Josh Turner ‘Holiday & The Hits’ Tour Plays Mystic Lake In December
Josh Turner was rumored to be recording a Christmas Album. It's not a rumor anymore, he is dropping it on October 8th.
The album is called "King Size Manger" and will be backed up with a small holiday tour. It's called "Holiday & The Hits" and Josh Turner just announced his dates and locations and it includes Mystic Lake in the Showroom on Saturday, December 11th.
The holiday project was recorded over the Summer. It was kept hush hush, but it leaked he was looking for songs. He wrote 3 of the songs and include his interpretations of some classic tunes. Which means he will have his own arrangements of traditional Christmas music.
There is a family aspect to the album, it will include his wife and four boys. I wonder if any of them have his baritone voice? Turner said it was a labor of love, and he wanted to eventually record a Christmas album a d made him think of all the albums he grew up with and including his family made it special for him and them.
His "Holiday and Hits" tour will include 16 cities with the last date at the Ryman Auditorium. He is performing the holiday tunes and some of his hit records, hence, the name.
Turner said in a press release, “Making a Christmas record can be a mighty daunting task for an artist because there are so many songs to choose from and there’ve been so many versions of those songs throughout history. It can be intimidating to know whether you’ll be able to measure up to what’s already been done..."
There is also the fact that he has some original tunes on the record, and you have to record them in the Summer while you really aren't in a Christmas mood. There's no snow or anything, plus COVID quarantine was happening in some cases.
Turner arranged five of the 11 tracks on “King Size Manger” and its four original songs include one he wrote called “Mele Kalikimaka My ‘Ohana’” featuring world-renowned ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro and the Grammy-nominated Hawaiian trio Ho’okena.
There is also a song called, “What He’s Given Me” with Pat McLaughlin, and the title track “King Size Manger” with Mark Narmore. The album also includes a not to the military with the Travis Hill/Tom Douglas track “Soldier’s Gift.”
The album also includes“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which features Turner’s wife Jennifer and his four children, as well as “Joy To The World” featuring Rhonda Vincent, the queen of bluegrass.
Tickets for the show are on sale online and at Mystic Lake Casino.
To continue with the Christmas Theme, check this out.