This is my favorite time of the year! I get to hear Jim's beautiful Christmas Music. What is your favorite Christmas song by Jim? Mine is an Old Christmas Card!
Re: Jim's Christmas Music
Posted by Mike Slater on November 25, 2023, 2:30 pm, in reply to "Jim's Christmas Music"
Duke,good question! It's hard for me to pick one favorite, but my two favorites are probably "Mary's Little Boy Child" and "An Old Christmas Card" in that order. I also love the radio version of "White Christmas" with the overdubs on the "Heartbreakin' Baby" Voicemasters' CD. Actually prefer that to the studio version. If I had to pick a third one, it would most likely be "The Merry Christmas Polka". It's such a happy song! But, of course, Jim is amazing on every recording he did!..
Well, I have to agree with everyone for this very special Christmas album.... "An Old Christmas Card", "Mary's Little Boy Child", and "Silver Bells" in that order. Over the many years there has never been an equal album ever produced. It was mentioned in Larry's book "Jim Reeves...His Untold Story" that Jim said to a visiting guest at the studio that "Mary's Little Boy Child" was his choice number one song.
Mike , I'm glad you mentioned "Merry Christmas Polka". as you said a happy song something we so desperately need these days. I think also that this song has a claim to fame because of one instrument used and that was the accordion. It is stated on page 433 in Larry's book that Jim was not a fan of this instrument. Although his mother played it, Jim apparently had some bad experiences while on the road with payers he was not familiar with. Jim referred to the instrument as "That Squeeze Box". But Jim finally relented knowing that in order to have a polka song it needs an accordion. "Billy' Burks a dentist and part time musician had the honor of playing on this session. I believe that this song was the only one ever recorded with an accordion for any of Jim's songs. Please correct me if I'm wrong. "Billy" also can be heard shaking the sleigh bells on "White Christmas". Actually on page 433 there is a very nice picture of "Billy" playing the accordion with Jim at what seems to be a tape recorder.
For a complete story on the production of "Twelve Songs Of Christmas" Larry has given us an incredible amount of information compressed into a few pages (432/438) a must read this time of year for sure. Thank you Larry !!
Roy,very informative post. It breaks my heart that for years, I've only seen Jim's "Twelve Songs Of Christmas" CD buried in CD bargain bins. It should be embraced every year as a Christmas favorite, along with the classic Christmas music by artists like Bing Crosby,Nat King Cole, Elvis and Johnny Mathis. Many of these singers have recorded more than one Christmas album thru the years. I'm sure that if Jim had lived, we would have had more beautiful Christmas recordings from him...
Re: Jim's Christmas Music
Posted by Gary Bryson on December 5, 2023, 8:44 pm, in reply to "Jim's Christmas Music"
An Old Christmas Card is also my favorite from 12 Songs of Christmas. My least favorite is Merry Christmas Polka.
Great find Gary and thank you for posting that information. I did listen to both songs, and although I can't speak for everyone, yes for me I hear the accordion on both songs. "Where Does A Broken Heart Go'" the instrument is very subtle, but "Pride Goes Before A fall" the accordion is quite prominent especially in the intro.
Just to double check. I referenced the Bear book on Jim's recording sessions, and on the June 14h., 1962 (19:00-23:00) ... it lists Anita Kerr as the accordion player. I also did a quick review of her book that I have and there are several references (and two pictures) of her playing the instrument. Mentioned at the age of 14 Anita became a very talented player.
Also interesting to note there was another singer I found to be talented with this instrument. On a Jim Reeves recording session on Nov.13/62, Gordon Stoker is listed as the accordion player for a four song list laid down on that day.
Quite possibly there are more songs that the accordion was used for Jim's recordings. I would really have to spend some time going thru all the information on every session to find this. But it would be a labor of love...stay tuned.. Thanks again Gary and a special thanks to all our friends here on the Forum that contribute..
Jim also used accordion on a number of his Opry performances, which is a bit odd because he was not known to like the instrument despite the fact his mother played accordion at home. In my book I mention he bought her a really beautiful one for Christmas one year.
on November 24, 2023, 10:26 am