Online Folk Christmas

Festival Christmas Top 42, 2011

Top 42 tracks for Festival Christmas, as rated by the listeners:

Tommy Sands – A Christmas Childhood / A Call to Hope – To Shorten the Winter: An Irish Christmas with Tommy Sands
Charley Bate – The Gower Wassail Song – Songs of Christmas from the Alan Lomax Collection
She & Him – Christmas Waltz – A Very She & Him Christmas
Caggiano Pipers – Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle – Songs of Christmas from the Alan Lomax Collection
Stephanie K. – Baby It’s Cold Outside – In The Silence Of The Snowfall
Norman Edmonds, Verginia – Breaking Up Christmas - Songs of Christmas from the Alan Lomax Collection
Dirk Powell – We Wish You A Merry Christmas – A Fret-Free Christmas
Dirk Powell – Good King Wenceslas – A Fret-Free Christmas
John Cowan – Little Match Girl – Comfort & Joy
Harry Connick, Jr. – Winter Wonderland – Acoustic Christmas
Mannheim Steamroller – Still, Still, Still – A Fresh Aire Christmas
Dan Fogelberg – At Christmas Time – First Christmas Morning
The Blind Boys of Alabama – In The Bleak Midwinter (featuring Chrissie Hynde with Richard Thompson) – Go Tell It On The Mountain
Kate & Anna McGarrigle – Some Children See Him – The McGarrigle Christmas Hour
Dordan – Enniscorthy Christmas Carol – Celtic-Christmas
Cuba LA – Deck The Halls – Latino Christmas
Jody Marshall – Nutcracker Mini-Suite - Carol of the Bells
Oh, Starling – Noel – NoEL
Boys of the Lough – Da Day Dawn / The Papa Stour Sword Dance / The Cross Reel – Midwinter Night’s Dream
Loreena McKennitt – Let All That Are To Mirth Inclined – To Drive The Cold Winter Away
The Crossing – In Dulci Jubilo – The Court of a King
Woody Phillips – Ukrainian Carol – A Toolbox Christmas
Sarah McLachlan – Happy Xmas (War is Over) – Wintersong
Beausoleil – It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Alligator Stomp Vol.4: Cajun Christmas
Asylum Street Spankers – Trim Your Tree – A Christmas Spanking
Jethro Tull – Another Christmas Song – The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
Bob Sirois – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy – Dreams of Christmas
Sarah McLachlan – River – Wintersong
Over the Rhine – Darlin’ (Christmas Is Coming) - Snow Angel
Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band – M. Charpentier’s Christmas Stomp – An Evening of Carols & Capers
Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum – Earth Moves In A Mysterious Way – Winter’s Grace
John R. Burr – Christmas Lullabye – A Winter’s Eve- Acoustic Music for the Winter Season
Jethro Tull – Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow - The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
Donna Ulisse – You Will Be Delivered – You Will Be Delivered
Don Peris – O Come All Ye Faithful – brighter visions from afar
Sarah McLachlan – Song For A Winter’s Night – A Winter’s Night
Hope Machine – Peace for Christmas – Hudson Harding Sampler — Happy Holidays, Volume 2
Christine Lavin & The Accidentals – When You’re Single At Christmastime - Christine Lavin Presents: Just One Angel
Zydeco Crayz – Tous Les Christmas - Creme de la Creme – First Serving
Steeleye Span – Gaudette – Below The Salt
Mindy Smith – Follow The Shepherd Home – My Holiday
Jeff Black – Curoo Curoo (The Carol Of The Birds) – Christmas Sunshine

Festival Christmas Is On the Air

Festival Christmas is back on the air featuring an eclectic mix of folk, traditional, bluegrass, Celtic, singer/songwriter and novelty Christmas tunes.

Listen to Festival Christmas

Top 40, Festival Christmas

Just to give y’all a flavor of the eclectic nature of what’s going on at Festival Christmas, here are the current Top 40 tracks as voted by listeners:

Artist – Track – Album

Dawn Iulg – In The Bleak Midwinter – Holiday Jawn
Christine Lavin and the Mistletones – Tacobel Canon – The Runaway Christmas Tree: favorite holiday songs and bedtime stories
The Details – Strings and Ribbons – Ho! Ho! Ho! Canada Deux: Part Two: Frozen Outside / Warm I
Chuck McCabe – Holidaze – CDX Volume 102
Boys of the Lough – Sankt Staffan han rider / Christmas Day in the Morning / Trettondagsmarschen – Midwinter Night’s Dream
Tee Jules – Cajun Night Before Christmas – Merry Cajun Christmas (Volume I And II)
Loreena McKennitt – Seeds of Love – A Midwinter Night’s Dream
Jeff Black – Santa Claus – Christmas Sunshine
Cherish the Ladies – Oh Little Town of Bethlehem / The Ballintore Fancy / The Kerry Reel / Limestone Rock – On Christmas Night
Artese N Toad – In a Manger – The Americana Christmas Project
Island Artists – Silver Bells - Slack Key Christmas
The Arrogant Worms – Santa’s Gonna Kick Your Ass – Christmas Turkey
Robert Mirabal – Cantique de Noel [O Holy Night] – Pueblo Christmas
Jose Feliciano – Mary’s Little Boy Child - Feliz Navidad
John Fahey – The Skater’s Waltz – Christmas Guitar
Basia Bulat – You Are A Gift – Ho! Ho! Ho! Canada Deux: Part Two: Frozen Outside / Warm In
Tempest – Three Ships – 15th Anniversary Collection: Disc 1 – Studio
Bruce Cockburn – Early On One Christmas Morn – Christmas
Sam Bush – Sleigh Ride – Tinsel Tunes – more holiday treats from Sugar Hill
Over the Rhine – Darlin’ (Christmas Is Coming) – Snow Angel
Moya Brennan – The Wexford Carol – An Irish Christmas (US-Version)
Jewel – Blue Christmas – Charlie Daniels and Friends - Joy to the World
Phil Keaggy – For Hearth and Home – A Christmas Gift
The Klezmonauts – Joy To The World – Oy To The World – A Klezmer Christmas
Great Big Sea – Seven Joys Of Mary – Redeye 2008 Holiday Sampler
Doc Watson, Del McCoury and Mac Wiseman – Christmas Time’s A Comin’ - Christmas on the Mountain: A Bluegrass Christmas
Blue Moon Cowgirls – Call Collect at Christmas – Holiday Feast Creme De La Creme
Woody Phillips – The Twelve Days of Christmas – A Toolbox Christmas
Woody Phillips – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy – A Toolbox Christmas
Tropical Flavor Steel Drum Band – Feliz Navidad – Island Christmas
Lori Pappajohn – While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night - Celtic Harp For Christmas
Judy Collins – The Little Road To Bethlehem – Acoustic Christmas
Joel Mabus – Lets Do Christmas Right – How Like The Holly
Cheryl Branz – Skating - The Christmas Gift
Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band – Round Of The Animals – An Evening of Carols & Capers
Jethro Tull – Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow - The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
Harry Connick, Jr. – Winter Wonderland – Acoustic Christmas
Dan Fogelberg – At Christmas Time – First Christmas Morning
Banks Soundtech Steel Orchestra – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - A Putumayo World Christmas
The Arrogant Worms – Things are Looking Bad for Santa – Christmas Turkey

Festival Christmas is Back on the Air

Festival Christmas, my annual Christmas present to the world, is back on the air at http://www.live365.com/stations/folkchristmas. Actually, a better way of putting it is that it is now free to listen to for all, rather than just for live365.com VIP Members.

You’ll hear the same great variety of Christmas tunes as years past - traditional, folk, bluegrass, Celtic, world, folk/rock, Cajun/Zydeco, novelty and more.

Festival Christmas Top 42 – Mid-December Edition

Here’s a sneak peek at what the listeners like on Festival Christmas. If this doesn’t convince you about the great variety to be found there, nothing will. Here are the Top 42 Songs on Festival Christmas, as selected by listener interaction:

Artist – Track – Album

Ruthie & the Wranglers – Songs of Christmas – Creme de la Creme – First Serving
Dianne Williams – Midwinter – Oasis Acoustic Volume 37
David Parmley and Continental Divide – Christmas at the Old Homeplace – A Pinecastle Christmas Gathering
Over the Rhine – Thank You My Angel – The Darkest Night of the Year
Odetta – Mary Had a Baby – Gonna Let It Shine, A Concert For The Holidays
Bonnie Rideout – Eric Rigler – Maggie Sansone – Al Petteway – O Come, O Come Emmanuel – God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen – A Scottish Christmas
Take 6 – Amen! – He Is Christmas
Sarah McLachlan – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Wintersong
Evelyn Cox – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Charlie Daniels and Friends – Joy to the World
Boys of the Lough – Sankt Staffan han rider / Christmas Day in the Morning / Trettondagsmarschen – Midwinter Night’s Dream
Aoife Ni Fhearraigh – Seact Sualci Na Maighdine Muire – Narada Presents: The Best of Celtic Christmas
The Jambalaya Cajun Band – Jingle Bell Rock – Alligator Stomp, Volume 4- Cajun Christmas
October Project – Silent Night – Silent Night
The Jumbalaya Cajun Band – Joy to the World – Alligator Stomp, Volume 4- Cajun Christmas
The Grascals – Christmas Time’s A Comin’ – Charlie Daniels and Friends – Joy to the World
The Gypsy Hombres – Sleigh Ride – Django Bells
The Clumsy Lovers – Snoopy’s Christmas – A Winter’s Night
Leslie Ritter and Scott Petito – In the Bleak Midwinter – This Christmas Morning
Loreena McKennitt – Noel Nouvelet – A Midwinter Night’s Dream
Dan Crary – Christmas Waltz/Fum, Fum, Fum – Holiday Guitar – Christmas
Tropical Flavor Steel Drum Band – Feliz Navidad – Island Christmas
Pat Wictor – The Quiet of the Snow – Hudson Harding Sampler Volume 1- Happy Holidays
Loreena McKennitt – Coventry Carol – A Midwinter Night’s Dream
Johnnie Allan – It’s Christmas in Louisiana – Alligator Stomp, Volume 4- Cajun Christmas
John Fahey – Medley: Hark the Herald Angels Sing; O Come All Ye Faithful – Christmas Guitar
The Hayburners – Your Winter Weather – Hudson Harding Sampler, Volume 3 — Happy Holidays
The Bobs – Mambo, Santa, Mambo – Too Many Santas
The Blind Boys of Alabama – Joy To The World (featuring Aaron Neville) – Go Tell It On The Mountain
Robert Earl Keen- Merry Christmas From the Family – Tinsel Tunes – more holiday treats from Sugar Hill
John Fahey – The Skater’s Waltz – Christmas Guitar
Anuna – Noel Nouvelet – Christmas Memories
Steve Glotzer – Children Go Where I Send Thee – Acoustic Christmas
Ottmar Liebert – Festival (of 7 lights) – Poets & Angels
Johnny Cunningham – King Holly, King Oak – The Very Best of Celtic Christmas
Belton Richard – Please Come Home for Christmas – Alligator Stomp, Vol. 4: Cajun Christmas
Phil Keaggy – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – A Christmas Gift
Eva Cassidy – It’s Not the Presents – A Holiday Feast- Creme de la Creme
yThe Christmas Jug Band – Lonesome Reindeer Blues – Uncorked
Boys of the Lough – The Mummer’s Jig / Christmas Eve – Midwinter Night’s Dream
Jethro Tull – A Winter Snowscape – The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
Bittersweet and Briers – No Shelter for Mary/What Child Is This? – A Conner Prairie Christmas
Adam Rafferty – We Three Kings – A Christmas Guitar Celebration

20 Holiday Albums For Your Consideration

It’s no secret that I love Christmas music. I have a substantial collection of Christmas CDs and every year I go out and get a few more. In fact, I love Christmas music so much that I start a second Internet broadcast every year, Festival Christmas, in order just to play my favorite Christmas music.

This year, I’ve decided to spotlight some of my all-time favorite Christmas CDs in order to help you in your music shopping or holiday gift buying, or just to get you in the holiday mood. You can hear tracks from all of these CDs on Festival Christmas. I present the list in alphabetical order by artist first name, with a short review.

Adam Rafferty – A Christmas Guitar Celebration

One of my favorite discoveries of this year is fingerstyle guitarist Adam Rafferty, and his new Christmas CD is a must for those who like solo acoustic guitar renditions of standards.

The Arrogant Worms – Christmas Turkey

This album is not for those without a sense of humor, and, honestly, the more warped the better. My favorite tracks are “Santa’s Gonna Kick Your Ass” (“Santa’s coming and he’s gonna kick your ass, because you’ve been a rotten little brat.” and “Christmas Turkey Blues” (sung from the perspective of the turkey.

Blackmore’s Night – Winter Carols

Ritchie Blackmore (former guitarist for Deep Purple) and Candice Night have been plying their renaissance/rock fusion for many years now, and if you like some traditional music mixed with occasional crunchy guitar, I recommend this CD.

Brave Combo – It’s Christmas, Man!

Brave Combo is just flat out awesome. Here they do the Santa Polka, wish for Christmas in July, and do polkafied and dancified versions of chestnuts like “O Christmas Tree” ( as a samba) and “The Christmas Song” (ska). Bob Dylan pretty much ripped his accordion-driven “Must Be Santa” straight off of this CD. If this album doesn’t move you to tap your toes, please have somebody check your pulse.

Bruce Cockburn – Christmas

One of my all-time favorite Christmas albums, highlighted by the haunting “Iesus Ahatonnia (Huron Carol)”, the gospel flavored “Early on One Christmas Morn” and the rollicking cajun hoedown gone awry, “Les Anges Dans Nos Compagnes.”

The Crossing – The Court of a King

Chicago-based Celtic band provides a wonderful take on the holidays, with my favorite track being the opening “O Come O Come Emmanuel”, which opens with haunting didgeridoo and flute, and a rollicking version of “Righteous Joseph.”

Emmylou Harris – Light of the Stable

Tasteful renditions of country Christmas classics topped off by the great vocals of Emmylou Harris.

Harvey Reid and Joyce Andersen – Christmas Morning

Harvey Reid is an amazing multi-instrumentalist (fingerstyle guitar, banjo, autoharp) and Joyce Andersen is a fiddle virtuouso. Together, they have put together a gem of a folky Christmas CD, superbly played and sung. One of the best purely Americana Christmas CDs I’ve ever heard. Check them out at Woodpecker Records, Reid’s label.

Continue reading 20 Holiday Albums For Your Consideration

Festival Christmas is Back On the Air

Happy Holidays, Crimestoppers!

Festival Christmas is back on the air. I’ll be filling the station with the typical mix of spiffy holiday tunes over the next day or so, but I wanted y’all to know that a short playlist is up now for your holiday listening enjoyment. You can click on the widget in the right sidebar to listen, or go to http://www.live365.com/stations/folkchristmas/

Festival Christmas Top 40

This year’s top 40 Christmas tunes, as voted by listeners of Festival Christmas, to brighten your Christmas Eve.

Artist – Song – Album

Boys of the Lough – That Night in Bethlehem – Midwinter Night’s Dream
The Peasall Sisters – Hark The Herald Angels Sing – A Holiday EP From Dualtone
Don Peris – Christmas Time Is Here – brighter visions from afar
Ottmar Liebert – Shepherd’s Nite Watch – Poets & Angels
Steve Bell – Come Thou Long Expected Jesus – The Feast
Robby Hecht – Best That I Do – Hudson Harding Sampler, Volume 3 — Happy Holidays
Anuna – Gaudete – Christmas Memories
Solas – The Snows Fall Away – A Winter’s Tale
Odetta – Somebody Talking bout Jesus – Gonna Let It Shine
Dan Fogelberg – The First Christmas Morning – The First Christmas Morning
Jesse Colin Young – What Child Is This? -Â Songs For Christmas
Donna Germano – Il Est Ne – Oasis Acoustic Volume 37
Don Peris – O Come All Ye Faithful – brighter visions from afar
Christine Lavin and the Mistletones – Dona Nobis Pacem – Runaway Christmas Tree
The Arrogant Worms – Santa’s Gonna Kick Your Ass – Christmas Turkey
Woody Phillips – Deck the Halls – A Toolbox Christmas
Woody Phillips – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy – A Toolbox Christmas
Sixpence None The Richer – Christmas For Two – The Dawn Of Grace
Emmylou Harris – Beutiful Star of Bethlehem – Light of the Stable – Christmas Album
David DeBoy – Aluminum Christmas Tree – Oasis Acoustic Volume 37
Brave Combo – O Christmas Tree -It’s Christmas, Man
Bernice Lewis – It’s About Peace – Hudson Harding Sampler Volume 1- Happy Holidays
Loreena McKennitt – God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Abdelli version) – A Midwinter Night’s Dream
Bonnie Rideout – Eric Rigler – Maggie Sansone – Al Petteway – Rock Thee O’ Child – Christ Child’s Lullaby – A Scottish ChristmasÂ
Dan Crary – The Last Noel – Holiday Guitar – Christmas
Siucra – The Cherry Tree Carol – A Very Siucra Christmas
Rosie Thomas – Why Can’t It Be Christmastime All Year – A Very Rosie Christmas
The Crossing – Emmanuel (reprise) – The Court of a King
Catie Curtis – Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming – Hear the Angels Sing: Holiday Greetings From Rykodisk
Ruben Romero And Robert Notkoff – Jingle Bell Rhumba – Christmas In Santa Fe
Belton Richard – Blue Christmas – Alligator Stomp, Vol. 4: Cajun Christmas
Berroguetto – Nadal De Luintra – Putumayo World Christmas
Johnnie Allan – It’s Christmas in Louisiana – Alligator Stomp, Volume 4- Cajun Christmas
Cathie Ryan – It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Narada’s Best of Celtic Christmas
Eric Rigler and Scarlet Rivera – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Christmas in Ireland
Verdier, Taylor & Prendergast – The Wassail Song / Connaughtman’s Rambles – Celtic Christmas
Patty Loveless – Bluegrass, White Snow – Bluegrass & White Snow
Mindy Smith – Away In A Manger – My Holiday
Loreena McKennitt – Emmanuel – A Midwinter Night’s Dream
Aimee Mann – Whatever Happened to Christmas – One More Drifter in the Snow

Festival Christmas

Once again, Festival Radio presents a 24/7 Christmas station for your enjoyment.Â Festival Christmas is playing the same genre-spanning mix of musical discovery as Festival Radio – Celtic, traditional folk, bluegrass, cajun, etc.Â You all know the drill.

Festival Radio will remain refreshingly holiday-free for those of you who wish to escape the jingle.