Citizen Vinyl announces release of holiday benefit album 'Winter's Grace'
Vinyl Pre-Sale and digital download available now on Citizen Soundcheck
Winter's Grace, recorded and mixed at Citizen Studios and pressed at Citizen Vinyl, features an all-star cast of Western North Carolina artists.
"Producing a Christmas/holiday album has been a long-held dream of mine, and I’m excited to share that this is the first volume in an ongoing series," says producer Jeff Sipe, who teamed up with Gar Ragland, Eddie Dewey, and Josh Blake to create this nine-song collection, which will benefit MusiCares and ArtsAVL in ongoing post-Helene recovery efforts.
Musicians who lent their talents to the project include Datrian Johnson, Abby Bryant, Rebekah Todd, Reggie Headen, Melissa McKinney, Adama Dembele, Whitney Moore Roda, Marisa Blake, Daniella Risquez, Mar Perez-Albela, Logan Jayne, Derek Gardner, Isaac Hadden, Jackson Weldon, Taylor Pierson, Quin Sternberg, Jamar Woods, Nik Hope, Duane Simpson, JP Furnas, Matt Schueler, Chuck Lichtenberger, Danny Iannucci, Luis Ramirez, Jonathan Lloyd, Jacob Rodriguez, Tyler Householder, Micah Thomas, Jason DeCristofaro, Ashley Heath, Peggy Ratusz, Duane Simpson, Ben Bjorlie, Taylor Pierson, Vic Stafford, Blake, and Sipe.
The album's cover art is by Matt Pfahlert / The Silent P, and Dave McNair is donating mastering (for both digital and vinyl) and lacquer cutting services.
Songs range from traditional fare, such as "O Holy Night" and "Auld Land Syne," and offerings from around the world, such as "Los Peces en el Rio" and "Ayalamine." Each track's vocalist hand-picked their song. “I chose ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’ because it carries that deep ache and hope we all feel in the waiting, says Datrian Johnson. "It’s a prayer that turns longing into light.”