Previous Artist Introductions

Christmas 2009

  • Here’s a beautiful late entry into our collection for this year: Eric Persing is mostly known as a developer of music software (he’s the founder of Spectrasonics), though you’ll love his piano arrrangement of this song. Linda McCrary was a member of the legendary group The McCrary’s…but she has an even more fascinating story than that…which you can find out more about on the info-link on the song download page. They’re sharing with us a gorgeous, soulful rendition of O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
  • Elyse Saunders is a gifted young country music singer from Ontario, Canada. She’s just released her first original Christmas single, and has made it available to share with all of you. It’s called Eleven Crystal Angels.
  • Lord Weatherby has created a delightful comedy song along the lines of Monster Mash or They’re Coming To Take Me Away…except this one is for the Christmas holiday! It’s called Santa Claus Is Freaking Me Out.
  • Miché Fambro is not only a talented jazz vocalist, but also a superb guitarist. And fortunately for us, we get to hear both in one song, called I Remember Love, from his album In A Christmas Mood.
  • We’re extremely honored to present a song from Phil Keaggy, acclaimed singer/songwriter/guitarist, and a personal favorite of ours for the past 35 years. Phil has received seven GMA Dove Awards, been nominated twice for Grammys and has been voted one of the world’s top guitarists by the readers of Guitar Player magazine (i.e., he is “a musician’s musician”). Phil’s brand-new Christmas album is called Welcome Inn, and the very first track from the album is called Best Christmas Morn.
  • Several new additions from Inner Splendor Media: First up, two lovely, haunting renditions of traditional Christmas favorites, delivered with a Celtic twist: Silent Night and O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Then, an instrumental version of the same O Come, O Come Emmanuel from the same album (In The Spirit Of Peace) and a solo piano version of The Twelve Days Of Christmas performed by Dizzy Reed (keyboardist from Guns N’ Roses), from the album The Magic & Wonder of Christmas.
  • James Madison Thomas returns with another tune from the Eighties, also sung by Joe Fish. It’s called One Little Child.
  • Nashville-based songstress Merry Ellen Kirk has just released an EP called Do You Hear What I Hear? It’s available on a “free if you share it with 5 friends” or “pay what you want” basis. She’s brought us a cut from the album to share with you. It’s a wonderful duet rendition of O Holy Night, featuring Merry Ellen and David Ask.
  • Larken Productions features the music of Larry Kinder and Ken Ruano. New this Christmas, they’ve crafted an album of holiday music called Just Another Christmas. They’ve brought us 3 songs to share with you: Just Another Christmas, O Come All Ye Faithful and a Silent Night/O Holy Night medley. For each CD sold, they’ll be donating a dollar to Freedom Alliance, a scholarship fund for the children of fallen military heroes.
  • Linda Seeley returns again this year with more of her lovely solo piano music, this time with 3 songs from her album A Christmas Celebration: Carol Of The Bells, The First Noel and an O Come, O Come Emmanuel/It Came Upon A Midnight Clear medley.
  • Remember 1985? It was the era of We Are The World and Do They Know It’s Christmas?. Big anthemic songs designed to focus public attention on human need. An indie band out of Western Pennsylvania called The Rummagers decided to do their part, with a song called Christmas Present (Christmas Past). The songwriter and driving force behind the song, Kevin Bensink, has reached back 25 years into the past and brought it to the present for us to share with you.
  • Billy Gorilly is all about music for kids…especially music with an educational emphasis. But he’s brought us a boogie-woogie instrumental treatment of Jingle Bells. And…what we’ve learned from that is…we like it!
  • Kate And After is an indie band founded in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2008 though the majority of the band has been playing together for several years prior. They’ve written and recorded a new song for the Christmas season called Snow Angel, and they’ve chosen our site as one of the places to showcase it.
  • 333maxwell is not a secret agent fighting KAOS…but rather a flesh-and-blood human being fending off musical boredom. He’s written and recorded a toe-tapper of new song for the season which he calls “a light-hearted poke at the state of our times, yet wishing everyone to have a good day and be thankful for what they have”. It’s called The Last Christmas Song (Hard Times for Santa).
  • Richard Souther is an immensely gifted (and Grammy-nominated) composer and arranger of instrumental music. From solo piano and synths to electronica, he pretty much does it all, and we’ve been fans of his for a very long time. This year, he’s released a remarkable new album merging electronica with ancient instruments called Tesla’s Christmas…the proceeds from which will be donated to his two favorite charities: The Rescue Mission of Salt Lake City and No More Homeless Pets in Utah. Richard has brought us Coventry Carol from the album to share with you.
  • The Nadas hail from Iowa and have been together for 15 years. They’re sharing Here Comes Christmas this year.
  • Christmas In New York was written by Mark Mangold of the NYC-based band The Radiant and songwriter Aida Brandes. This cheery holiday tune is performed by Mangold, Brandes and singer/songwriter Lyza Wilson.
  • Janyse is a Canadian singer and voiceover artist. She’s released an entire album of Christmas music called The Magic of Christmas. You’ll enjoy her lovely performance of the song Blessed Is This Holy Night.
  • F&M has been described as “a gently sardonic, dark and hopelessly clever art-folk band that began as a 48 hour experiment in recording during a fireworks festival”. This duo from Edmonton is offering up Christmas Alleluia for us to share with you.
  • The Kathy Fleischmann Band is comprised of four seasoned singer/songwriter/musicians from New York. They chose to record Christmas Train because they wanted to write a holiday song that wasn’t bright and cheery since many people, for any number of personal reasons, have a really hard time getting through the holiday season.
  • Songwriter James Madison Thomas wroted and recorded a song back in the Eighties with help from singer Joe Fish. Emerging from the recesses of his songwriting vault, James has dusted off this delightful tune and is presenting it here this year. It’s called One Starry Night (The Manger Scene).
  • Wormburner offers up a somewhat edgier approach with The Bells Of St. Ignatius, a happy-sounding paean to the holiday with a bit of a painful underlying agenda.
  • Douglas Campbell returns this year with It’s That Time Of Year Again.
  • Bob Bennett – This thoughtful singer/songwriter has made a powerful impact on Christian music fans for the past 30 years, and he’s offering up a beautiful piece called Brightest and Best, from his new album Christmastide.
  • Ken Medema – He’s been pounding out great tunes at the piano for many decades (and we’ve been fans since the Seventies!). He’s sharing Here Is The One, from his album Watching The Sky.
  • The Sonflowerz – A Colorado-based “sister act” (Elissa and Becca Leander) have brought us their smooth-as-silk version of O Come All Ye Faithful, from their album Beautiful Miracle.
  • LaJuana Murphy-Brann – A gospel pianist who brings her own brand of soul to the classics Go Tell It On The Mountain and O Holy Night
  • Silvia Fleming – A gifted jazz vocalist, sharing her take on In A Lowly Manger Sleeping, from her album, Love for Christmas. Words by legendary church hymn writer, Fanny Crosby.
  • Jars Of Clay – The band that produced big radio and MTV hits like Flood and Crazy Times is sharing their version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
  • Sixpence None The Richer – Fronted by gifted lead singer Leigh Nash, Sixpence had major pop hits with Kiss Me and There She Goes offers up their rendition of Angels We Have Heard On High.
  • Straight No Chaser – A smooth-as-silk acapella group who graduated from college and went their separate ways, until their smash 8 MILLION YouTube views brought them to the attention of the CEO of Atlantic Records. They’re making their wonderful medley of Hark The Herald Angels Sing/Angels We Have Heard On High.
  • Sherrie Keys – She sings with Revelation Choir at the 26,000 member West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles. Her first album (to be released next year) includes songs written by Michael McDonald, Marvin Winans and Al Green. She is sharing a wonderful version of What Child Is This?
  • Tonic Sol-fa is a group of four seriously-hip vocalizers. You will not want to miss their acapella rendition of Joy To The World.
  • Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Joel Rakes has created a holiday tradition for himself by recording a 5-song EP of Christmas music each year for the past 3 years. He’s brought us two songs to share here (Joy To The World and Once In David’s Royal City), and you’ll want to visit his site for more
  • Bethan Marshall is a British singer-songwriter who appears on A Zang Christmas…a completely free album download from Zang Productions. We were really impressed by her soulful, intimate acapella delivery of O Come, Come Emmanuel.
  • Jenny Jordan Frogley & David Osmond (yes, from THE Osmond Family…part of their Next Generation) have recorded a beautiful anthemic Christmas song called Joy To Everyone…in two versions, nonetheless (one orchestral, the other more of a pop treatment). Also, you can visit the site dedicated to the song and watch the video.
  • David Tolley popped onto the public stage completely by accident. No, seriously…when the scheduled guest pianist didn’t show for The Tonight Show in 1985, Johnny Carson asked for a volunteer from the audience. David’s hand went up, both hands hit the ivories…and the rest (as they say) is history. This guy can play! You may also have seen his guest appearance on PBS’s The Piano Guy. Check out his take on Carol Of The Bells.
  • Drongomala is a Scotsman who was living in Kerala, India for 2 years recording with Carnatic musicians. His fascinating version of Silent Night was recorded by an interfaith group of singers and musicians there.
  • Doug Hammer – A gifted solo pianist who brings us 3 cuts (Carol Of The Bells, Hark The Herald Angels Sing and It’s Christmas Time), the latter of which is an original composition with a gorgeous lead vocal from a vocalist with the equally gorgeous name of Améthyste.
  • Richard Souther – A Grammy-nominated composer, producer, arranger, sound designer and multi-keyboardist who has built a strong reputation as a top contemporary solo instrumentalist for over twenty years, creating numerous best-selling albums in the New Age, Smooth Jazz, Electronica and the Classical/Crossover markets…as well as acclaimed recordings for the CCM music scene, is sharing his rendition of I Wonder As I Wander.
  • The Taj Motel Trio is an 8-piece ska-punk band from Georgia. Their punchy, energetic delivery definitely brings a different (and fun!) feel to a couple of traditional Christmas carols: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and Angels We Have Heard On High
  • And finally, we heard from Aaron Kane, who downloaded piano instrumentals of traditional hymns from Stephen Bashaw and Solomon Keal from our site and had fun in the studio doing remix/mashups with his own vocals. We thought they were quite beautiful and wanted to share them with you as well: Away In A Manger and We Three Kings

Christmas 2010

Welcome…or welcome back again this year…whatever the case may be! We’re proud to once again be presenting the very best free indie Christmas music downloads. Of course, each artist has their own story…and that’s why we provide you with their web site info (as available), and we really do encourage you to visit them, listen to what else they offer, buy an album, or at the very least… leave a comment to let you know that you appreciate what they do! Be sure to subscribe to be updated when new songs are posted.

Here are the members of the Class of 2010:

  • Ruby Summer (their real names, by the way!) are sisters who hail from Carlsbad, California. For trivia buffs, their names are derived from a couple of classic songs by Seals & Crofts (Ruby Jean & Billie Lee, Summer Breeze). They’ve just released a delightful Christmas song called Darling One (Merry Christmas).
  • From Vancouver, BC…a 5-piece band known as The Ruffled Feathers has released a Christmas single called The Highest Mountain, which they describe as “a song about Christmas in the desert, a song of traditions, a song about work, growing older and having to moving further and further away from home and loved ones”. Adventurous, for sure!
  • The Jooles hail from Berlin, Germany and have recently released a new Christmas song called Feels Like Christmas (With Summer In Your Heart).
  • Crown Vic hails from Fredericksburg, Virginia and muses that maybe we should spread a little Christmas spirit all year ’round, in Maybe That’s What Christmas Means.
  • Oh, Starling is Dan Craig and Jessica Sonner (a newly-married couple of musicians who don’t usually make music together). Despite their aversion to insipid Christmas recordings, they’ve seen their way clear to release a couple of Christmas albums now (Noel and Joy), and this year’s features their version of Hark. Definitely not insipid, and we think you’ll like it.
  • Red Squares was formed in 1964 and definitely has a handle on the surf sound made popular by The Beach Boys and others of that era. You’ll enjoy the three songs they’ve brought us from their new Christmas album, Our Christmas Hits: It’s Christmas, Let Christmas Last and Christmas With You
  • Southern California native Brett Perkins has relocated his home to Copenhagen, Denmark, and has built up a solid artist career in recent years…releasing 3 solo albums and touring 30 countries since 1991. This year, he’s sharing his new Christmas composition here: It Just Won’t Be Christmas Now
  • Pianist Ed Golfarb has released his first piano album, Cold December Flies Away, and he’s brought us Gesu Bambino to share with you.
  • Talented young jazz vocalist Jessie Kol is releasing her first Christmas album this year, entitled Little Emmanuel. You’ll enjoy her superb rendition of In The Bleak Midwinter.
  • We’ve been fans of the music of Noelle Shearer for a long time…so it’s with great pleasure that we present two songs from her brand new Christmas album, Go Tell It. Check out the extremely cool vocal arrangements on O Holy Night (you’ll understand why so many people say that she’s got the voice of an angel) and From Afar (written by her dad).
  • Our good friend Tom Boyer has shared a couple songs with us this year. First, Oswald and The Herringbones offer their good-time rock take on the classic Christmas hymn Hark The Herald Angels Sing. And Tom himself shares a sober song of reflection with Thank God For Plastic.
  • Award-winning songwriter Louie Cate has brought us a charming new Christmas love song: Mistletoin’ (the title song of his recent holiday album). Duet vocals are by Anna Buckley and Tim Hayden.
  • Ironwood Rain takes a somber but sweet approach to the topic of holiday gift-giving with their song All I Need: “So Santa, please take all my toys to some needy girls and boys. My family and friends are here to give me all I need this year.”

Christmas 2011

Welcome again to your online source for indie Christmas music! Once again this year, we’re proud to present you with some great holiday tunes for free MP3 download. Just as a quick reminder, we have 4 categories (Traditional songs – favorites from years past, reinterpreted anew by today’s talent…or Contemporary songs…new compositions in the spirit of the season. Both Traditional and Contemporary categories feature Vocal and Instrumental subcategories). Hover over Free Christmas Music Downloads in the menu above to select your preferred genre.

  • Bill Ward got together with The Doerfels (one of the Northeast’s brightest young bluegrass ensembles) to record an album of his original Christmas tunes called The Christmas Sessions. Featuring bass, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and banjo along with the vocals…you’ll enjoy the song Angels Said It True.
  • California rockers The Yule Logs have released a new album called You Ruined Christmas, and are sharing their version of We Wish You A Merry Christmas. Double bonus points for replacing “bring us some figgy pudding” with “play us some Ziggy Stardust”!
  • Aussie children’s music entertainer Brett Campbell has brought us 3 holiday gifts: Arthur The Christmas Cat, Santa On A Surfboard and What If Santa Lost His Laugh?
  • Joe Bongiorno is a Seattle-based solo pianist, and he’s brought us his lovely arrangement of Away In A Manger, from his album A Candlelight Christmas.
  • King Teddy is a swing/jumpblues/rockabilly band hailing from Silver Spring, Maryland. They’ve got a collection called A Very Teddy Christmas, and they’re sharing two songs with us: Christmas Eve Tonight and Could It Be Christmas?
  • The Jellybeans is a group of eleven girls from Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Jersey City, New Jersey who began singing together in the third grade. They’ve recorded and self-released two albums, and they’re sharing with us their Christmas single Celebrate God’s Love.
  • Vincent Poag is a singer/songwriter with just a dash of Tom Waits in his voice. From his album Circling Back we’re able to share his sweet composition This Christmas.
  • Ken and Lisa Theriot are actually based in Texas, but it’s understandable that you wouldn’t pick up on that when listening to the two song they’re sharing from their album The Gifts Of Midwinter: Cantique De Noel (the French lyric to O Holy Night) and Personent Hodie.
  • We’re not so sure about rumors of wheelchairs and an accompanying mutant force, but this Charles Xavier is also known as X Man and he delivers a very chill version of Silent Night on the vibes from his album Xmas Vibe.
  • Nicole Kehl is currently on tour as Rihanna’s backup singer, but she’s sharing a single of her own with Christmas Crush.
  • Originally hailing from Colorado, Elle B. Willson is currently based in New York City…but is accompanied on her song Gift Of Love by a 70-piece German orchestra (if this keeps up, she’ll circle the globe in the span of a single song!).
  • Soulpajamas is Dan and Erin Johnson, a vocal/guitar duo who specialize in positive, life-affirming music. Check out their song In The Air At Christmas.
  • Don Campbell performs over 200 dates a year with his band, trio or duo ensembles…and he has written a beautiful original song called Christmas Lights. It’s from his new album A Don Campbell Christmas, Volume 2, which likely has some other great tunes on it as well.
  • Originally from Philadelphia, The Tell Alls are now Nashville-based, and have just released a new EP called The Bright Lights Of Christmas. Check out their song Season Of Joy.
  • Irene Nachreiner is an experienced Latin jazz singer with an album called Hot & Spicy Christmas. We’re able to share two of her songs with you: The Babe of Bethlehem and Sing We Now Of Christmas/Noël Nouvelet.
  • Jane McGuffin is a licensed psychologist and songwriter who is sharing a sweet tune called Sing A Song About Christmas.
  • Larry John McNally‘s 30-year musical career has led him around the world and his songs have been covered by artists as diverse as The Eagles, Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, the Staple Singers and Aaron Neville. Check out LJM’s Irish Christmas.
  • Zang Productions has given us permission to share some terrific music from you from a few of their artists. Check out Gabriels’ Message from Greybeard & Selina Blakeney (husband and wife, by the way), Carol Of The Bells from Florent and Silent Night by Benjamin Blower & The Army Of The Broken Hearted, which interestingly was recorded in a dark alley in the UK in recent weeks.
  • Jeff Meegan has recorded a Christmas album called Season of Love which is filled with slick pop music. We’re please to be able to share two cuts with you: Bring Them Home and Christmas Tree
  • You’ll love the harmonies of October Project. Give a listen to their lovely rendition of Angels We Have Heard On High.
  • Nick Bukuvalas is a former member of the beloved Jersey shore band Shorty Long and The Jersey Horns. He’s recorded an energetic original song called Give Me All Your Love (This Christmas).
  • John Keane is a veteran producer, engineer, and musician who has been involved in the creation of many gold and multi-platinum records. He started John Keane Studios in Athens, Georgia in 1981. He’s best known for his work with R.E.M, Widespread Panic, The Indigo Girls, Uncle Tupelo, Vic Chesnutt, and Cowboy Junkies. Under the moniker We Three Keanes…John, along with his 17-year-old twin daughters Paige and Rachel, have just released O Christmas, Where Art Thou?, and have brought us a wonderful medley to share with you: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen/We Three Kings
  • Bill Canonico is a good friend of ours, and an immensely-talented singer/songwriter. He’s written a sweet tune he calls Josephandmary, and graciously consented to allow us to present it to you here.
  • Joe Stone is a singer/songwriter, and he’s offering his original song Christmas Is Coming, which he sings along with his 4-year-old granddaughter.
  • Jeff Bjorck is a delightful composer and solo pianist, and he’s brought us two songs from his Christmas album The Wondrous Gift: Silent Night and Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella
  • Sybil Gage is an award winning jazz and blues singer/songwriter, and she given us the go-ahead to share her song The Christmas Beat with you.
  • Denny Jiosa is a gifted smooth jazz guitarist, and has brought us tasty instrumental renditions of two Christmas classics to share with you: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and What Child Is This?
  • Rarebird Records is a small Canadian record label, and they’ve brought us some sweet treats to share for the holiday season. Four songs from their free Christmas album A Rarebird in a Pear Tree – Vol. 2. You’ll enjoy these four delightful selections! Snow Down by Kensington Prairie, Silent Night/O Come All Ye Faithful by Matt Coleman, Snow, Snow and Mistletoe by Shelley Adams and Tim McArthur’s It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
  • The Plimptons are a 6-piece DIY Pop band from Glasgow, Scotland who fuse influences such as Madness, The Buzzcocks and Phil Spector to create their own unique sound. They are giving away a 3-track festive single on their website, and have brought the title track here to share with you: Christmas All Over This Town
  • Chad Lawson is just about the polar opposite of every other solo pianist out there. He has toured the world with Julio Iglesias, is an official Kawai performing artist, a winner of the “Album of the Year” on Whisperings Solo Piano Radio and has scored several films. He’s released a new album, A Solo Piano Christmas, and has brought us two songs to share with you: Holly And The Ivy and Sing We Now Of Christmas
  • Lou Basso is an old friend of ours. He’s been writing and sharing great folk music for nigh unto 40 years. This year, we’re pleased to present his song Another Christmas.
  • Stratocruiser is a pop/rock band hailing from North Carolina. Over the years, they’ve created 7 holiday songs, now available as a collection called Stratocruiser Holiday Music. And they’ve brought us their 2011 Christmas song to share: Anytown USA
  • Lenny Marcus is a Roanoke, VA-based jazz pianist. He has a new album called The Jazz of Beethoven. And though the song has a somewhat tenuous connection to Christmas (Leonard Bernstein conducted the song at Christmas 1989 to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall), we loved his arrangement of Ode To Joy, and thought you’d appreciate it as well!
  • Gary Davis is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter. He wrote a song last year for a Christmas charity event, and he’s brought it to us this year to share with you. It’s called I Wish Every Day Was Christmas.
  • Billy Bullman is a singer/songwriter originally from Ireland (now living on the Algarve in Portugal). He’s sharing his song It’s Christmas Morn.

Christmas 2013

In days of old, artists such as Michelangelo would receive a commission to create art for permanent decoration of a building or for an event. If we had our way, Richard Souther would get the commission for Christmas music. ;) He’s an accomplished composer, arranger, solo pianist and keyboardist with tons of albums and film scores to his credit…not to mention his years touring with A Band Called David backing up The 2nd Chapter of Acts, Barry McGuire and Phil Keaggy back in the Seventies! Richard’s new Christmas disc is called Angels Shepherds Kings, and you’re going to love his instrumental composition called Carol Bells.

Next up is a Southern Gospel quartet called The Crestmen. There’s something very special about pieces where an individual with a certain range steps up to handle the parts that are perfectly within his vocal wheelhouse. From their album For Our Lord and Our Nation, they are sharing Who Could Have Known?

Stephe is a guitarist from Ohio who is sharing three gentle instrumentals from his album Merry Christmas: Away In A Manger, Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella and Coventry Carol.

Bunny Sigler, who was a force in the Gamble/Huff era of Philly Soul, worked with many of the big-name groups of that day as a writer and producer. He’s also a co-writer of Nelly’s huge 2002 hit, Dilemma. Bunny’s got a new Christmas album out, and is sharing the title song called When You’re In Love at Christmastime.

Solo pianist Thad Fiscella, shares one of the most tender and beautiful interpretations of O Little Town of Bethlehem you’ll ever hear, from his very first Christmas album, Peace, Comfort, and Joy: A Sacred Christmas.

Mexican-born singer and actress Margo Rey, who is also sharing the title cut from her new album This Holiday Night.

Philip Wesley is a Tennessee-based solo pianist, and he’s brought us an original composition inspired by the Christmas holidays called Comfort and Joy.

Louis Landon is based in Arizona and also plays solo piano, and is sharing two traditional favorites: Deck The Halls and Joy To The World.

A delightful jazzy guitar arrangement of It Came Upon A Midnite Clear by Pennsylvania-based Fictional Substance.

Acoustic Bloom is a band based in Kilkenny, Ireland. You’ll enjoy their contribution to the season, which could become a contemporary holiday classic: On Christmas Eve.

Cathy Oakes is a solo pianist and pastor from Tennessee. She’s sharing two beautiful compositions: Let There Be Joy and Lullaby For A King.

The (Christmas) Agency hails from Newcastle upon Tyne, England…and they’ve brought us their Christmas love song Tinsel Tinged Dreamin’.

Terns is a trio of guys who bring a rootsy acoustic feel and plaintive vocals with their original composition, Peace On Earth.

Jason Paul Johnston is a music teacher from Tennessee, and he offers up his compelling rendition of a traditional African-American spiritual: Children, Go Where I Send Thee (also sometimes referred to as The Holy Baby or Born in Bethlehem).

Andrea Murrell has shared with us her song considering the perspective of Mary’s husband: What About Joseph?

Chuck Brown is a singer, songwriter and solo pianist from Central Ohio. Check out his recently-updated version of the song after which our site is named: Feels Like Christmas

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