Elmo & Patsy "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" (Oink Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Gary Potterton & Peter Brown)
Okay, so these goofy West Coast bluegrass oddballs didn't actually have huge success on the Country charts, but who of us who were alive in the 'Eighties hasn't heard "Grandma Got Run Over" a time or two before? This was originally an indie release, though Epic Records heard it was a hit, picked it up, and made into an even huger hit. It should be mentioned that this is one weird Christmas record; Jack Morgan and Misty Morgan would be proud.

Ralph Emery & Shotgun Red "Christmas With Ralph And Red" (RCA, 1989)
(Produced by Jerry Whitehurst)
Radio DJ and television host Ralph Emery was one of the most influential figures in the 1960s and '70s country landscape, building careers and boosting artists as a key cog in the Nashville machinery. He recorded a few singles himself, though only one, 1961's "Hello Fool," (an answer song to "Hello Walls") generated any real chart action. This holiday record features Emery along with his television "co-host," the puppet known as Shotgun Red, in a series of Christmas duets... perhaps more of a keepsake album than a fireside singalong. The Shotgun Red puppet was later featured on a revival of the Hee Haw TV show... But you can hear him here in his full glory with his buddy Ralph... A romance for the ages.

Buddy Emmons "Christmas Sounds Of The Steel Guitar" (Step One Records, 1987)
(Produced by Buddy Emmons & Kevin McManus)
Pedal steel whiz Buddy Emmons rings in the holidays with a luxurious set of sweet standards on steel... The songs are almost all from the pop and pop standards world, with a few hymns thrown in for good measure. Not much country is what I guess I'm saying, though some of Emmons's Nashville pals are on board here, including guitarist Jimmy Capps and pianist Bunky Keels.

Bill Engvall "Here's Your Christmas Album" (Warner Brothers, 1999)
(Produced by Doug Grau & J. P. Williams)
One of the kings of good-ole boy comedy returns with a lively set of countrified holiday tunes, new tunes like "I'm Getting Sued By Santa Claus" and "Rudolph Got A DUI" (what with that whole red, glowing nose thing...) Maybe not as funny as his standup material, but still a nice set of original Christmas material. And he can really sing...! Who knew?? Lotsa guest stars, too...

Sara Evans "I'll Be Home For Christmas" (RCA, 2009)
A 4-song EP which includes a tune called "New Again," which is a duet with Brad Paisley

Sara Evans "At Christmas" (RCA, 2014)
(Produced by Sara Evans & Mark Bright)
It too Evans a few years to circle back to her Christmas cheer, but this album expands on her 2009 EP, also including "New Again," but fills the set out with a bunch of holiday standards, such as "Silent Night," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Twelve Days Of Christmas" and the like. LOts of folks helping out of course -- a few names that caught my eye, including fiddler Aubrey Haynie, and singers Melodie Crittenden and John Wesley Ryles.

The Everly Brothers "Christmas With The Everly Brothers & The Boys Town Choir" (Warner Brothers, 1962) (LP)
This one always seemed like a missed opportunity to me, with a profound temperamental mismatch between the Everly Brother's trademark plangent, rural vocals and the smooth, sanctified sound of the angelic orphan's choir. In short, there's too much choir, not enough twang. Every time Don and Phil chime in, it's golden, but project really focusses on the Boy's Town choir, and they just sound a little too churchy and mainstream for me. I mean, there are plenty of Robert Shaw records around, if that's what I wanted to hear... But man, I sure would have loved to hear the Everly Brothers doing a straight-up Christmas album, but one that sounded more like the Everly Brothers.

Skip Ewing "Following Yonder Star" (MCA, 1990)
(Produced by Skip Ewing & Randy Scruggs)

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Hick Music Index

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