Click to here sample: - 1: O' Holy Night:
This song was not even on my list at first but my neighbors asked me to do it
because it was their favorite. So I did it and I’m glad I did.
Thank you Tim and Kacie for asking.
- 2: Mary Did You Know:
After I took the request for "O' Holy Night", I thought, “I should see what my wife “Shonia”
would like to hear on the album". She said her favorite was "Mary Did You Know" and so I
dedicate this rendition to her. I hope everyone who listens to it enjoys it as well.
- 3: We Three Kings - What Child is this?
This song is my first full-scale piece with many different kinds of sounds and rhythms.
I spent about a year writing it and saved it as the last piece to be mastered. I guess you
could say that this piece is a bit extra special to me.
- 4: O' Come all ye Faithful.
This song is the pioneer of the album. It was the first song I learned, it was the first song
I recorded and it was the first song I completed. My brother Ben helped me to record
it and what a learning curve. We recorded and re-recorded this song about fifteen times
trying to find the right sound for the guitar. I’m happy to say that it’s finished and I really
hope you enjoy it.
- 5: Hark The Harold Angels Sing:
This song is a bit more light-hearted and really pleasant to listen to. I needed
something like that to break the heaviness for a moment.
- 6: God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen.
I think this song is cool and I wanted to do it in a way that I’ve never heard it done
before. I simply tuned the “E” string down to a “D”. This is probably the darkest
sounding song on the album and that’s OK because it’s also very beautiful.
- 7: Joy to The World.
We used to go to the neighbors' houses and sing carols and hand them baked bread.
We kept singing this song because it was one that we “all” knew. Plus I wanted
something up-beat for the album so I picked this one. (It’s very happy sounding)
- 8: Silent Night - Have Yourself a merry little Christmas.
These are two of my all time favorites and I have never heard them together like this.
I hope you enjoy it.
- 9: Oh Little Town of Bethlehem.
I wanted to do a few songs with my brother Ben because we have been playing
together since we were kids. I also wanted My Brother Bill to play keyboards.
When I was fourteen Ben and I were in a band with a guy named Dan. He was
a helper in our church youth group and he played bass for us. It was fun to have
the guys back together in this song.
- 10: O' Come O' Come Emmanuel- I Wonder as I Wonder.
I did this one just because I think it’s nice and peaceful and I enjoy music like that.
- 11: Jesu, The Joy of Man's Desiring.
I love to play classical style guitar and this one is technical and fun to play. It took
me three weeks to learn and a year to perfect. By the way, I’m still learning
music and how to read music. I had to learn this one by ear-which is how I taught
myself to play everything I know at this point. I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me.
- 12: Angels We Have Heard on High.
- 13: Auld Lang Syne.
After you have done everything on your list and you want to close, there’s a
question or a few questions that come to mind: How should I end this album?
Should I end big? Should I end small? What song or songs should I use?
Aren’t eleven songs enough? At first I was going to stop at eleven songs but
I decided to go for it and end BIG! So this is my gift to you. I picked two songs
that I loved and squeezed out every drop of creativity I could find. With the help of
Scott on the mix and Ben with me on the electric guitars we combined two
great songs to create a great ending that gives it a sense of completion.
I hope that you truly enjoy this album and it is my prayer that it can bring you
God's peace in the midst of the stress that can come with the Holliday Season,
and that it might help you to draw closer to Him. Merry Christmas & God bless you!
- 14: