Kristin Chenoweth, Ronnie Milsap, and Paul Gilbert

Last week, Kristin Chenoweth was part of the episode focused
on A Sentimental Christmas, an album of remakes of songs by
Nat "King" Cole. Today, we continue that conversation to cover
her new Christmas album, Happiness Is ... Christmas and
2008's A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas. 


This episode also includes my interview with country legend
Ronnie Milsap, whose Christmas with Ronnie Milsap was
reissued this year, and guitar hero Paul Gilbert, who got in the
Christmas music game this year with his new album, TWAS.
Unfortunately, we had a wifi disconnect and, as you'll hear, had
to pick up more or less where we left off. That gives us a choppy
moment part way in, but that's life on the Internet. 


This episode also includes new music from New Orleans-based jazz
vocalist Meryl Zimmerman, who released A Very Meryl
Christmas this year, and a cover of John Prine's "Christmas
in Prison" by Aidan & the Wild, Lewin, and the Revanche
Family. It's on Another Christmas Vol. 2, and I'll talk to
someone from Revanche Records in Amsterdam next year about the
label sampler as a marketing strategy. 


This episode also includes new music from Americana band Loose
Cattle, who recently cut a version of Neil Young's "Star of
Bethlehem" with the holidays in mind. Michael and Kimberly of
Loose Cattle were early guests on Twelve Songs, and if you're in
New Orleans, they'll play a holiday show Saturday at The
Broadside with many of their musical friends.


Finally, the episode closes with a version of "The Christmas
Song" by The Polyphonic Spree. I interviewed Tim DeLaughter of
the Spree last summer about their then-new album Afflatus
and their Holidaydream Christmas album. At the time, he
said that they planned to bring back their Holiday Extraganza
this year in Dallas. It's on for December 18, and last time I
checked, there were a few tickets still on sale. I'll be there
this year, and if your tastes run toward the maximalist and
psychedelic, it might be for you too. 


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