New York, NY (Top40 Charts) We are excited to announce that Acoustic Christmas, an Amazon
Music Original playlist featuring twenty nine original and classic holiday recordings from a wide range of artists like Train, Zella Day, Us the Duo, Sara Watkins, as well as Billy Bragg and Joe Henry - will be available exclusively for streaming on Amazon
Music - both Amazon
Music Unlimited and Prime
Music beginning today, November 22.
In addition to mainstream artists such as
Train and Zella Day, the artist roster for Acoustic Christmas highlights established members of the Americana community, including; Trampled by Turtles, Hayes Carll, and Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins. Emerging artists like Son Little, Keaton Henson, and
Little Scream are also featured on this broad and eclectic playlist.
Today, Amazon
Music shared a live performance of Us the Duo's "Feels Like Christmas."
"I feel like there's always anticipation leading up to Christmas, we're all just waiting for this special time of year. 'I Miss You Christmas' is my way of literally singing praise to my favorite holiday," said Pat Monahan, lead singer of Train.
The song selection for Acoustic Christmas reflects the diverse group of artists involved, including a mix of covers of holiday classics and original compositions. Watkins' "The Holidays with You" is an upbeat original, while Billy Bragg and Joe Henry delivered a plaintive rendition of the late Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December," recorded during their recent U.S. tour.
"The moment that we were first reached with an invitation to contribute a song to Amazon's holiday playlist, the two of us were en route through an autumnal rain from the big city to the mystic hamlet of Woodstock, NY. Eager to participate and knowing time was short, we pulled guitars from the bay of our small touring bus and almost without second thought heard ourselves join voices as we bounced along, rehearsing as we traveled what proved to be the only choice of song - not only for us as songwriters of the broader folk tradition, but as world citizens desirous of navigating these treacherous times with a nod to both trembling and optimism: Merle Haggard's seminal blue-collar Christmas meditation, 'If We Make It Through December'" explain Billy Bragg and Joe Henry.
Additionally, Escondido's beautiful version of "
Little Drummer Boy" stands alongside newcomer Samuel Larsen's acoustic-pop take on Brooks & Dunn's "It Won't Be Christmas Without You," Son Little's "What Child is This?" and American folk pop singers, Us the Duo's newly-written song "Feels like Christmas".
"This has always been my favorite Christmas song, partly because it uses the melody of Greensleeves-- I think it fits perfectly with the air of mystery suggested in the lyrics." - Son Little
The result is a timeless mix of songs showcasing the best characteristics of both acoustic and holiday music.
Acoustic Christmas Track List:
1. "This Christmas," Eric Hutchinson
2. "Feels Like Christmas," Us The Duo
3. "The Holidays with You," Sara Watkins
4. "Birthday Cake For Jesus," Shinyribs
5. "My Own Christmas Tree," Andrew Combs
6. "Grateful for Christmas," Hayes Carll
7. "Christmas Time,"
Linda Stonestreet
8. "Merry Christmas To You," G. Love
9. "Have Yourself a Merry
Little Christmas," Zella Day
10. "What Child Is This?" Son Little
11. "Christmas Was Here," Inara George
12. "I Miss You, Christmas," Train
13. "Christmas at McKinley Pub," Stone Foxes
14. "Auld Lang Syne," Barcelona
15. "Little Drummer Boy," Escondido
16. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,"
Black Joe Lewis
17. "If We Make It Through December," Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
18. "Christmas In Prison," Tramped By Turtles
19. "Taking Down The Tree," Keaton Henson
20. "Christmas Street," Bob Schneider
21. "Come Home for Christmas," Echocentrics (feat.
Natalia Clavier)
22. "Cold Street," Baskery
23. "We Were Just Kids Then," Arum Rae
24. "It Won't Be Christmas Without You," Samuel Larsen
25. "Merry Christmas From the War," Jillette Johnson
26. "Lou and Jessy's Christmas,"
Little Scream
27. "Is It to Bethlehem," Kacy & Clayton
28. "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day,"
Anais Mitchell
29. "One
Little Christmas Tree," Barbarossa
Official music videos for a selection of songs from Acoustic Christmas will be released at a later date.
Amazon
Music Unlimited is available on all Amazon
Music compatible devices including Amazon Echo, Fire devices, iPads, iPhones, Android devices, Sonos players and more. Customers who sign up for Amazon
Music Unlimited can begin their free 30 day trial today. To find out how to listen, visit www.amazon.com/howtolisten.
