KDHX 88.1 FM
- The Holy Baby-The Dixie Hummingbirds (This variation of "Children, Go Where I Send Thee" features well sung dialogue between baritone William Bobo and the rest of the ensemble. Kudos to "Feel Like Going Home" host Roy for including this tune and the next three carols on today's show.)
- Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem-Emmylou Harris (Moving country crossover vocals and fiddling. Also recommended: "Light Of The Stable," "The First Noel," and "O Little Town Of Bethlehem.")
- Go Tell It On The Mountain-The Zion Harmonizers (Bluesy gospel vocals.)
- Children, Go Where I Send You-Nina Simone (Possibly the most tuneful rendition I've ever heard. An infectious piano accompaniment underscores Simone's vocals.)
- Sleigh Ride-Andy Williams (The backing vocalists' cheery take on "Jing-a-ling, jing-jing-a-ling" adds to the fun.)
- The Coventry Carol-Erin Bode (This is one of the more downcast carols, but Bode's vocals, along with appealing piano and guitar accompaniment, offer a glimmer of hope.)
- The Christmas Song-Gregory Porter (Sung as a tribute to Nat King Cole, Porter's rich vocals are a great fit for the tune.)
- Jingle Bells-Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (A respectful choral intro followed by an uninhibited freak out between the instrumentalists and backing singers. Everything following the chorus's introduction suggests that Alpert either told the musicians to have fun with the tune, or the musicians instinctively understood that a sense of whimsy was appropriate.)
- Silent Night-Mannheim Steamroller (This is how you transition from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day--with a quiet, tasteful rendition of "Silent Night." Whenever I hear this rendition, I take stock of how fortunate I am to have another Christmas with my family.)
- John Rutter: Candlelight Carol (John Rutter, The Cambridge Singers, City Of London Sinfonia) (A reverential accounting of the Nativity.)
