song leads the way for this album. ‘You and Me at Christmastime’ seemed to write itself and really kicks off the album in a fun, upbeat pop-forward way,” said Griesbach. “I’ve also chosen some of my absolute favorite holiday standards to fill out the record. As a child, it wasn’t really Christmas until we broke out Elvis Presley or listened to Karen Carpenter sing, and, of course, my country music idols are represented on this album with covers of classics by both Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson." For more, visit www.StaciGriesbach.com Contact Staci Griesbach stacigriesbach@gmail.com