What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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JOCELYN MURPHY NWA Democrat-Gazette F or music fans, it seems an inescapable fact of life that, at some point, one's favorite artist or group will cover a beloved Christmas song — if not take on a whole Christmas album. I guess it's just part of being a musician; I don't make the rules. For the rest of us, this sets the stage for a yearly tradition of wading through a new batch of fresh — or not-so-fresh — takes on holiday classics and giving a tentative listen to new original tunes to determine whether they will be added to our rotation of seasonal favorites. With still not enough live music events happening in the area to build a calendar, this week's Listen Here! will instead present a few of this year's crop of holiday releases intended to bolster the yuletide season. "A Holly Dolly Christmas" Dolly Parton Butterfly Records, LLC Dolly Parton has been an inspiring and comforting voice for generations of fans around the world her entire career. This year, when we all could use a little extra cheer, Parton has once again provided solace and joy with the release of her latest holiday album, "A Holly Dolly Christmas," which reached the No. 1 spot on both the Billboard Country and Holiday charts in its first week. The icon's first holiday album in three decades features a slew of other famous voices like her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, Michael Bublé, Jimmy Fallon and Willie Nelson. The festive album's meteoric rise to the top of the charts makes Parton the second artist in history with top 10 albums across seven decades, follow- ing only Willie Nelson, and her 46th top 10 album. "Put Up The Lights" The Bird and the Bee No Expectation/Release Me Records In October, Los Angeles pop duo The Bird and the Bee announced their first holiday album, "Put Up The Lights." The release is a collection of the duo's favorite holiday songs alongside new and original composi- tions. Since forming in 2005, The Bird and the Bee have brought a breezy elegance to their music, putting their own idiosyncratic twist on time-bending indie pop. With "Put Up The Lights," the pair aim to spread holiday cheer by putting their own spin on classics like "Deck The Halls" and "Little Drummer Boy" (featuring Dave Grohl) alongside originals like "Merry Merry" and "You and I At Christmas Time." "December Baby" JoJo Clover Music/Warner Records Acclaimed singer and songwriter JoJo offers her spin on holiday cheer early with the release of her first-ever holiday album, "December Baby." The 13-track record features five brand new originals alongside JoJo's take on holiday favorites like "Silent Night" and "The Christ- mas Song," plus collaborations with Jacob Collier and JoJo's Grammy Award-winning duet partner PJ Morton. "December Baby" is the cherry on top of what has been a career year for the R&B/pop powerhouse. JoJo kicked off 2020 at the Grammys with PJ Morton; she released a soul-baring body of work with "good to know," hitting No. 1 on the Billboard R&B Albums Chart; she's stepped up to use her voice for action and change. And now she's bringing us the holiday spirit when we need it the most. DECEMBER 13-19, 2020 WHAT'S UP! 11 LISTEN HERE! See Listen Here Page 12 Do You Hear What I Hear? New sounds of the season abound