Season’s Greetings (and free downloads) from Serena Matthews
Exclusive to TheBluegrassSpecial.com
Only in this issue will you find a free download of the Christmas EP recorded by the enigmatic singer-songwriter SERENA MATTHEWS, the most famous musical artist to emerge from Byrdstown, Tennessee, since Sierra Hull. These vocal and guitar performances, mesmerizing and uniquely Serena, are as innocent as they are worldly wise and, indeed, otherworldly as well.
Selections include: “Christmas Eve Last Year,” “Jolly Old St. Nicholas,” “O Christmas Tree,” “Silent Night,” "Away In a Manger," “In the Sweet By and By” and “What Child is This.” Listen, download or both.
Asked to comment for this publication on what Christmas music means to her, Serena wrote: “Christmastime wouldn't be the same without music. It brings us all together, it connects all of us. It's kind of like Christmas songs create a string of Christmas lights that wrap the entire world into a ribbon. Each song beams a light into hearts. The songs I picked for recording were some of my favorites. "O' Holy Night" is actually my favorite of all Christmas songs, but, alas, I just can't hit those high notes. I hope somebody out there enjoys some of my covers, and sings along.”
At her website, Serena is selling autographed copies of her new CD, Serena Matthews 2012, a collection of 21 songs she’s recorded over the past decade. The cost is $10 domestic, $12 international. She also offers many of her songs as free downloads at Reverbnation.
The most in-depth feature ever published about Serena appeared in the April 2011 issue of TheBluegrassSpecial.com, and features not only her detailed answers to a series of questions posed via e-mail over a period of days, but also a number of her self-made music videos.
Right-click or ctrl-click on the links below to download the mp3's to your computer or clink on the links to listen in your browser.
Audio clip: “Away In a Manger’
Audio clip: “Christmas Eve Last Year”
Audio clip: “In the Sweet By and By”
Audio clip: “Jolly Old St. Nicholas”
Founder/Publisher/Editor: David McGee
Contributing Editors: Billy Altman, Laura Fissinger, Christopher Hill, Derk Richardson
Logo Design: John Mendelsohn (www.johnmendelsohn.com)
Website Design: Kieran McGee (www.kieranmcgee.com)
Staff Photographers: Audrey Harrod (Louisville, KY; www.flickr.com/audreyharrod), Alicia Zappier (New York)
E-mail: [email protected]
Mailing Address: David McGee, 201 W. 85 St.—5B, New York, NY 10024