NOVEMBER 2, 2016
It's that time of year again! There's a crisp chill in the air, Christmas decorations are finding their way to storefronts and malls everywhere, and the sounds of the season are beginning to hit the airwaves. Among the most beloved classic holiday songs heard on radios and playlists each winter are those by Karen and Richard Carpenter. The brother and sister duo proved to be the most successful American popular music act of the 1970s (20 BillboardTop 40 hits including three #1s and five #2s, plus fifteen Adult Contemporary #1s, for those counting!), but their music has remained relevant and popular ever since. Last year, TJ Lubinsky's TJL Productions released the 3-CD set The Complete Singles as a Public TV pledge premium exclusive, presenting the A- and B-side of every one of the Carpenters' U.S. singles released by A&M Records in the form of their original single version spanning from 1969 to 1989. Earlier in 2016, the U.K. saw the A&M release of The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Songs, a 20-track anthology. It opened at #2 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart and eight weeks later remains in the top 100. Now, TJL (also responsible for this year's Ultimate Anthology for The Mamas and the Papas for PBS) is celebrating the season and the Carpenters ' legacy with a brand-new public television special: My Music Presents: Carpenters - Christmas Memories.
KAREN, RICHARD, CUBBY O'BRIEN AND SNOWY FRIEND
Carpenters' Christmas Memories features some of the most beautifully-sung and lushly-arranged yuletide music of all time. With new introductions by Richard Carpenter, this program presents the very best of the Carpenters' holiday performances, unavailable in any format since their original 1970s television broadcasts. Included are Karen and Richard's sparkling, enduring renditions of "The Christmas Song," "Winter Wonderland, " "Silver Bells," "White Christmas," "Sleigh Ride," "Christ Is Born" and "O Holy Night".
NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED PHOTO (1977)
A special Public Television-only DVD will offer not only the songs heard on the television broadcast - digitally remastered in stereo from the original sources - but numerous additional selections, as well. These include "Make Me Laugh," "Christmas Alphabet," "It's Christmas Time," "Merry Christmas Darling," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," "Carol of The Bells" and "Ave Maria."
NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED PHOTO (1977)
If you're interested in receiving a copy of the DVD, simply make a pledge at the level designated by a Public Television station airing the show. Anyone can donate online or via telephone to any Public Television station that broadcasts the show; it doesn't matter where you live in the United States. Some stations, particularly those in areas such as Detroit and Buffalo, may ship to Canada, as well. All of the individual Public Television outlets have websites where pledges can be made as well as phone numbers that are active much of the time regardless of when the show is actually broadcast. Fans in Europe would need to have a friend or relation based in the U.S. make the donation. It's possible that some stations may be willing to ship overseas for an extra charge, though such an occurrence is a long shot.
My Music Presents: Carpenters - Christmas Memories begins airing later this month as part of the acclaimed My Music series on Public TV stations everywhere. Check your local listings for information on air dates!
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