Home › Forums › Our Blues Roots – The History of the Blues › Season’s Greetings (a Blues Roots holiday songs redux times 3)
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Don D..
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December 9, 2022 at 3:38 pm #328271
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
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
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December 12, 2022 at 6:50 pm #328418
I’m glad you found this, Steve. I just found one more interesting tidbit and added it.
Don D.
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December 20, 2022 at 6:31 pm #328799
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.
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December 12, 2022 at 6:47 pm #328417
Here’s an interesting addition for this year. A few down the page, Louis Armstrong reads “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
Don D.
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December 12, 2022 at 11:09 pm #328428
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.
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December 16, 2022 at 8:52 am #328598
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!
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December 16, 2022 at 3:09 pm #328620
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.
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December 23, 2022 at 8:03 pm #328923
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.
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December 25, 2022 at 7:13 am #328975
Don D.
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December 25, 2022 at 5:24 pm #328979
Thanks Mr. Don D.
Great collection !
Rob-
December 27, 2022 at 12:04 pm #329035
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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