A love for Christmas music, local musicianship and helping a good cause make up the recipe that has become “An East Nashville Christmas,” a holiday-themed compilation offering that features 75 of Music City’s artists and musicians.
Now available for digital download with proceeds benefiting a local cause and local people, East Nashville’s National Health Care for the Homeless Council, the album’s impetus sprang from the input of an eclectic bunch of local artists, from bluegrass, country and Americana, to various musical niches in between. The players are a self-dubbed “coalition,” if you will, who share a desire to help others and a love for holiday sounds.
Among those who provided on-the-record musical fuel for “An East Nashville Christmas” are Sam Bush, BR5-49, Chris Scruggs, David Mayfield Parade, Mike Farris, Julie Lee, Rod McGaha, KennyVaughan, Ryan Cavanaugh, Jack Pearson, Derek Hoke, Jen Duke, Jeff & Vida, Stephen Mougin, Tyson Rogers, Off The Wagon, Grace Adele, Jesse Lee Jones & Brazilbilly, Buddy Spicher, Grant Farm, Billy & Amanda Contreras, The Danberrys and Todd Grebe & Cold Country, among many others.
The album was made entirely in East Nashville at PH Balanced Recordings by Grammy-winning producer/engineer Phil Harris at helm, as well as executive producer Antonia Cove.
Regarding the offering, “This amazing project brings together our locally loved and world renowned musicians to deliver 18 new and wonderful tracks for 65 minutes of pure holiday bliss,” Harris shared via a Dec. 20 email with rootshed.com.
Moreover, added Harris, who calls East Nashville his home, “The music and production on the album is very much in keeping with a classic Nashville vibe and sentimentality. The 18 new performances and four original songs written and recorded for this album accurately portray the tremendous wealth of diversity within the East Nashville community today.
“There are but a few natives among us, but everyone was thrilled to share their unique gift with their fellow neighbors, and the rest of the world, too. Nashville is so fortunate to have this amazing pool of talented, thoughtful, and caring artists and musicians flocking to be a part of our great city and it’s rich musical heritage.”
In addition to creating the yuletide CD, the album’s performers took part in a quartet of local holiday concerts and benefits to help raise money –and awareness — to the issue of
homelessness issue in this country.
As for the album’s participants’ collective desire to focus on this particular social problem, the East Nashville area’s realities played a significant role.
“The creative community of East Nashville has rallied around our own neighborhood charitable organization,” Harris said, referring to the NHCHC, “(and) that has been making a tremendous difference for the homeless population in over 200 cities and all 50 states.”
At this juncture, the Christmas coalition hopes the public at large will feel the reason for the season and “help spread a little Christmas cheer with those that could use it the most,” and one way to do that is by downloading “An East Nashville Christmas.” All proceeds will benefit the NHCHC, Harris said.
- Video bonus: To sample the project’s sound or purchase “An East Nashville Christmas,” please click here. And to see a video featuring songs from the project, simply access the clip embedded on the left side of this post.
