The jazz and musical world lost a great friend two days ago when Dr. Billy Taylor died at the age of 89 in Manhattan.
Taylor was born in Greenville, North Carolina and had his first piano lesson at the age of seven. His family later moved to Washington D.C. and attended Virginia State College for Negroes (now known as Virginia State University) where he studied music.
After graduation in 1946, Billy moved to New York City at a time when jazz and bebop was about to explode onto the music scene. Within two days of his arrival, he began working with noted jazz musician Ben Webster and later became the house pianist at the famous Birdland Jazz Club.
He formed his own jazz combo in 1951, toured all across the United States, and even put his music degree to good use; lecturing at schools on jazz, writing extensive articles for DownBeat magazine, and even had a long tenure of concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.
Taylor's diverse resume deepened with stints on television (musical director of the 1958 NBC show called "The Subject is Jazz") and on radio (several positions as DJ and program director on NYC radio throughout the 1960s).
In 1969, Taylor was asked to become his musical director of "The David Frost Show" - going head to head with Johnny Carson. It was a good four year run from 1969 to 1972 and even spawned a full-fledged Christmas album:
After the show ended, Taylor went back to school and received a Doctorate in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts in 1975. The doctor did house calls: teaching gigs at Long Island University, the Manhattan School of Music, and then back to UMass.
Dr. Taylor has a long career at National Public Radio, first as the host of "Jazz Alive" in the late 1970s and then "Billy Taylor's Jazz at the Kennedy Center" from 1994 to 2002 (Taylor was the artistic director for jazz at the JFK Center for many years).
Early risers on Sunday mornings knew Taylor as a correspondent on "CBS News Sunday Morning", profiling nearly 250 interviews with jazz musicians. His work garnered him an Emmy.
The list of accomplishments can go on and on - his absence will be sorely felt.
I was fortunate to find a copy of his Christmas album sealed at at a record show earlier this year. This was one of the first albums I transferred using my Stanton T.92 USB turntable.
To honor the memory of Billy, I'm posting the Christmas album for a limited time:
Several reports across our desk have told us that CD copies of this year's Christmas CD are not working correctly - discs freezing up, tracks being unable to read.
It's bad when this happens, but heaven help me - my father's CD didn't work. Man, did he teach me some new curse words!
If you received one of these defective copies, my sincerest apologies. Please contact me here - leave a comment and I'll do my best to get you a new copy.
Usually at this downloading season, I would be posting new Christmas albums that I would have rummaged for at thrift stores, haggled for at record shows, and sniped at the last minute on eBay.
Several things prevented me in doing that this year - I could bore you with the details but I'll refrain. I did want to continue the tradition that I started five Christmases ago - the annual Yuleblog Sampler.
Normally, this would have been posted on Christmas Day - my present to you. But I decided to move the release date up by 10 days since I don't have anything else to post this season.
I'm excited about this release for two reasons: 1.) Many of the 45s and 78s I found for the sampler were nowhere to be found in my 22,000+ Christmas song library. 2.) These singles were the first vinyl transferred on my new Stanton T.92 USB turntable and captured to digital on my new Dell PC.
None of the vinyl I've transferred before has sounded better than this. Welcome to the 21st century Capt.
Your 2010 Christmas Yuleblog sampler:
Track 1 - Franklin MacCormack - I Like Christmas Chicago Federal Savings Promo - ZTSC-9044-1A - 195?
MacCormack was a longtime Chicago radio host who helped to pioneer the spoken word album back in the 1950s. Open a Christmas club account, get this record - sweet!
Track 2 - Dick Roman - Christmas Village Harmon Records - 1011 (NO7W-0796-2) - 1962
"Pretty song about a dream of childhood days is sung with much feeling by the lad, while the ork lends good support. Could grab spins". - - Billboard Magazine, 12/1/62
I agree!
Track 3 - The Di Mara Sisters - Santa's Italian Wife Pip Records - 100X-A - 1971
Did you that wife that Santa comes from Italy? And your presents on Christmas morning could have a very cheesy smell? Every Italian stereotype is thrown in good measure on this song - eh cumpari!
Track 4 - Johnny Long & His Orchestra (Vocal by Francey Lane and the Ensemble) - Winter Wonderland Signature Records - 15150-B (SRC-434) - 1947
Found this 78 at a local thrift store - I've since discovered this came from a larger set of Christmas 78s that featured other artists. Keep watching...
Track 5 - Frank and Jack - Twas The Night Before Christmas (Breaking Through The Sound Barrier) Bergen Records - 100A - 1957
Taking a cue from Buchanan & Goodman, two radio guys decided to have some fun in the radio studio. Instead of break-ins with Elvis and Fabian, they chose sound F/X and celebrities. Strange...
Crawford has a long career in the R&B/jazz world and was astounded to find this at a garage sale for a dime.
If you want some Christmas sax this holiday, look no further than this.
Track 7 - David Hill (with Ray Martin & His Orchestra) - Christmas Bride RCA Victor - 47-7430 (H2PW-7812) - 1958
I've never heard of a song that combines wedding proposals and Christmas before. Not exactly rock-n-roll, not exactly pop... love the sax solo.
Track 8 - Red Buttons - Bow-Wow Wants A Boy For Christmas Columbia Records - 40384 (CO 52652) - 1954
I won a promo 45 of this record several years ago on eBay. Found this 78 RPM earlier this year - one of the first 78s on the new turntable.
I think the songwriter on this is Steve Allen - can anyone confirm that?
Track 9 - The Gus De Wert Trio (with Gay LaComb) - Space Age Santa Claus Ross Records - WW1004-B (SJW-3524) - 196?
This one has floated around cyberspace for a long time with Jeannie Jay listed as the singer.
Jay was the credited singer on side two ("When Christmas Bells Are Ringing"), LaComb on side one. Hope this clears up any confusion.
Track 10 - Monica Lewis (with Ray Bloch & His Orchestra) - The Christmas Song Signature Records - 15151-B (SRC-540) - 1947
This was the other 78 RPM I found (see track four above). The third 78 in this set was Ray Bloch & His Orchestra doing "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "Let It Snow x 3".
Artwork anyone?
Track 11 - Judy Storey - Christmas Cheer From Heaven Breaking Records - IRDA 576-A - 1979
A Christmas song from a dead wife singing to her husband from heaven.
Who gave the green light to this one? Truly inexplicable.
Track 12 - Consuela & Luisa Valdez - This Xmas Day Mosaic Records - 210419A - 1970
Mother/daughter duo who self-produced and wrote this tribute to a family member at Christmas.
Found at Wooden Nickel Records in Fort Wayne (thanks Tim!).
Track 13 - The De John Sisters - The Only Thing I Want For Christmas (Is To Keep The Things That I've Got) Epic Records - 5-9133 (ZSP 37226) - 1955
The second 45 to feature a sister singing act. This is yet another song I'd nominate to get more radio airplay at this time of year.
Track 14 - Joel Grey - Santa's Little Sleigh Bells Majar Records - 137-X45 - 1954
Recorded at the beginning of his career, Grey was primarily known as an comic actor/dancer. His comic sensibilities are showcased in this silly song about a rogue sleigh bell.
Track 15 - Mona Abboud - I Should Have Left The Light On For Santa Mona Records (Phonograph Records) - 100180-B - 1980
The flipside (listen to audio, ignore video) of this song was considered for "The FPT Christmas Revue". Spoke to Ms. Abboud who gave me her blessing to use the song (theater rejected it). Her voice hasn't aged a day - thanks Mona!
Track 16 - Lois Lynn - Every Christmas We Know Concept Records - 45-896 - 1956
Purchased at a record show, this is either a haunting Christmas song or a bizarre experiment gone wrong.
Track 17 - Heavy Duck - A Wonderful Christmas Derrick Records - 45-DRC-113A - 1976
Okay, so Rick Dees scores big with "Disco Duck" in late 1976 which obviously prompted this Christmas single trying to cash in on its popularity several months later...
Things can never be explained...
Track 18 - Prof. Anonymous & The Marshalls - Christmas Elf Isabelle Records - IS 0003-A - 1986
On nights when I can't sleep, I'll surf eBay for hours. While half-asleep one night, I purchased this. It was the sleeve I tell ya...
Track 19 - Dick Haymes & The Song Spinners Choir (with Jesse Crawford at the Organ) - Joy To The World Decca Records - 24120A (73992) - 1948
Frank Sinatra made it big after he left Tommy Dorsey's band in 1942. His replacement was Dick Haymes. Haymes tried mightily (radio, records, movies) but never gained Sinatra's popularity - great voice on this 78 RPM, just not "The Voice".
Track 20 - The De Castro Sisters - Snowbound For Christmas Abbott Records - 3012-A - 1955
The third 45 to feature a sister act (new record).
Lush, beautiful, wintry ballad - the sisters De Castro do a very nice job with this one.
Track 21 - Ken Griffin (Sung by Karen Ford & Bill Snary) - Our Christmas Waltz Rondo Records - R-206-A (UB-9-1142-R) - 1949
Say what? When I was handed this 78 and noticed Ken Griffin, the king of the roller rink organists, had VOCALS?
And nice vocals they are - thanks to my wife's family for this one!
Track 22 - Eddy Howard & His Orchestra - Dearest Santa Majestic Records - 1173 (T-1289) - 1947
Another amazing 78 from Mr. Howard and his band.
Dedicated to Dian B. Brown of Scottsdale, AZ. Type in "Eddy Howard Dearest Santa" into Google and her Amazon.com request for this song is the first thing to come up. Glad I could help!
Track 23 - Joe Walega & His Happy Hearts - Request To Santa Claus Chicago Polka - 512-B - 19??
The flipside ("Christmas Without Daddy") is everywhere to download on the Internet. But this B-side isn't...
Sweet mother of God, what evil have I just unleashed?
Track 24 - George Bowers - Lonely Christmas Nashville Talking Machine - M-001 A (PRP 34272) - 1971
Ernie (not Bert) shared out side A of this song a few hundred shares ago - he's mad, MAD I tell ya! But in a good way...
Here's side B - recorded in MONO just as the label states!
Track 25 - Lucho Gatica (con Los Cuatro Soles y la Orquesta de Jose Sabre Marroquin) - Noche De Paz (Silent Night) Capitol Records - F71060 (45-X41854) - 19??
A foreign 45 in scratchy condition that I paid peanuts for at a thrift store - I can't find a thing about this one anywhere.
Pretty version in Spanish - a testament to the new turntable and computer how this one cleaned up.
Track 26 - Franklin MacCormack - My New Year's Wish For You Chicago Federal Savings Promo - ZTSC-9043-1B - 19??
We come full circle with Side B from Mr. MacCormack.
What he wishes for New Year for you goes for me too.
Oh, by the way, did you know about these sharity items?
Next month will mark the fifth anniversary of this blog. The occasion will not be marked by a retrospective, a self-congratulatory pat on the back, or anything else special. In the five years we've been online, I've probably have two years' worth of material.
I started this as a way for me to keep track of the new additions to my Christmas music collection. It mushroomed into a Christmas review blog, a sharity site, and home to Christmas videos and advertisements. It's been fun, harrowing, time-consuming, and one of the best things I've done in my life.
There's so much that I want to upgrade here. I want to continue to post Christmas ads, videos, and Christmas music reviews. I want to remaster all of the shares I have here - I finally have the equipment and the understanding of that equipment to do that.
Sitting down in front of the computer to do anything is, for me, a challenge.
Every school day for the past year, I drop the kids off at school and then head to the gym. I like this routine and it has served me well - I've lost weight and kept it off. My cholesterol is low, my back is finally pain free, and I'm eating healthy and sensibly.
An unfortunate by-product of this lifestyle change is the fact that I can seldom sit longer for one hour behind the computer. I'm too active to allow myself to do more than that - I take walks, run errands, volunteer my time with my best buddy Joel and his theater activities, anything to stay away from the desk where I used to sit for hours on end; snacking, typing, drinking soda after soda, typing, eating...
As my children have grown from day-care tots to the precocious kids they are now, school activities like scouting, cheerleading, and basketball stretch my time tighter and harder than Joan Rivers' face.
I re-read my notes from last year's Sampler:
I realize I'm in a Catch-22 situation: I can continue to lose weight by being away from the computer but can only work on all these projects if I'm in front of the computer. I have to to find a balance inbetween somehow...
When I find the balance in 2011, I will post an entry here. It won't be as bad as the drought this year - 2010 was a learning year. I'm hoping to put some of that knowledge into practice with the aforementioned projects I want to complete for the blog.
Received an interesting package at the PO Box a few weeks ago. Inside was an advance copy of a Christmas album (in a clear DVD case) from a band I had never heard of before.
The cover letter read thusly:
I quickly added December 3rd to my calendar as I sat down trying to figure out more about this band. From their bio:
CB&J has been performing their distinctive style of folky swing since the spring of 2005. They released their first full-length album, “Love and Circumstances” in November of 2006. Their second and most recent album, “Custom Made For You,” was released on December 12th, 2008.
In addition to headlining many shows, Christabel and the Jons has also performed at numerous festivals in the US including Bonnaroo, Riverbend, Bele Chere, Blue Plum Festival, Shakori Hills Festival, Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, and Sundown in the City. They’ve also opened for many national acts including The Brazilian Girls, The Be Good Tanyas, The Red Stick Ramblers, The Wilders, and Loudon Wainwright.
TRACK REVIEWS:
1.) Best Kind of Friend Original Christmas song written by the lead singer - it's a great showcase for the band's Tennessee swing sound and Christa's amazing sultry voice.
2.) Winter Wonderland The pedal steel guitar by Brock Henderson gives this one a island feeling which goes well with the overall band sound. Seth's trumpet solo made me laugh out loud!
3.) The Christmas Song Very straightforward version of this classic. Nicely done.
4.) It Won't Cool Off
I've never heard of anyone covering this old Dean Martin classic until now. Kudos to the song selectors - this one's flat out perfect!
5.) I'd Like You For Christmas
More kudos to whomever chose this song. Written by Bobby Troup ("Route 66") for his wife Julie London, no one ever dared covering this song. Another outstanding song!
6.) What Will Santa Claus Say?
Even more kudos to the person who picked this Prima pasterpiece (okay, I stretched). If Louis Prima was from Tennessee, I'd imaging his Christmas song would sound like this. Great, great, great!
7.) Christmas Island
More pedal steel guitar, Seth's great ukulele, Christa and the band's amazing vocals on this track make this one remarkable.
8.) Santa Baby
Another great version of a Christmas classic. More on this one later.
9.) Baby It's Cold Outside
The interplay between Christa and Andy Bean of the Two Man Gentleman Band adds a special Tennessee touch to this song. Very nice.
10.) Christmas In Prison
I'm admittedly not a fan of this song but this John Prine song given the full CB & J treatment makes it one to listen for.
11.) Silent Night
A very distinctive version that will make you re-listen to this one three or four times. I enjoyed this quite a bit.
12.) Christmas Time Is Here What better way to go out on than with Vince Guaraldi? Seth and the band reworks the Guaraldi sound to their advantage - I'm a fan of this band's sound.
After I had heard this album for the 19th time, I was inviting all of my friends out to The Brass Rail on December 3rd. Not many wanted to come fearing the bar's former reputation. But owners John Commorato Jr and Corey Rader have done a great job transforming the former dive bar into an alternative band showcase since 2007.
The show started at 10 PM with local band Buffalo Jump playing a lively, 45 minute set before CB & J took the stage. No Christmas songs from Buffalo Jump but I definitely enjoyed the song about the Brass Rail.
Christabel and The Jons took the stage to set up - down time, a chance to get another drink, visit the restroom, or a quick smoke for those so inclined. We waited. And waited. And waited.
Seems the band had difficulty setting up their synthesizer and electric guitar hooked up - many of the effects they showcased on the Christmas album wouldn't be available for the show.
After 45 minutes, the band started with several of their non-Christmas songs that quickly won the Fort Wayne crowd over. Their sound was fast, impactful, and full of swing that you couldn't help tap your toes and sway to the rhythm.
First Christmas song of the night: "Merry Christmas Baby", a song that wasn't featured on their album. From where I was positioned in the back of the bar, I failed to capture it on my cell phone camera.
However, not wanting to make the same mistake twice, I moved up into the crowd and closer the stage:
Other Christmas songs played were "Best Kind of Friend", "Blue Christmas", and "Winter Wonderland". The rest of their amazing two hour set (yeah, these guys wailed) was more of their patented Tennessee swing.
Around 1 AM (this stay-at-home dad's eyes were bleary), I made my way up to the band members and thanked them for an amazing show and an even more amazing Christmas album. Seth, Christa, and Jon (who was about as tired as me when I caught him out dragging a butt) were personable and charming throughout.
Their other album that I bought at the show - "Custom Made For You" - has won some airtime on my boombox here at my home. It's the first non-Christmas album to do that in December in about fourteen years.
In 1981, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra had a huge #1 hit across the world with their "Hooked On Classics" single. While compiling 1980s music (both Christmas and non-Christmas) for my 20th anniversary CD, I discovered this single on eBay.
When it arrived, I placed it on the turntable and gave it a listen - I deemed it not Christmas enough for my CD and it got bumped off the playlist.
In two days, I'll be serving up my 2008 Yuleblog Sampler and one of the selections on it was this obscure single I picked up five years ago. That is until I read this from a new member at FaLaLaLaLa.com:
Quote from: roje on December 09, 2008, 08:23:17 AM:
First-off, I have to admit that having stumbled across this website where there's clearly a true celebration of Christmas music, is most enriching, particularly with our world in its current state. Christmas music is, quite simply put, the exact equivalent of happiness, period.
Now, there is a 7-inch vinyl which I have been in search of, for what has seemed like centuries. I first heard it on a local radio station back in the early 80's. Its called 'Hooked On Christmas', and features the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
One thing I'm not too sure of though, is whether its the one with David Arnold, or the one with Louis Clark. In fact I'm not even sure if they are the same recording or not. I'm also practically sure that strangely this has never been released on CD. Does anybody here have this rare gem that they are willing to share, please?
Once again, the single gets bumped off a playlist. But it's still win-win:
This was found at a local garage sale several years ago and the cover totally hooked me. It looked promising (lots of titles listed - in hi-fi!) and I gladly paid my 50 cents. Then I dropped the needle... A pretty standard Christmas organ album.
There was a serious glut of Christmas organ albums between then and now along the sharity network and I couldn't bring myself to share this one out. One track was shared last year as a part of the 2007 Yuleblog Sampler and I decided to share the rest this year.
I wish I had more on Patricia Wilde (Google turned up nothing) but it did yield some info on Acorn Records thanks to the folks at Both Sides Now. It seems Acorn Records had problems with its grammar and spelling - I urge you to check out the Acorn link; it's a hoot!
Remember your elementary school Christmas pageant or play? You may or may not remember the name of the classmate who played Scrooge or the kid who threw up onstage.
But you probably remember the music that you sang. For many school kids, it was standard Christmas carols and standards. However, some schools went out and spent money from an educational service for a Christmas program, complete with scripts and songs.
This is one of those programs. Designed to enrich the musical experience of boys and girls in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, this program came with an illustrated guidebook (lost for all eternity) for staging, costuming, and dramatizing the entire program to make the teacher's job all the more easier.
Side one is entirely vocal - one lone female voice singing eight different songs (or "windows") that comprise the entire show (and one of these tracks was used for the 2007 Yuleblog Sampler).
Side two is completely instrumental - so if you feel inspired to learn the lyrics and record your own karaoke version, please send us an MP3 at the P.O. Box.
In March of 2007, I travelled back to my old haunts in Chicago and picked up a few Christmas albums. This is one of the last ones from that trip left to be shared.
There's about 25 schools in Chicago named Sacred Heart. Considering that 1/2 of the album was sung in Croatian, my first guess was that it was recorded up somewhere in the West Town section of Chicago where Ukrainian Village is.
From some comments and consultation with my father (who grew up at 83rd & Buffalo - in the shadow of South Works), there was a Croation enclave on the south side of Chicago as well.
Sacred Heart Croatian Church is located at 96th and Escanaba Ave. on the Southeast side of Chicago.
This album is nothing fancy (a lot of my shares are usually just that). School kids singing Christmas songs. The school sold this album to parents so they could assumingly fund other programs at their school. We are talking about Chicago here - ask Gov. Rod Blagojevich!
I would love to hear from anyone on the back of the cover! And according to one of the commenters below, this album was recorded in 1961.
During a vinyl bin search and rescue mission here in Fort Wayne, I came across not one but two copies of this album still sealed!
The West Creighton Christian Church was looking for an activity for their youth back in 1963 and came across an advertisement for handbell ringing. They ordered a set and a tradition was born.
They toured all over the country with their handbells between 1963 and 1965. This album features Christian music, one patriotic song ("America"), one popular song ("Moon River"), and four Christmas songs!
The four Christmas songs on this album are presented here. On the back cover of this album is a list of all the bellringers - I would love to hear from any of them about this album, memories of travelling with the handbells, etc.
Last June, the West Creighton Avenue church closed after 110 years of ministry in the Fort Wayne area. No word if the handbell tradition was kept to the very end or to the fate of the handbells themselves.
Many times I've come across this album in thrift stores, online vinyl markets, and even eBay and Amazon.com. Two silouetted harps in black and white tell the story.
What I didn't know was the connection this album had to my hometown of Fort Wayne until I had a copy in my hands. It seems not only were one of the harpists (Escosa) had deep roots in Fort Wayne but it was actually recorded here as well on the Carriage Records label.
Side one is The Christmas Story according to St. Mark. Written and narrated by Longstreth, this full 15 minute story is interspersed with lovely music for solo harp (Escosa). Side two has the harpists trading off each other as they go through ten different Christmas carols.
Nothing fancy but it's well done Christmas harp.
One free day this past summer, I went looking for the location of the recording studio listed on the back cover. Located in a iffy part of town, I managed to find it - an empty lot full of grass and trees. Nothing to suggest there was a structure anywhere on the lot.
Across the street stood an apartment building with a prominent name: Carriage House Apartments. I'll have to do some detective work to see if the two are related or if the area has some sort of history with carriages, etc.
As a kid, I remembered going through my mother's stack of Christmas albums around Christmas and gazing at this exotic, green covered album that contained some of the most bizarre Christmas music I had ever heard.
When she told me this was how children in Africa celebrated Christmas, I nodded my head and still thought it was strange music. This album was seldom played at our house growing up.
Flash forward to 2006. One of my wife's relatives gave me her entire collection of albums and included in that stack was her copy of this album. So I listened again and I appreciated the drumbeats, the style of singing, and the pure joy in the voices that were celebrating Christmas.
Then my kids entered the room and wondered what the mysterious noises from the turntable were... the circle of life indeed.
This 10" Christmas LP was given to me by my in-laws when they were cleaning out their closets.
When Columbia Records first unveiled the long playing record in 1948, two formats were introduced - the 10" version (same size as 78s, used for popular music) and the 12" version (more expensive / reserved for classical & Broadway shows).
This 10" Christmas LP was issued in 1950 (look at the back cover at the popular music of the day) and contains only eight songs.
The Canterbury Choir has had so many Christmas albums under different titles that I threw my hands up after looking for them on MusicStack. At some point, MGM rereleased this album under another title (where & what title, I don't know).
This is a standard organ & choir album. Nothing fancy to detract. A nice change of pace if you're looking for that sort of thing.
Last December, I shared an album entitled "KFUO Presents Christmas Hymns And Carols", an album from a St. Louis Christian radio station featuring two different Lutheran choirs.
This December, I'm sharing yet another album from KFUO. This one features two choirs from St. Louis - straightforward hymns and carols.
KFUO is a Christian St. Louis radio station that's been spreading the gospel since 1924. Its sister station, KFUO-FM, has been doing the same since 1948.
If you're thinking this is "just another Christian Christmas album", you're only partially right.
Merrill Womach was blessed with a four octave singing voice - twice over the norm! He began singing publicly at the age of 6 and dedicated his life to bringing his message to the masses through his God given talent.
On Thanksgiving Day, November 23rd, 1961, Womach was in a fiery airplane crash that almost took his life. Burned beyond recognition - his head swelled to the size of a basketball. Womach has had over 50 skin graft operations to repair the damage since that tragic day.
Despite losing most of the skin on his face, his voice was unaffected and continued his career of singing. His story was told in an autobiography called "Tested by Fire" and a documentary movie entitled "He Restoreth My Soul".
This was recorded seven years after the crash and his phenomenal voice really comes across and Merrill doesn't hold back - it's a tour de force!
According to sources on the Internet, Merrill now runs a multi-million dollar business in Spokane, WA providing taped music for funeral homes across the U.S. & Canada. In his office is a crucifix made from the plane's wreckage.
If you want to learn more about Womach, visit his MySpace page.
Indiana's vinyl bins contain more religious Christmas albums than any other in the Union. If I purchased every one of these albums during my search and rescue missions over the past five years, I would probably have close to 1000 LPs.
This is one of those typical albums. Designed with a Sunday School or Bible camp in mind, we listen as "Uncle Earl" (red flag) and two kids named Kathy and Bill share special stories lifted right out of the Bible. Even now and then, Christmas is involved!
The Christmas music sandwiched inbetween the stories is mostly standard carols with a choir and organ and I shared a track from this album for the 2007 Yuleblog Sampler.
So this year, kids, you get the whole album! Can I get an "Amen"?
Heino is the most successful German folk (Volksmusik) singer of all times. His characteristics are the blond hair, the omnipresent dark shades and the clear, baritone singing voice.
He has sold more than 30 million records in the last 30 years and has become one of the most beloved and famous persons in the German speaking part of the world (98% of all Germans know him - only surpassed by Chancellor Helmut Kohl - 99%).
This album was released in 1969 and it's an epic. Side one is one gigantic Christmas medley (nineteen songs - nineteen minutes in length, all in German!). Side two is a collection of religious Christmas songs (all in German again).
If you're not a big fan of Christmas carols, religious Christmas songs, but still want your Heino for Christmas, then this video is for you - all 23 minutes of it! Thanks to Anna-Lena Lodenius for finding this:
The Blonde One reportedly went on a farewell tour recently so who knows if we've seen or heard the last from him.
This EP was given to me by my in-laws when they were cleaning out their closets. According to my father-in-law, this was one of his mother's Christmas favorites on the old Philco.
There's exactly four tracks on this EP - one by Frankie Laine, one by Eddy Howard, and two songs by a young up & comer named Vic Damone.
I could have cleaned up the back cover with PhotoShop but I decided against it - I wanted you to see the original price tag from 1950 - $1.49 plus tax!
This is vintage Christmas at its best. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as my in-laws did...
