Our 15th Annual Around Cincinnati Christmas Special

The tradition continues! Since 2005, host/producer Lee Hay has assembled a holiday feast of music and spoken word featuring some of Cincinnati's finest musicians, storytellers, and personalities. This year is no exception. 

Please enjoy two hours of newly recorded and favorite pieces to put, or keep, you in the holiday spirit. This special will air twice in 2019.  The first time in Around Cincinnati's usual time of Sunday, December 22 at 7 p.m. then again on Christmas Day at 7 p.m. Happy Holidays from our studios to your homes, and enjoy!

HOUR ONE

• Minute Noel performed by Ekimi is our theme music
• 'Twas The Night Before Christmas read by local musician and singer with the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, Noah Hunt, and his daughter, Lilah.
• Blue Christmas performed by Noah Wotherspoon and Jessi Bair in our Corbett Studio.
• Jolly Old Saint Nicholas performed by Ma Crow and Margie Drees  in our Corbett Studio
• A Christmas story from Katie Laur (music bed: Wassail Song by The Nashville Superpickers)
• A Christmas greeting from Van Ackerman of the Cincinnati Arts Association.
• You're My Christmas Heart (an original) performed by Greg Dastillung & friends (Elaine Diehl, Chris Goins, Jan Diehl) in our Corbett Studio
• Merry Christmas, Darling performed by Cincinnati Public Radio's Elaine Diehl and friends in our Corbett Studio.
• Ars Poetica performed by Around Cincinnati contributor Roberta Schultz.
• Christmas memories of Cincinnati's famed Maisonette from former owner Nat Comisar.
• Sleigh Ride performed by the No Promises Vocal Band from their album A No Promises Christmas.
• The Puerto Rican carol Abreme la Puerta performed by the Cincinnati Boychoir
• It Came Upon A Midnight Clear performed by CSO pianist Michael Chertock
• A Christmas memory from Robin Lacy & DeZydeco musicians Joani and Robin Lacy.
• Forgot Mrs. Claus (an original) performed by Ben Levin.

HOUR TWO

• Minute Noel performed by Ekimi is our theme music
• On Christmas Day performed by Mr. Keith Little from his CD, Soul Santa
• Silent Night performed by Bootsy Collins from his  digital CD, Christmas Is 4 Ever
• Jinny Berten reads “Christmas Eve in Clifton,” written by Frederick Thomas and published in her book, Cincinnati Christmas.
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree performed by Around Cincinnati contributor Stuart Holman
• All I Want for Christmas, Dear, Is You performed by Bobby Mackey in our Corbett Studio
• Christmas, This Year performed by Larry Goshorn from his I Wish I Could Fly CD (introduction by Brian O’Donnell)
• Blue Christmas performed by Larry Kinley from the A WVXYou Christmas, Vol. 2 (introduction by Bob Nave)
• Barbara Gray reads the poem/Christmas carol, “In the Bleak Midwinter” written by Christina Rossetti.
• Christmas Is Coming performed by the Bill Cunliffe Trio from their CD, Christmas in the Dog House
• Angels We Have Heard On High performed by the Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers
• Kelly Richey shares a story about receiving her first guitar one Christmas.
• Christmas Comes But Once a Year performed by John Kinney. This is the song’s broadcast debut with an introduction by Jim Nolan.
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas performed by Daniel Martin Moore in our Corbett Studio
• One Olive Jingle performed by Over the Rhine from their CDSnow Angels
• Silver Bells performed by Rosemary Clooney from her Christmas Memories cd
• A holiday greeting from Around Cincinnati contributor Anne Arenstein
• Jingle Bells performed by the Psychodots
• Silent Night performed by Katie Reider in our Corbett Studio
• Minute Noel performed by Ekimi is our theme music

WEB EXCLUSIVES

A poetry reading of an original poem, "The Christmas Poem," by Evelyn Fallone:  

Somebody's Talking About Jesus performed by Afrochine: