Indie Artist Spotlight-Christmas Edition “I’ll Have A Blues Christmas”By Laura Cheadle

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The last month of 2015 is here, and we all know what that means, it’s time for some Christmas music. As some of you may already know, while the Indie Artist Spotlight column usually spotlight’s a biographical story of an independent recording artist, each December we like to give you a little bit of background on a an artist’s project that shows them getting into the spirit of the holiday season. With that said, we are proud to re-introduce you to one of our favorite singers featured in the column, Laura Cheadle!

Some of our readers may remember that we featured Laura in the column back in January of 2013. At that time we featured her biography, while shining the “spotlight” on her then current album, Change (It’s Alright).  Since then this New Jersey based blues and soul singer/songwriter has been super busy! In 2014 she released, Bruised & Soothed, as well as Where The Blues Hangs Out. She was even featured on the 2015 “Artists To Watch” compilation by Big Fuss Records. As if all those great things weren’t enough to show you why we are always excited about Laura’s music, her new Christmas album is sure to make you a fan after one listen. That album, appropriately titled I’ll Have A Blues Christmas blends her naturally soulful and sultry style with some of your holiday favorites. Laura and the Cheadle family band have bluesy interpretations of classics like “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”, “Here Comes Santa Claus”, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” “Silver Bells,” and of course what’s a blues Christmas album without a powerful cover of the Elvis Presley classic, “Blue Christmas?”

All these songs and more are here for you when you are in the mood to sooth your soul with holiday hits produced with raw feeling. Regardless of the genre of music, every artist that releases a Christmas album usually covers their favorites in a unique way that reflects their talents in the best way possible. Laura talked to Clizbeats about her approach to covering a holiday tune, making sure it reflected who she was as an artist

“I approached them literally from my soul,, I didn’t try to mimick the songs exactly but I also didn’t stray too far away.. Every cover on this album has the core of its original form but transformed into deep soul and blues . I chose all my favorite Christmas covers .. My favorite song I covered is ‘the first noel’ which is actually very jazz based with incredible music played by my father. Not all songs are ‘typical blues’ ION Indie Magazine just wrote a cover article about me saying I’m ‘Giving New Life To Blues and Jazz’ which I’m humbled by. This album is exactly that.. It’s a fresh look on jazz and blues”

Laura recorded four original songs for the album as well. Each one of them are full of the love and soul that can be heard throughout her entire discography, as she and her family crafted a sound that is sure to stay with you through the entire holiday season.

“There’s not many blues Christmas albums out there” Laura told us “….and this is a soulful Christmas message.”

One Of the most powerful tracks with a message is her original,  “At Christmastime.” Laura talked about how witnessing the reaction to the recent Paris terrorist attacks inspired her to write the song  when traveling through Europe recently.

“I started writing lyrics to this song ‘At Christmastime’ while sitting in the Paris airport en route home from Rome a day after the terrorist attacks. This song is about the world coming together, especially at Christmastime. When I returned home, I hit the studio with my father who wrote this incredible music. I am really proud of this song and hope it brings comfort to all.”

You can hear that song, as well as the album’s first official single, “Red Ain’t  Everything (The Rudolph Blues)” and more embedded below! Take a listen and you will hear for yourself how I’ll Have A Blues Christmas will put just the right amount of blues with the red and green in your homes this Christmas! You can order a physical copy now! CLICK HERE! The digital versions of the album is available for download at Amazon MP3 HERE, and is coming to iTunes very soon!

Laura Cheadle

“At Christmastime”

From I’ll Have A Blues Christmas

“Red Ain’t Everything (The Rudolph Blues)”

From I’ll Have A Blues Christmas

Laura Cheadle

“Blue Christmas”

From I’ll Have A Blues Christmas

Laura Cheadle I’ll Have A Blues Christmas (Back Cover)

Laura Cheadle :I’ll H

TRACK LIST:

1  “Red Ain’t Everything (The Rudolph Blues)” (Original)

2  “Blue Christmas”

3  “Giving You Me For Christmas” (Original)

4  “At Christmastime” (Original)

5  “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer”

6  “Here Comes Santa Claus”

7  “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”

8  “Silver Bells”

9  “Christmastime Can Set Us Free” (Original)

10  “The First Noel”

Personnel

Laura Cheadle: Primary Artist, Composer, Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Acoustic Guitar,

James Cheadle: Co-writer, Keyboard, Harmonica, Bass, Drums, Organ, Piano , Guitar , Background vocals. Mixing, Mastering,

Jimmy Lee Cheadle: Lead and slide guitar

Sue Cheadle: Background Vocals

Tina Young: Drums on ‘ At Christmastime’