The group’s first holiday album drops on November 21st
Old Crow Medicine Show shares their rollicking new single “Corn Whiskey Christmas,” a holiday original that appears on their upcoming album OCMS XMAS, out November 21st via Hartland Records. The rowdy song tells the story of a bootlegger who drives his Chevrolet through the snow on Christmas Eve, bringing moonshine to those craving a cup of cheer. The two-time Grammy-winning band brings this holiday spirit to life in its festive music video as they take over Nashville’s iconic Santa’s Pub karaoke bar to kick off the season right this year.
“The holidays are all about celebrating with family and friends,” says the band’s multi-instrumentalist Cory Younts, who lends vocals to this track. “A little whiskey can help with the festivities. It’s good for what ails ya!”
“Corn Whiskey Christmas” follows Old Crow’s take on John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s global peace anthem “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” which garnered praise from press, including Relix and MusicRow. The timely rendition is stacked with choral harmonies from the children of the Episcopal School of Nashville, the East Nashville-based school founded by frontman Ketch Secor.
Featuring just two covers and 11 originals, OCMS XMAS is decorated with seasonal spirit and string-band stomp, shining new light on their chart-topping version of American roots music. The band isn’t just reinterpreting their favorite yuletide standards on their first holiday album; they’re adding new songs to the canon, like the barn-burning “December 26” and the Zydeco-flavored “All About A Baby.” The LP also features a few classics, including a cover of “Holly Jolly Christmas” and a rowdy version of the Appalachian standard, “Breakin’ Up Xmas.”
Old Crow Medicine Show brings this new music on the road with their first-ever Holiday Hootenanny tour starting in December, before concluding in Nashville with their annual New Year’s Eve performances. Held at the historic Ryman Auditorium, the NYE tradition features The 502s and AJ Lee & Blue Summit as support on December 30th, with Shovels & Rope and The Creekers on December 31st.
