Claire Lynch Band Readies Holiday Project

Claire Lynch - photo by David MorrisThe Claire Lynch Band is working on a holiday CD that will be released later this year.

The project, which mixes winter songs with Christmas numbers and one Hanukkah tune, will be released on Claire’s own label, at least initially, between CDs for Compass Records.

Some of the material has already been tracked and at least one of the songs – Snow Day – has had test drives before a couple of audiences. The song is performed as a duet by Claire and band mate Bryan McDowell. She introduced the song Monday night at a show in D.C. suburbs by saying that while recording the CD, “We discovered Bryan sings like Dean Martin.” The song went over so well that the band performed it live the next morning while visiting with Katy Daley on WAMU’s Bluegrasss Country.

While putting the finishing touches on the holiday project, the band is also working up material for its next recording for Compass.

“We’re going to do a swing album,” Claire told me after Monday night’s show. “We promised our fans and we’re going to do it.”

If she had her druthers, she’d record a double-disc set, one of swing tunes and one of bluegrass, allowing the reigning IBMA female vocalist of the year to build on the momentum of the band’s current project, Dear Sister. But that’s a non-starter in this economy, so she’ll do swing tunes first and then come back with a bluegrass recording as a follow-up release.

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About the Author

David Morris

David Morris, an award-winning songwriter and journalist, has written for Bluegrass Today since its inception. He joined its predecessor, The Bluegrass Blog, in 2010. His 40-year career in journalism included more than 13 years with The Associated Press, a stint as chief White House correspondent for Bloomberg News, and several top editing jobs in Washington, D.C. He is a life member of IBMA and the DC Bluegrass Union. He and co-writers won the bluegrass category in the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest in 2015.