There’s a crisp quality to the air that lets you know it’s football season down South. Pumpkins will give way to turkeys and then to twinkling lights, family and friends will gather for holiday celebrations, and the year will end with the promise of a fresh start on January 1. Somewhere along the way, radio stations will play a game of cat and mouse for switching to a Christmas music format, and then claim their spot as your local airwaves holiday destination.
Everyone has a favorite holiday soundtrack. My mother’s house is unapologetically devoted to the Augusta staple, 12 Bands of Christmas, which supports the fight against pediatric cancer with the universal love of music. 12 Bands began in 2001 as an end-of-the-year concert showcasing local artists. By 2003, it evolved to include an annual compilation album of your local favorites performing holiday favorites.
Mom’s home feels like a party with the sounds of many dear friends like The Cubists, Tara Scheyer, Phillip Lee Jr., and People Who Must bouncing around her halls. While I would like to think that one of my submissions from over the years would be her favorite, I simply know better. John Krueger’s brilliant take on “Donde Esta Santa Claus?” from the 2007 edition of 12 Bands reigns supreme. The cover of the 1958 Augie Rios classic, featuring members of the mighty Edison Project, has cha-cha-cha’d its way into her heart. I would almost be heartbroken if it weren’t far and away my favorite as well.
Until Santa Claus comes, I do have one question: Where are the Thanksgiving bops?
Seen in the November/December 2024 issue of Augusta magazine.
