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Season’s Greetings (a Blues Roots holiday songs redux times 3)

Home › Forums › Our Blues Roots – The History of the Blues › Season’s Greetings (a Blues Roots holiday songs redux times 3)

  • This topic has 11 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 1 month, 1 week ago by Don D..
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  • December 9, 2022 at 3:38 pm #328271
    Don D.
    Moderator

    Season’s Greetings! Wishing all of you the best of the rest of this year and a happy, healthy, productive 2023! If this sounds a little familiar, it is.

    Lightnin’ Hopkins had quite a few Christmas songs

    1953

    1953

    1962

    1964

    Robert Nighthawk 1964

    Lowell Fulson

    Ray Charles

    Charles Brown (see full album at bottom)

    Amos Milburn

    Chuck Berry

    Freddie King

    Don’t miss this one…

    Lester Williams (“Winter without your baby, you might as well be dead”)

    Smokey Hogg

    John Lee Hooker

    Eddie C. Campbell

    Lefty Dizz

    Sonny Boy Williamson (the second Sonny Boy, Aleck Rice Miller)

    Koko Taylor

    Sonny Rhodes

    Finis Tasby with Enrico Crivellaro

    Etta James

    Rosco Gordon

    Albert King

    B.B. King (see album at bottom)

    Clarence Carter

    Willie “Big Eyes” Smith

    Paul Oscher

    Carey Bell

    Cephas & Wiggins

    Canned Heat’s Christmas album…

    Canned Heat’s “Christmas Boogie”

    Little Ed and the Blues Imperials

    Kenny Neal

    Jimmy Witherspoon

    Charles Brown’s Christmas Album

    B.B. King A Christmas Celebration of Hope

    Leroy Carr was a pianist and songwriter (“How Long, How Long,” “Blues Before Sunrise” among others), who lived a short but very productive life. Although this is an oversimplification and a generality, his music was largely responsible for the modernization and sophistication of the blues (he often teamed up with master guitarist Scrapper Blackwell, like on this song). Here’s a sad Christmas song from him.

    Same title but a much lighthearted take, a whole different song.

    Here’s a rocking Christmas song from the great Billy Boy Arnold.

    Here’s another rocker from the Drifters.

    Jimmy Liggins and His Drops of Joy

    Mabel Scott with Les Welch and His Orchestra

    Frankie Lymon

    Big Joe Turner with Pete Johnson and His Orchestra

    Little Esther & Mel Walker with Johnny Otis’ Congregation

    A very nice Christmassy R&B playlist

    A sweet old one from Queen Victoria Spivey to close things up, sounds like her regular partner, Lonnie Johnson, on guitar.

    Don D.

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    • December 12, 2022 at 12:58 pm #328385
      sunjamr
      Participant

      That’s a real treasure trove of blues Xmas songs, Don. I’ll be working my way through those when I get back home in a few days. Thanks for taking the time to assemble these!

      Sunjamr Steve

      • December 12, 2022 at 6:50 pm #328418
        Don D.
        Moderator

        I’m glad you found this, Steve. I just found one more interesting tidbit and added it.

        Don D.

      • December 20, 2022 at 6:31 pm #328799
        Don D.
        Moderator

        Adding a great one, so I put it in the main post next year, Kenny Burrell’s Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas

        Don D.

    • December 12, 2022 at 6:47 pm #328417
      Don D.
      Moderator

      Here’s an interesting addition for this year. A few down the page, Louis Armstrong reads “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

      Don D.

    • December 12, 2022 at 11:09 pm #328428
      Don D.
      Moderator

      From Freddie King’s brother Benny Turner.

      Not blues, but I think I want to include it next year. An instrumental Christmas LP by the heaviest hitters in the LA studio scene at the time. Pre-Wrecking Crew recording date by Wrecking Crew legends.

      Don D.

    • December 16, 2022 at 8:52 am #328598
      satellite
      Participant

      Hello again Don, greetings from Nepal where there is no sign of Christmas…I’ll be digging into this when no-one is listening! Thanks for posting!

      • December 16, 2022 at 3:09 pm #328620
        Don D.
        Moderator

        Hello there satellite! Good to hear from you! Here’s one more that I’ll put in the main list next year. I hope you have a great holiday.

        Don D.

    • December 23, 2022 at 8:03 pm #328923
      Don D.
      Moderator

      I’ll add these to the main list next year.

      Ray Charles, The Spirit of Christmas

      “Santa Claus, Santa Claus,” by Louis Jordan

      Don D.

    • December 25, 2022 at 7:13 am #328975
      Don D.
      Moderator

      Merry Christmas

      Don D.

    • December 25, 2022 at 5:24 pm #328979
      Robert B
      Participant

      Thanks Mr. Don D.
      Great collection !
      Rob

      • December 27, 2022 at 12:04 pm #329035
        Don D.
        Moderator

        Hey Rob, I’m glad you’re enjoying it! Here’s to a healthy and productive year to come!

        Don D.

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