Get ready to take a four-hour musical journey over the hills and through the woods of Christmas music, from blues to rock, hip-hop to country, cheese-ball crooners to saucy divas. There are countless versions of “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” but have you heard Foghat’s? Sure, they’re British, but their version appeared on the Southern Rock Christmas compilation from which we’ve also pulled songs from Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Charlie Daniels Band, as well as a beautiful version of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Austin roots rock legends, BR549.
There’s also John Prine’s “Christmas In Prison” (“It was Christmas in prison and the food was real good, we had turkey and pistols carved out of wood”) and Sunny Sweeney’s soon-to-be classic, “One More Christmas Beer.” Holiday blues are well-represented with Lightnin’ Hopkins, Blind Lemon Jefferson, John Lee Hooker, and Luther Dickinson, who jazzes up “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” into a Hill Country jam. Atlanta is in the mix with Usher, OutKast, and a bouncing version of “Sleigh Ride” from TLC, while Houston native Beyoncé anchors Destiny’s Child’s spine-tingling “Carol of the Bells.” Don’t worry—the legends are well represented, too: Willie, Dolly, Loretta, James Brown, Louis Armstrong, and Johnny Cash.
Listen below, or open the playlist in Spotify.
We probably missed a few, so please add your favorites to the comments. And in the meantime, pass the eggnog. Happy holidays!
