Big Names, Lost Records

In digging through the archives before the season, looking for stuff to share, I ran across a few records by big name artists that I wasn't familiar with. Lots of great artists record Christmas music, but not very much of it becomes well-known (I guess the same can be said for any type of music, not all records are hits). So I thought I'd pull together some of these Christmas songs that you've never heard of by some artists you know and love. Have a listen and see what you think.

1. Arthur Godfrey-Conducted By Johnny Parker-Pine Cones And Holly Berries (With "It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas") (From The Broadway Production "Here's Love")
2. Arthur Godfrey-Conducted By Johnny Parker-Every Christmas Morning

Arthur Godfrey released a lot of Christmas music over the course of his career, but I'd never seen this single until recently.

3. Bobby Helms-Those Snowy, Glowy, Blowy Days Of Winter

Bobby Helms recorded one of the biggest Christmas favorites of all time, but I can't name another song of his. This is a good Christmas-adjacent record he put out later, just so you know that he kept working.

4. Del Reeves-White Christmas
5. Del Reeves (And Friends)-White Christmas

Del Reeves put out a great Christmas album that's not as well known as it should be. And this single is barely known at all. The "And Friends" part is some imitations, for which I guess he was known. I didn't know...

6. Diane Lincoln And Dave Dudley-Can I Sing A Xmas Song For You
7. Diane Lincoln And Dave Dudley-White Christmas

Dave Dudley was a truck-driving son of a gun, or at least that's the personality he projected on his hits. We've seen him earlier this season with a truck-driving single, and here he is agin in a much more mellow mood sining a couple of duets from someone I don't know.

8. George Rock Sextet-Vocal By George Rock-I Should Have Left The Light On (For Santa Claus Last Night)

If the name doesn't seem familiar to you, George Rock was the little kid voice on all the immortal Spike Jones songs, including all the Christmas hits. Who knew he continued on with that later in life.

9. Kit Smith-Music By The "Buckaroos"-Christmas At Our House (Stereo)
10. Kit Smith-Music By The "Buckaroos"-Christmas At Our House (Mono)

Not sure who Kit Smith is, but you remember The Buckaroos, those were the backing band to all of Buck Owens great Bakersfield hits.

11. Roger Williams & His Friends-Orchestra Directed By Ralph Carmichael-Santa Claus-Santa Claus (We Love You Next To Our Pas And Mas)
12. Roger Williams-Orchestra Directed By Marty Gold-Jingle Bells

Roger Williams is a great pianist, and that's where he made his name. That's also what's all over his various Christmas records. But this single, not on any album, drops him square in the kiddie Christmas genre with some screaming kids.

13. Roy Clark-Christmas Wouldn't Be Christmas Without You

Roy Clark, one half of the leadership of Hee Haw, and a single that is pretty obscure.

14. The Smothers Brothers With Childrens Chorus-The Toy Song

Last but certainly not least, an actual Christmas single from the great Smothers Brothers! This, and the Roger Williams record are the singles that started this collection for me. Who knew they'd taken a stab at the Christmas market. And with such good material.  These aren't throwaway songs. Now if I could find The Smothers' single about the Christmas rabbit...

MEGA