My new version of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is now available on CD Baby, plus various outlets of digital distribution such as iTunes, Amazon, etc. and is streaming on Spotify. And, it’s best for me if you buy it directly at my music store. White Christmas is yet another tune that I got inspired to record last December when the music bug hit me hard. I’ve always loved the version done by The Drifters after I heard a clip of it on Home Alone when Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) realized his family woke up late and rushed off to the airport on their Christmas vacation without him. So, with just a little internet research I discovered this had been a big hit for The Drifters for many years.
As I have been studying double bass for the last few years I was intrigued to see if I could create an arrangement of White Christmas that prominently features the bass in the style of Bill Pinkney, the bass singer in The Drifters. After getting into it for a while I needed to find something for the 1st tenor part that Clyde McPhatter sang and I settled upon the fun, humble ukulele (or ‘ukulele as the Hawaiians say….).
You may wonder why I am recording Christmas music in the summer. So do I! Actually, it’s like people who do crafts to sell at the holiday craft bazaars….you have to start working early in the year to have it ready in time. Besides, by winter you will all have forgotten about this so when I reintroduce it, it will seem like new! I will be posting my video version with a salute to our men and women in uniform in the United States Armed Forces soon. Stay tuned!
Here’s a link to one of the cool Drifters versions of the tune with the incredible Bill Pinkney singing the wonderful bass part. Bill served in World War II and earned a Presidential Citation with five service stars (for battles including Normandy and Bastogneunder General Patton)!
[youtube]https://youtu.be/ax9FCq-A9xc[/youtube]
