Artists Announced For 2014 Christmas 4 Kids Tour Bus Show

unnamed (12)The Christmas 4 Kids organization has announced its lineup of participating artists for this year’s annual tour bus show to be held at the Hendersonville, Tenn., Walmart. On Monday, Dec. 15 from 5-9 p.m., stars will gather on parked tour buses to meet fans and give them an inside look at a country artist’s home on the road.
This year’s participating celebrities include Hunter Hayes, Jeff Bates, T.G. Sheppard, Kelly Lang, Danielle Peck, Jan Howard, Shelly West, Bryan White, Bo Bice, Buddy Jewell, The Roys, Ashton Shepherd, Guy Gilchrist and more. Admission to the event is $5.00 for adults, $2.00 for children ages 2-12 and $20 for a family pass. Admission for children under 2 is free. Tickets may be purchased onsite at the Hendersonville Walmart (204 North Anderson Lane, Hendersonville, TN 37075) on the day of the event.
On Tuesday, Dec. 16, over 400 underprivileged children from 29 different schools around Middle Tennessee will participate in a day-long shopping excursion. This special day consists of a chauffeured trip from their school aboard an entertainer’s luxury tour bus, dinner, and a party hosted by Santa and Mrs. Claus at The Hendersonville Expo Center. To wrap up the day, the tour buses journey to the Hendersonville, Tenn., Walmart, where the kids receive a brand new winter coat, and $150.00 to spend on anything they like.
Christmas 4 Kids is a not-for-profit organization that has been in existence for over 25 years providing many children, each year, with a very special Christmas gift.

Shazam Revamps App, Introduces Shazam Hall of Fame

shazam_logo2Shazam released several changes Wednesday (Dec. 10), with updates for its website and apps. Shazam now offers track count data, allowing users to view the number of Shazams (or “tags”) each track has gathered on shazam.com. Other updates released on Wednesday (Dec. 10) include personalized music news, real-time trending songs, and Shazam Sessions performances from artists. The Shazam app also offers a new trending chart that displays the most popular songs in the last three minutes.
Shazam also introduced the Hall of Fame, which honors songs that have earned the most user activity on Shazam.
Four songs earned Platinum level status, with 15 million Shazams each: Avicii‘s “Wake Me Up,”  Robin Thicke ft. T.I. and Pharrell‘s “Blurred Lines,” Gotye‘s “Somebody That I Used To Know,” and Passenger‘s “Let Her Go.”
Topping the Gold level songs (10 million+ Shazams) are Clean Bandit (ft. Jess Glynne)’s “Rather Be,” and two entries from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (“Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us”).

'Ad Age' Highlights CMA Marketing Event

cma-logo22featuredThe CMA welcomed executives from major brands to an event on the morning of the CMA Awards (Nov. 5) to showcase the genre’s potential for marketing partnerships. Held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the event was attended by reps from Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive, Jose Cuervo and more according to a new article on AdAge.com. While many of the brands in attendance have ties to country—Pepsi has partnered with CMA, Blake Shelton and Lady Antebellum—the event’s goal was to strengthen those ties.
This was the ninth program of its kind hosted by CMA. It highlighted the fact that the genre’s stars are mostly family friendly, that country consumers’ average yearly household income ($76K) is slightly higher than the rest of the population, and that the genre’s fanbase over age 12 has grown 31 percent during the last ten years (80.9 million to 106.6 million).
Ad Age reports that featured guests included G7 CEO Andre Gaccetta, CMA Sr. VP Damon Whiteside, Shazam CEO Rich Riley, BMLG Sr. VP John Zarling, Sony Music Nashville executive Rachel Fontenot and UMGN VP Brad Turcotte.
Read more about country music brand partnerships in MusicRow’s interview with Turcotte, in the just-released Next Big Thing issue.

Artist Updates: Carrie Underwood, Brett Eldredge, Maggie Rose, Trace Adkins

Carrie Underwood celebrated the release of her new album Greatest Hits: Decade #1 last night (Dec. 9) with an exclusive broadcast event hosted by Bobby Bones at the iHeartRadio Theater in New York City. Along with an on-stage interview, Carrie performed some of her hits, including her GRAMMY-nominated smash, “Something in the Water,” for an audience of 250 lucky fans.

Pictured (L-R): Bobby Bones, Gary Overton (Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville), Carrie Underwood, Clay Hunnicutt (EVP & GM / National Programming Platforms iHeartMedia), & Lesly Simon (VP Promotion, Arista Nashville).

Pictured (L-R): Bobby Bones, Gary Overton (Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville), Carrie Underwood, Clay Hunnicutt (EVP & GM / National Programming Platforms iHeartMedia), & Lesly Simon (VP Promotion, Arista Nashville).

• • •

bretteldredge

Brett Eldredge


Warner Music Nashville and friends celebrated a classic evening with Brett Eldredge, who performed classic Sinatra songs along with his powerful ballad “One Mississippi.” The event was held at Nashville’s The Sutler last night (Dec. 9).
After noshing on hors d’oeuvres and schmoozing during a festive cocktail hour, lucky fine-dressed attendees enjoyed an hour-long performance which included favorites such as “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Come Rain Or Come Shine.” The late night soiree hosted by John Esposito, President/CEO of Warner Music Nashville, offered everyone a ‘grand’ time as an honorary member of the Brat Pack.
Before heading on stage, Eldredge posed with WMN execs and management for an authentic “mafia” style family photo.
Pictured (L-R): Jeremy Holley (SVP, Consumer & Interactive Marketing), Camille Alston (Longshot Management), John Esposito (President & CEO, WMN), Justin Luffman (VP, Brand Management), Brett Eldredge, Scott Hendricks (EVP, A&R), Kristen Williams (VP, National Promotion), Rob Baker (Longshot Management), Kevin Herring (SVP, Promotion)

Pictured (L-R): Jeremy Holley (SVP, Consumer & Interactive Marketing), Camille Alston (Longshot Management), John Esposito (President & CEO, WMN), Justin Luffman (VP, Brand Management), Brett Eldredge, Scott Hendricks (EVP, A&R), Kristen Williams (VP, National Promotion), Rob Baker (Longshot Management), Kevin Herring (SVP, Promotion)

 • • •

Maggie Rose

Maggie Rose


Maggie Rose will perform in Nashville on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 3rd & Lindsley for a holiday performance to benefit children in Middle Tennessee. For free admission, fans are encouraged to bring gifts for the Marine Corps. Toys for Tots, or make a cash donation at the door that will allow the organization to help buy toys for kids this Christmas. For more information, click here.
Rose has teamed with Brian Kennedy and songwriter Dallas Davidson for her next project, including her single, “Girl In Your Truck Song.”

 • • •

Trace Adkins has added Jason Crabb as the special guest on the final leg of his The Christmas Show tour, for show dates Dec. 10-20. Adkins’ second annual The Christmas Show Tour features narrations, Celtic carols and a 12-piece “Sarepta Symphony.” Crabb will perform selections including “Mary, Did You Know,” “Let’s Make A Baby King, “Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day,” and more.

“I’m excited about Jason joining for a few dates,” Adkins stated. “I’ve wanted to work with him for a long time and I’m glad our schedules finally worked out. This is the perfect tour for us to work together.”
For more information and tour dates, visit jasoncrabb.com.
Pictured (L-R): Jason Crabb and Trace Adkins.

Pictured (L-R): Jason Crabb and Trace Adkins.

Weekly Register: 'The Voice' Boosts Track Sales

 Pictured (clockwise): Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Pharrell and RaeLynn

RaeLynn on “The Voice.” Pictured (clockwise): Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Pharrell and RaeLynn


RaeLynn returned to her career launch pad The Voice on Dec. 2, where her performance helped boost debut single “God Made Girls” to No. 1 on the top country tracks list. The song moved 34K TW for a RTD total of 250K. Meanwhile current The Voice contestant Craig Wayne Boyd scored the best-selling country track debut, with his version of “Take it Easy” selling 20K. Last week his rendition of “I Walk The Line” sold 46K to land at No. 1.
Top 5 Country Tracks TW (Three of the top 5 are BMLG artists.)
RaeLynn, “God Made Girls,” 34K
Tim McGraw, “Shotgun Rider,” 30K
Carrie Underwood, “Something in the Water,” 29K
Florida Georgia Line, “Sun Daze,” 22K
Craig Wayne Boyd, “Take It Easy,” 20K
Garth Brooks stays at No. 1 on the country album chart in his fourth week of release, selling 57K this week and 311K RTD. Taylor Swift hangs at No. 1 on the Top 200 again this week with 274K.
Many albums are purchased during Thanksgiving week, so it is expected that week-over-week album sales would slip following turkey day. Overall albums experienced a 5 percent drop while country slumped 7 percent.
Top 5 Country Albums TW
Garth Brooks,  57K
Jason Aldean, 29K
Darius Rucker,  28K
Florida Georgia Line, 20K
George Strait, 17K
As 2014 winds down, here’s a recap of Year-To-Date stats:
YTD Album Sales (including digital)
Overall -12.1%
Country -10.9%
Overall digital -9.6%
Country digital -3.9%
YTD Track Sales
Overall -12.5%
Country -17.1%
The best selling album YTD (including TEA) is the Frozen soundtrack with 4.156 million in sales.
YTD Country album marketshare is steady at 12.9%, compared to 12.7% in the same week last year.

CMA Songwriters Series To Return To The UK in 2015

New CMA Songwriters Series logoThe Country Music Association‘s CMA Songwriters Series will be held at Indigo at The O2 in London on Friday, March 6. Hosted by Kix Brooks and featuring Jessi Alexander, Brandy Clark, Sam Palladio, and Jon Randall, the event will showcase some of country music’s top songwriters. The event will take place the evening before C2C, a two-day music festival to be held March 7-8 at London’s The 02. C2C will be headlined by Luke Bryan and Lady Antebellum.
Tickets for the CMA Songwriters Series at Indigo at The 02 go on sale Friday, Dec. 12 (9 a.m.) at axs.com and gigsandtours.com.

In The Writer's Round: Aaron Scherz

Aaron Scherz

Aaron Scherz


Heartbreak proved to be a good career move for songwriter and producer Aaron Scherz, who recently scored his first No. 1 song with Dot Records duo Maddie & Tae’s gold-selling single “Girl In A Country Song.” “I decided to be a songwriter because a girl broke up with me in college,” Scherz says. “I thought, ‘I can write a song about this.’ So I bought a guitar and learned how to play. It was then that I discovered I really loved writing songs.”
Scherz made the move to Nashville in 1999. He balanced time spent crafting songs and playing clubs with work at a syndicated radio company, and later doing information technology work for offices around the Music Row area. “I did work for Big Loud Shirt/Big Loud Bucks, some work for Jody Williams Music. It was Jody who recommended me to [publisher] Mike Molinar to fix a computer problem, but he also mentioned to Mike that I write songs,” Scherz says. Molinar signed Scherz to a publishing deal at Elevation Music. The next years as a songwriter brought Scherz modest success, including “The Rock,” the title cut from Tracy Lawrence’s 2009 album. He also garnered cuts by Greg Bates, Joanna Smith, Matt Kennon, and Dakota Bradley.
In 2012, Scherz joined Big Machine Music, which continued his working relationship with Molinar. “[Big Machine’s] Andrew Kautz brought me on as a writer when they were starting Big Machine Music, and then they brought on Mike [Molinar] as a VP at Big Machine Music Publishing, so we found ourselves together as a team again.”
That same year, Scherz received a phone call that would lead to the biggest success of his career. He accepted a last-minute writing appointment with two teenage singer-songwriters: Sugar Land, Texas native Maddie Marlow and Ada, Okla., native Tae Dye. “There was a depth of songwriting, and their voices blended so well,” Scherz said. He continued writing and recording demos with the teens when they would travel to Nashville each weekend. During the week, he would put their vocals on the songs and mix them. The girls also joined Big Machine Music as writers.
Having spent several years in standard co-writing sessions, penning songs in hopes that they would have that magic combination of lyric, melody and groove to fit a specific artist, Scherz saw potential in the new duo, and decided to take a risk.
“I would go into a writing room and try to figure out what an artist wanted to say, and I wasn’t having the success I wanted,” Scherz says. “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. So, I decided to just go all-in on Maddie & Tae, and develop them from the ground up.”
Three days after high school graduation, Marlow and Dye moved to Nashville, eager to pursue their dreams full time. Scherz spent each day developing the girls’ songwriting and performance skills, prepping them for a breakthrough. Mornings found the team in a writing room, crafting new songs and fine-tuning the duo’s sound and message. Afternoons were spent in the basement of Scherz’s house, where microphones and a makeshift stage were set up. The team would work on live performance, stage movements, and song transitions.
“I told them early on, ‘I’ll give you all of my knowledge I’ve earned in over 13 years of being in this town, if you’re willing to put in the work.’ I never wanted to feel like I was outworking them, and I never did. Each day I would give them things to work on, whether it was performance-related or music-related. They would show up the next day, and they would have it down solid.”
In April 2013, Scherz told his publishers that he would center his focus on the new duo, and would continue to prep them for getting a record deal. He also co-wrote “Sierra” from the duo’s self-titled EP. “In our case, we did two years of legwork and thought we were ready to go, and we still weren’t ready to go,” he recalls. “We were sort of existing in this stage where they were waiting for one song, the right song.”
Enter “Girl In A Country Song,” which recently made history as the first No. 1 debut single on the country charts by a country female act in eight years.
“Maddie brought in the title and was talking about the similarities of songs on the radio,” Scherz says of penning the song, which he also co-produced with Dann Huff. “I thought, ‘If we’re going to say what it’s like to be a girl in the country songs, let’s load up a couple of drum loops and the tempo of those kind of songs, which is usually about 74 beats per minute. Throw in a little rap.” The song’s lyrics aimed squarely at the overabundance of bikinis, cutoffs, riverbanks, tan lines, and pickup trucks on today’s country radio, sampling catchphrases in songs from Tyler Farr’s “Redneck Crazy,” Blake Shelton’s “Boys Round Here,” Thomas Rhett’s “Get Me Some of That,” Jason Aldean’s “My Kinda Party,” and more. “I thought, ‘Are we really going to do this? Because this could be not so good.’ But we aimed right at it,” Scherz says.
Aaron Scherz with Dot Records duo Maddie & Tae

Aaron Scherz with Dot Records duo Maddie & Tae


“I turned the song into Mike, and he was like, ‘This is really good, but there is no way Big Machine can touch this.’ The song started to make the rounds a little bit in the Big Machine underbelly, so people were aware of it. Then Maddie & Tae put on a little show in the back of the Big Machine studio. The girls introduced the song, and [Big Machine founder/CEO] Scott [Borchetta] was there and heard it. He just busted out laughing and it was then that everyone was like, ‘Whew, it’s all good.’”
All good, indeed. The duo’s signing to Big Machine Label Group’s Dot Records was made official in June 2014. They released “Girl In A Country Song” as their debut single, and country audiences took notice. While “Girl In A Country Song” topped the country charts, the song’s tongue-in-cheek video soared past 14 million views on VEVO. And it wasn’t only fans who were getting the song’s message. “Once we did ‘Girl In A Country Song,’ I had all these hit songwriters texting me and saying, ‘Thank you for writing this song.’ I don’t know how they got my number. It was really interesting.”
Maddie & Tae are working on their full-length album debut for Dot Records. Scherz says after the past few years of development, he feels the duo has plenty of solid material in their musical coffers. “From what I understand, we are going all in-house on songs,” Scherz says. “They always said they wouldn’t turn down a smash song, but at this point, I don’t think they will have to venture outside their own catalog of songs.” For now, it seems the duo’s second single will be “Fly,” an acoustic, fiddle-driven tale of an optimistic dreamer.
As for Scherz, his own dreams rest on adding more hit songs to his repertoire. “I had a friend who moved [to Nashville] to be an artist,” Scherz recalls. “He said, ‘When I dream, I dream of being onstage and in the lights.’ I remember telling him, ‘Wow, I don’t really dream of that.’ I dream of writing a song as well as Pat Alger. I decided I’ll let other people chase standing in the bright lights.”
 

Eric Paslay Extends Headlining Tour

eric paslay

Eric Paslay


EMI Records Nashville’s Eric Paslay will extend his national headlining tour into 2015, kicking off in Chicago, Ill. on Jan. 2. The Make Every Night A Friday Night Tour runs through the end of April, making stops in over 30 markets including Charlotte, N.C.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Denver, Colo. and Nashville, Tenn. Between his headlining dates, Paslay will join Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line on Crash My Playa, the ultimate country concert experience, in Riviera Maya, Mexico on Jan 25. Paslay’s current single “She Don’t Love You” is climbing the charts, and is at No. 27 on this week’s MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart.
“2014 has been such an amazing year for me with ‘Friday Night’ being my first No. 1 as an artist and the release of my debut album,” shares Paslay. “I can’t wait to be back out on the road continuing to share my music in the New Year.”
MAKE EVERY NIGHT A FRIDAY NIGHT 2015 TOUR DATES
DATE CITY VENUE
1/2 Chicago, Ill. Joe’s On Weed
1/3 Milwaukee, Wis. The Rave
1/8 Virginia Beach, Va. Eagle’s Nest Rockin’ Country Bar
1/9 Greenville, S.C. Blind Horse Saloon
1/10 Charlotte, N.C. Coyote Joe’s
1/15 Overland Park, Kan. Kanza Hall
1/16 Springfield, Ill. Boondocks
1/17 Springfield, Mo. Midnight Rodeo
1/31 Nashville, Tenn. 3rd & Lindsley
2/5 Duluth, Minn. Grandma’s Sports Garden Bar & Grill
2/6 Sioux Falls, S.D. The District
2/7 Minneapolis, Minn. Mill City Nights
2/12 Woodbridge, Va. Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill
2/13 Elizabethtown, Pa. Leffler Chapel & Performance Center
2/14 Uncasville, Conn. Mohegan Sun – Wolf Den
2/20 Denver, Colo. Grizzly Rose
2/21 Farmington, N.M. Farmington Civic Center
2/22 Flagstaff, Ariz. Museum Club
3/5 Providence, R.I. Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
3/6 Jordan, N.Y. Kegs Canal Side Event Center
3/7 Mount Laurel, N.J. Prospectors Saloon
3/26 Grand Rapids, Mich. The Intersecton
3/27 Shelby Township, Mich. Coyote Joe’s
3/28 Cincinnati, Ohio Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill
4/12 Breckenridge, Colo. Breckenridge Ski Resort
4/23 Macomb, Ill. The Forum Live
4/24 Urbana, Ill. Canopy Club
4/25 Medina, Ohio Thirsty Cowboys

'MusicRow' Reveals 2015 'Next Big Thing' Stars

NBT_Reveal11MusicRow is proud to announce today the inaugural 2015 Next Big Thing artists. The big reveal will happen from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on MusicRow’s Facebook (@MusicRowMag) and Twitter (@MusicRow) pages. The 11 Next Big Thing artists range from established hitmakers prepping their next moves, to newcomers ready to claim their turns in the spotlight.
Be sure to pick up your copy of the print magazine here, or receive your free copy with the purchase of a yearly subscription.
“We treat the creation of this list with the serious weight it deserves,” says MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson. “As Nashville’s music industry trade publication, we are uniquely positioned to see the incredible talent on the cusp of breaking new ground. Whether reaching new heights in an already successful career or poised to make their first significant entrance to the national stage in 2015, the Next Big Thing artists are destined for bigger spotlights.”
Each artist will be profiled in the 2015 Next Big Thing print issue, which features plenty of other exclusive editorial content. A spotlight shines on the unique practices of Lou Taylor’s Tri Star business management. Kevin Kadish, producer and co-writer of Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass,” provides insight about why the song is smash. Brad Turcotte, UMG Nashville marketing executive, talks about country music’s potential for brand partnerships and growth overseas. Other articles examine businesses committing to homes on Music Row, and how to maximize the potential of YouTube and SoundExchange.
MusicRow‘s ‘Next Big Thing’ Artists (list to be updated as artists are revealed throughout the day)
Chase Bryant (BBR Music Group/Red Bow Records)

Clare Dunn (UMG Nashville)
Brett Eldredge (Warner Music Nashville/Atlantic Records)
Tyler Farr (Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Nashville)
Sam Hunt (UMG Nashville/MCA Nashville)
Dustin Lynch (BBR Music Group/Broken Bow Records)
Maddie & Tae (Big Machine Label Group/Dot Records)
Native Run (Show Dog-Universal)
RaeLynn (Big Machine Label Group/The Valory Music Co.)
Chase Rice (Sony Music Nashville/Dack Janiels/Columbia Nashville)
Cole Swindell (Warner Music Nashville/Warner Bros. Nashville)

DISClaimer: A Santa Sack Full of Seasonal Sounds

claireLynchBandHoliday2014As usual, Nashville artists have a Santa sack full of seasonal music for your consumption.
We begin our two-part roundup of holiday listening with a stack of platters that includes offerings from country, Americana and bluegrass artists, plus even a jug band. Headliners on hand today include Kenny Chesney, Jerrod Niemann, The Swon Brothers and Jamey Johnson.
The Disc of the Day award goes to The Claire Lynch Band. The group’s Holiday! collection is one that I would happily buy. You should, too.
It says here that the Christmas Jug Band has been at it for 38 years. Call me behind the times, but this is my first exposure to the ensemble. So there’s your DisCovery Award winner.
THE HENNINGSENS/White Christmas
Writer: Irving Berlin; Producer: Preston Dalton & Spencer Dalton; Publisher: none listed, ASCAP; Arista (CDX)
—It lopes along at a gentle tempo. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh, so the sleepy vocals hardly even matter.
THE SWON BROTHERS/Run Rudolph Run
Writer: Johnny Marks/Marvin Brodie; Producer: Mark Bright; Publisher: none listed, ASCAP; Arista (CDX)
—This rocks with a solid backbeat, stinging electric guitar, rampaging organ and fierce vocals. Just the thing to heat up your holiday party.
DAN + SHAY /Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Writer: Hal Blaine/Hugh Martin; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Publisher: EMI Feist Catalog, ASCAP; Warner Bros. (CDX) 
—Soulful, with a searing tenor lead vocal in a lustrous instrumental bed.
JERROD NIEMANN/Holly Jolly Christmas
Writer: Johnny Marks; Producer: Jimmie Lee Sloas & Jerrod Niemann; Publisher: St. Nicholas, ASCAP; Arista (CDX) 
—This is probably my least favorite holiday tune. Niemann gives it a jazzy reading and the pickers provide swinging accompaniment, both of which mitigate its usually irritating, sing-songy melody.
ChristmasJugBandCHRISTMAS JUG BAND/Santa Lost a Ho
Writer: P. Rogers; Producer: Tim Eschliman; Publisher: Dum Ditty, BMI; Globe (track) (www.christmasjugband.com/jugology)
—Apparently, this ensemble has been a holiday institution in the San Francisco Bay Area for 38 years. Who knew? Anyhow, their new Jugology CD compiles years worth of “favorites” including this goofy hokum ditty, complete with kazoo, slide whistle, washboard, clarinet and, of course, jug. A smile a minute.
LENNON & MAISY/Christmas Coming Home
Writer: MaryLynne Stella/Brad Stella; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Back 40 Entertainment (www.lennonandmaisy.com)
—The “Rayna Jaymes” kids on the Nashville TV show have a Christmas single that bops and bubbles along merrily. Their twin-like harmony voices are backed by a track that features bells chiming, snappy drumming and ringing electric guitars. Very listenable indeed.
OVER THE RHINE/Another Christmas
Writer: Linford Detweiler; Producer: Linford Detweiler & Karin Bergquist; Publisher: Scampering Songs, ASCAP; Great Speckled Dog (track) (www.overtherhine.com)
—This highly acclaimed Americana duo has a seasonal CD titled Blood Oranges in the Snow that it describes as reality Christmas music. Which means there is a wide range of emotions on it, including sadness as well as joy. This song, for instance, yearns for Christmas blessings in a world of sin, violence and pain. The aching delivery has you hanging on every line. Most of the collection is self-penned, although Merle Haggard’s downbeat “If We Make it Through December” is covered.
KENNY CHESNEY/Christmas in Blue Chair Bay
Writer: Kenny Chesney/Brett James/David Lee Murphy; Producer: Buddy Cannon & Kenny Chesney; Publisher: Sony-ATV/Basuare/WB/Songs of Brett/External Combustion/Old Desperados/N2D, BMI/ASCAP; Blue Chair/Columbia 
—Simple and lilting, this relaxing ode to celebrating the season in the Caribbean goes down easily. The balmy ode is recorded acoustically.
THE CLAIRE LYNCH BAND/Heaven’s Light
Writer: Steven Sheehan/Claire Lynch; Producer: The Claire Lynch Band; Publisher: Reynsong/Scared Stiff/Universal Songs of PolyGram/Sound Cell, BMI; Thrill Hill (track) 
—Let me just say up front that this bluegrass songbird is one of my favorite country vocalists. She and her band have released a simply stellar collection titled Holiday! It shimmers like new fallen snow, whether on standards like “Home for the Holidays,” “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” and “Jingle Bells” or on newly composed songs like this star-at-midnight gem.
JAMEY JOHNSON/The Christmas Song
Writer: Robert Wells/Mel Torme; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Big Gasssed (track) 
—Johnson has a five-song holiday EP with this as its title tune. He takes the standard at a languid pace, leaving plenty of space for the backing instrumentalists to shine. His baritone delivery is as smooth as silk. Highly recommended.