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A Few We Missed

9/22/2012

We play a lot of music on the Sounds of Christmas. Our on-air library is approaching seven thousand tracks. It's a labor of love, really, but we work pretty hard finding as much great Christmas music as we can.

Even so, sometimes we miss something.

Here are a few I've just come across. I haven't been able to find any of these for sale, so it looks like they were made for the love of the music. That's the same reason the Sounds of Christmas exists.

This is a Seattle band called This Providence. They do a pretty cool version of "All I Want For Christmas Is You". Yes, the Mariah Carey song. I know it's become a new standard, and almost every singer and band take their shot it. But I think these guys bring some new excitement to this one, and I'm looking forward to playing it this year!

If you click the picture, you'll go the band's MySpace page where you can hear their version of this Christmas song.

This is Kid Andersen. He's a Norwegian blues singer, who now calls California home. And he does a really good job with "Merry Christmas, Baby".

If you click the picture you can hear it for yourself on Kid's Mypace page.

And this is Canadian rock band Courage My Love. While I also found them on MySpace, they also made a video of their rockin' version of "I'll Be Home For Christmas".

Hope you'll check these folks out, and you'll be hearing them (and many more) when we go back on the air November 1!

May you always believe in Santa Claus!

Ken

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Cool News!

9/15/2012

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Busily adding new music this week, and talking to some awesome potential sponsors, when I came across a couple interesting tidbits of Christmas music news.

The first involves our good friends at Mannheim Steamroller!

Chip Davis is bringing a special Mannheim Steamroller show to Las Vegas this year for a six-week run, set to start on November 20! You can find out all the details by clicking the picture above (and if you go, I want to hear all about it)!

The other news is from Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Not only are the heading out on the road with their "Lost Christmas Eve" show, but they also have a 5-song EP of new Christmas music coming out next month!

Not sure what the new songs are just yet, but you can click the picture above and maybe they've added some new details by now. I do know that if you buy your tickets through them, you'll get a free download of the EP (when it's released at the end of October)!

Okay, back to work for me. With a little luck, I'll have some more exciting news for you next week!

And may you always believe in Santa Claus!

Ken

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A Taste of What's To Come

9/7/2012

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Hard to believe we're already cruising through September! At this rate, we'll be back on the air before you know it! And there's lots of great stuff on the way. If you want to try to keep up with all of it, I recommend bookmarking my friend Stubby's site. You'll find his constantly updated list HERE! He's also great at finding terrific freebies that you'll want to grab and add to your collection.

Here's just a small sampling of some of the new music that you'll be hearing on the Sounds of Christmas this year...

You can click on the picture to go to Rod's site and get all the details on his first-ever Christmas album. There are also links to iTunes and Amazon, so you can even hear snippets of the songs (at least, you can on iTunes).

Rod also has a deal with HSN for a bundle that includes a bonus 8-track CD, though it doesn't look like that bonus CD is Christmas music, just some of Rod's well-known hits (not that that's a bad thing, of course).

Scotty McCreery (2011 American Idol winner) has a full-length Christmas album coming and if you pre-order it through his website (click on the picture) you can win stuff! Scotty adds a couple of original songs on this one, among classics like "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" and "Holly Jolly Christmas".

And if you happen to go to one of his shows this Fall, you can get an autographed copy!

Here's one I'm really looking forward to. Back when they were known as Josh and the Empty Pockets, they recorded a single, combining "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)". That was one of the top songs on the Sounds of Christmas last year, and there's a new version on this EP, along with four other tracks (I think "What Christmas Means To Me" is my new favorite). No details, yet, on their website, but you can click on the picture and keep checking (and listen to "Fall Right Now" and other tracks from 2011's "Introducing the Empty Pockets", which you can grab for $5)!

And here's a real treat! You might have caught this New Jersey band on the Vans Warped Tour or Bamboozle (2011). If not, I've no doubt you'll be hearing a lot more from them.

This album really rocks, and if you need proof just click the picture and check out the samples on Amazon! Then, buy it, as it's already available. At the moment, it's only a digital release, and there's no info on the band's website about CDs, so go grab it on Amazon (or iTunes, if you prefer)!

Another that I'm really looking forward to is this collection for The Polyphonic Spree. We've been playing their terrific cover of John Lennon's "Happy Xmas" and their original "It's Christmas".

There don't seem to be a lot of details just yet, unless I missed them. Their website only lists the release date of October 22 (and that it will be available on CD, on LP and MP3)!

I don't want to slight anyone, as there's plenty more great stuff on the way - from Colbie Caillat, Rita Coolidge, Gary "U.S." Bonds, Steve Tyrell, Blake Shelton, August Burns Red, Judy Pancoast, Celtic Woman and Tracey Thorn, plus new collections from the Very Special Christmas folks and a new NOW That's What I Call Christmas!

There are many, many more; this is just the tip of the iceberg. Again, if you really want a good idea on nearly everything that's on the way, head over to Stubby's and check out this year's list! And count on hearing them on the Sounds of Christmas starting November 1!

And may you always believe in Santa Claus!

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A Few We Missed

Cool News!

A Taste of What's To Come

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