A TMC Christmas Compilation Vol. 1

Over the last few years, I've enjoyed many music compilations offered by other bloggers. When it comes to Christmas tunes, some compilations can be very predictable with their inclusion of traditional carols. Others such as A Truer Sound have offered creative, funny and generally off-the-beaten-path Christmas songs - even when many of the songs are sung by well known performers.

With inspiration from ATS, Rockstar Aimz, the Feel Bad For You crowd, etc., I now provide my own Christmas Compilation. Not only is it my inaugural Christmas compilation, but its my first compilation since Because Whit Happens began three years ago.

Most of the tracks were sourced from live show recordings I've collected the last few years. Not all are from boots, and in the spirit of Christmas I hope I don't get Scrooged by the music po-po. All are my gift to you.

Santa Claus Is Back in Town - Jon Randall - Nashville Unlimited


Carol Of The Bells - Nashville Mandolin Ensemble - from their out-of-print release Gifts


The Grinch Song - Slaid Cleaves- recorded 2009-12-10 at The Cactus Cafe in Austin, TX


Christmas in Nashville - Bob Walkenhorst - recorded 2007-12-19 at The Record Bar in Kansas City, MO (Bob fronted The Rainmakers in the 80s and 90s and again with their 2011 reunion.)


Jingle Bells Womack Style - Elmo Buzz & The Eastside Bulldogs (better known as Todd Snider & The Nervous Wrecks - recorded 2006-12-23 at Three Crow Bar in Nashville w/Dakota Montana (aka Tommy Womack) on vox


Peace Call - Eliza Gilkyson - recorded 2004-12-10 at St. David's Episcopal Church in Austin TX


No Room at the Inn - Jeff Porter - 2007-12-19 The Record Bar


Rudolph with Cousin Eddie greeting the neighbors - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation soundtrack


Little Drummer Boy - Chicago - recorded 1998-12-08


Relatively Speaking (I've Got The Blues) - Darrell Scott - Nashville Unlimited


Luigi The Lonely Christmas Bear - Tommy Womack- recorded 2008-12-20 at Norm's River Roadhouse in Nashville, TN


The Spirit Of Christmas - Ray Charles - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation soundtrack


Silent Night - Bob Walkenhorst - 2007-12-19 The Record Bar


Merry Christmas to you; try new music; see live bands; and hug your folks, significant other, young'uns, and your pets.

TMC

Limping into Year 4

December 20 historical events:

• 1803 - The Lousiana Purchase is completed.
• 1879 - Thomas Edison privately demonstrates the incandescent light bulb.
• 1945 - Original KISS drummer, Peter Criss, is born.
• 1957 - Elvis Presley was given his draft notice for the U.S. Army.
• 1996 - NeXT merges with Apple COmputer.
• 2008 - The Because Whit Happens blog goes live.

Really? Three years ago? Yep. And to be mentioned in same breath as those other events ... well, that's pretty lame.

After a reasonable number of posts the first couple of years, I slacked way off in year 3.

• I didn't attend as many live shows.
• New music? Almost non-existent for me this year.
  
• My racing-related blog, Bench Racing, got more attention than this one.
• Twitter has become my primary outlet for random thoughts. Where I once wrote several paragraphs about an opinion or happening, now I most often condense my observations into one or more 140-character tweets.

Yet, the blog is still here. And I hope I'll continue to post periodically. I'm under no illusion that many folks follow me here regularly, and that's OK. A great piece of guidance I got a few years ago was to blog things of interest to me and to blog them when and how I wanted. I've kept that advice front and center the last three years.

If you are reading this now and have read anything else I've posted the last three years, thank you.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

TMC