This album (my last repost of the 2006 downloading season) was originally offered at FaLaLaLaLa.com last December. To quote from I wrote a year ago:
"Bob Ralston came from a show biz family: his mom was the 13th employee hired by Walt Disney – she was the voice of Minnie Mouse!
"After his formal music training ended, he played six nights at week with the Freddy Martin Orchestra from 1959-62 at the Coconut Grove in Hollywood.
"When that stint ended, he was approached by Lawrence Welk to be a pianist / organist / arranger for his Champagne Music Makers in 1963. It was a job he held until Welk and company went off the air in 1982 and continues to hold as arranger / organist for the occasional Welk reunion road show that tours the US.
"Today, Ralston presents five one-hour pops concerts each month in an intimate (40-seat) setting at his home in Granada Hills, CA. In addition to these regularly scheduled programs, he offers custom concerts to bus tours that visit weekly.
"I found this album at a thrift store and was immediately dazzled by two things: 1.) the near mint condition of the album (the original wrap was protecting the cover nicely) 2.) the jaw dropping number of songs listed on the cover! 30 SONGS!
"Ralston takes three songs, adds a simple chorus (nothing too heavy like Conniff or too contrived like Mitch Miller), blends in his great organ playing, and creates 10 medleys, each unique in its own way.
"If you like this album, Ralston released a Christmas CD in 1992 (74 Minutes of great theatre pipe organ music at Kansas City's Granada Theatre) that you can purchase at his website.
"This is the MONO copy... I'd love to find this in STEREO"
UPDATE: In May, 2008, I found a stereo copy at long last. You now have two album versions to choose from:
Bob Ralston - Christmas Hymns & Carols (MONO)
Bob Ralston - Christmas Hymns & Carols (STEREO)
Happy listening…
Capt
