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Claire Lynch Releases Holiday Album

Claire Lynch

NASHVILLE, TN – 2013 IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, and winner of the 2014 IBMA Song of the Year (“Dear Sister”), Claire Lynch, is excited to announce a very special release for the holidays on her own Thrill Hill Records. Holiday! is Claire’s first seasonal album and is available now at her live shows and through the Claire Lynch website.

Holiday! sets the mood for enjoying holiday traditions and cheer. “I took songs from my childhood holiday memories and then we put the ‘CLB twist’ on them,” the multi-award-winning artist says.

The ten-track album is melodic and contemporary with a retro charm that harkens back to great, traditional holiday albums. Holiday! features an array of seasonal standards like “Home for the Holidays,” “White Christmas,” and a special version of “Scarlett Ribbons” with harmonies by Claire’s daughter, Christy.

Holiday! puts emphasis on Claire’s delicate vocals and the instrumentation of her virtuosic players creating a delicious intersection of bluegrass and jazz.

The current Claire Lynch Band is a powerful juggernaut, a quartet that has the innate ability to perfectly interpret the beauty, subtlety, and genre-defying sophistication of Claire’s music. The CLB features like-minded musicians blending tradition and innovation – two-time IBMA-winning bassist-clawhammer banjo player-dancer-percussionist Mark Schatz, soulful mandolinist-guitarist Matt Wingate, and young string wizard Bryan McDowell.

Holiday! was recorded at Lynch’s recording studio, The Pine Room, and engineered by Todd Phillips, who also appears on the album as percussionist and has traveled with the CLB.

“I can say that this is the most-relaxed and happy I’ve felt while recording an album in my entire career. Many years have passed since I first expressed interest in doing a holiday recording. Here is a collection of holiday classics with that fresh “CLB” feel, yet grounded with the sentimental feeling we all sense this time of year.” – Claire Lynch

Christmas Time’s A-Coming – Celebrate With A SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS VOLUME TWO

Nashville, TN (August 17, 2011) — Christmas time’s a-coming, and holiday music fans will find a special treat when A SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS VOLUME TWO hits stores nationwide on September 27. The new disc comes with a bonus DVD filled with 26 performances of traditional seasonal favorites and new compositions that are sure to become holiday treasures. For Skaggs, a 14-time Grammy® winner, the FAMILY CHRISTMAS projects are a true labor of love. “We released Volume One back in 2005 because our fans asked us for it,” Ricky recalls. “We didn’t know if we’d ever do another one, but we’ve been hearing from our fans and they’re ready for more Christ­mas songs, so here’s Volume Two. It was a joy to create and we’re excited to share it.” Ricky, his wife Sharon and their children (Luke and Molly) are joined by Buck and Cheryl White, and Cheryl’s daughter, Rachel Leftwich, part of the Skaggs’ extended family and members of a celebrated musical clan in their own right. Also featured are world-renowned Kentucky Thunder and The Nashville Strings.  The 10-song CD features both studio and live recordings, and the disc kicks off with the upbeat bluegrass arrangement of “Christmas Time’s A Coming,” which segues smoothly to showcase Sharon White Skaggs and her sister, Cheryl, trading lead vocals on the bright, acoustic, “Light of the Stable.” An a capella version of “The First Noel” finds Ricky singing lead, while the signature vocals of the White sisters excel on the high and low harmonies. Heavenly voices rise in praise on the classic seasonal favorite, “Silent Night,” which also features a poignant mandolin and soaring strings. Molly Skaggs shines on “What Songs Were Sung,” proving she’s more than worthy to carry on the families’ traditions, while brother Luke burns up the fret on his own composition, the intricate instrumental, “Flight To Egypt.” The modern “Reunion Song” features a deceptively-simple sing-along melody, and Ricky not only triumphs on the lead vocal, but also plays Guitars, Mandolin, Gut String Solo and Dan Electro. Skaggs’ lightning-fast finger pickin’ guitar lick jump-starts “Children Go” and the vocal interplay between the family members (Ricky, Buck, Sharon and Cheryl) should leave listeners breathless. A haunting, original arrangement and expressive vocals by Luke, Molly and Rachel highlight “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel,” and the disc closes with a classical instrumental interpretation of “Joy To The World.” As a bonus, A SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS LIVE (DVD) is included with the purchase of the CD. The DVD features the family’s heartwarming holiday concert, recorded live in Nashville at the historic Ryman Auditorium. The three generations have taken this special show on the road for the last eight years, and the tradition continues this year, with the troupe performing at a variety of venues throughout the holiday season, including:

11/28/11 Brooks Ctr. for the Perf. Arts / Clemson, SC 11/30/11 The Paramount Theater / Charlottesville, VA 12/01/11 Music Center at Strathmore / N. Bethesda, MD 12/02/11 Tennessee Theatre / Knoxville, TN 12/10/11 Honeywell Center / Wabash, IN 12/11/11 Niswonger PAC of NW Ohio / Van Wert, OH 12/17/11 Smokey Mtn. Performing Arts Center / Franklin, NC 12/22/11 Schermerhorn Symphony Center / Nashville, TN

“We started singing these songs in our living room all those years ago, with no idea that we would ever take A Skaggs Family Christmas to so many places,” explains Sharon. “We’ve performed everywhere from churches to symphony halls to the National Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington D.C., where we sang for President George W. Bush. The recording process, the performing and traveling has been so much fun! It has been such a blessing to share all of this as a family.” Explore the history of the Skaggs Family and more at www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com.