Last year, we did a rather extensive write up of the "Breaking Up Christmas" celebrations that are currently underway in the Appalachian mountain country of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. For these folks Christmas isn't over until January 6, when they'll celebrate "Little Christmas" and/or "The Feast of the Epiphany".
This year, we've got a new performance of the song to share from the North Carolina artists who, collectively, make up The Gathering, a handy title (which is really their album title) lest we have to list the names individually. Which we're going to do anyway. Laurelyn Dossett (guitar, vocals), Rhiannon Giddens (fiddle, vocals), Mike Compton (mandolin), Joe Newberry (banjo, guitar, vocals) and Jason Sypher (bass). If you follow roots music at all, you might recognize Rhiannon as a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
"The Gathering" album was a Kickstarter project that grew out of a set of original songs Laurelyn was commissioned to write by the North Carolina Symphony. You can purchase the album most anywhere, including direct from Laurelyn or through Amazon. "Breaking Up Christmas" wasn't actually on "The Gathering", but this next one was. I don't know if anyone has covered this song since it was originally recorded by Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon and the Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers in the 20s. That's part of what makes this performance so cool. Rhiannon handles lead vocals on "Christ Was Born On Christmas Morn".
This year, we've got a new performance of the song to share from the North Carolina artists who, collectively, make up The Gathering, a handy title (which is really their album title) lest we have to list the names individually. Which we're going to do anyway. Laurelyn Dossett (guitar, vocals), Rhiannon Giddens (fiddle, vocals), Mike Compton (mandolin), Joe Newberry (banjo, guitar, vocals) and Jason Sypher (bass). If you follow roots music at all, you might recognize Rhiannon as a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
"The Gathering" album was a Kickstarter project that grew out of a set of original songs Laurelyn was commissioned to write by the North Carolina Symphony. You can purchase the album most anywhere, including direct from Laurelyn or through Amazon. "Breaking Up Christmas" wasn't actually on "The Gathering", but this next one was. I don't know if anyone has covered this song since it was originally recorded by Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon and the Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers in the 20s. That's part of what makes this performance so cool. Rhiannon handles lead vocals on "Christ Was Born On Christmas Morn".
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