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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 2 years, 6 months 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.

      • 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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