One sure sign of the health and vitality of bluegrass music is the number of Christmas release we see every year. It’s pretty well become a sub-genre, with a format now well-established: acoustic carols and hymns, with bluegrass arrangements, and a few new songs.
The Sowell Family Pickers from Texas are the latest to announce a 2018 project of this kind with their Best Gift Of All, just out on Poor Mountain Records.
The Pickers feature bluegrass Gospel from mom and dad Sowell, a pair of twin daughters, and four sons. They took home the first prize this year in the KSMU Youth In Bluegrass Band Contest at Silver Dollar City.
Jacob is on banjo, Joshua plays guitar and mandolin, Naomi is on bass, Abigail on fiddle and mandolin, and John Mark also on fiddle and mandolin. The littlest, Justus, plays the guitar, and Mom (Cindy) sings with the kids., Dad (Guynn) drives the bus and manages the band.
For their Christmas album, they have chosen ten holiday numbers, most of which will be immediately familiar.
- It’s Not Christmas
- Best Gift of All
- The Savior Is Born
- Away in a Manger
- Christmas Times’ a Comin’
- Merry Christmas, Darling
- Light of the Stable
- It’s Christmastime
- Where’s the Line to See Jesus?
- Remember Me
Audio samples and download purchases are enabled on the band web site.
Radio programmers can get the tracks at AirPlay Direct.
