Now that Thanksgiving is behind us and November has nearly come to a close, it’s getting to be that time where holiday madness will begin to take over. Decorations will soon be popping up all over the place and we will be inundated with festive television specials reminding us how very few shopping days are left until our respective holidays.

But what I am looking forward to is the unearthing of seasonal holiday music! While driving over the weekend, I heard my first song of the season come on the radio (“All I Want For Christmas Is You” by the lovely Mariah Carey). There is nothing quite like music to get you in the festive spirit! So I wanted to ask around and see what holiday songs you’re looking forward to hearing this year.

Since I am weird absolutely love nothing more than pensive and mournful female singer-songwriters, my selection is the fantastic Joni Mitchell’s “River”!:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpFudDAYqxY]

What about you? Classic carols? Modern day holiday originals? Adam Sandler tomfoolery? What tunes remind YOU of this time of the year?

Another One For Woody, a benefit concert to celebrate the life of Allen Woody, took place at Roseland Ballroom last night and featured a short acoustic set from Warren Haynes, Gov’t Mule, the Allman Brothers, North Mississippi All Stars and an array of special guests. The event was held in honor of the Gov’t Mule founding member and longtime Allman Brothers bassist Allen Woody, 10 years after his passing and One For Woody, a benefit concert held in NYC in the fall of 2000.

Gov’t Mule kicked off a powerful set with “Railroad Boy,” featuring Warren on 12-string guitar. After a handful of Mule originals, the special guests started coming out, including Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artemis Pyle, Black Crowes’ Rich Robinson, Audley Freed, Moe’s Chuck Garvey, the Dickinson brothers and more. Savannah Woody, Allen’s daughter, sang “Soulshine” with Mule to close their set.

All of this great music and the Allman Brothers hadn’t even started their set! Watching Warren and Derek Trucks intertwine their soaring solos is always a treat. ABB dove into the classics – “One Way Out,” “Blackhearted Woman,” “Midnight Rider,” “Southbound,” “Whipping Post”…

Warren talks to AM New York about some of his memories of Allen here.

Watch Warren perform “I Shall Be Released” at the original One For Woody in 2000. He performed the song last night as well.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUBXCtBVelY]

Gov’t Mule w/Savannah Woody performing “Soulshine” last night:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbW0vcfQ-1Q]

I was lucky enough to spend a few days here in NYC with Ricky Skaggs and Gordon Kennedy, who were here doing press for Ricky’s new album ‘Mosaic’ (Gordon co-produced with Ricky and wrote or co-wrote all the songs).  As we traveled from interview to interview, it was incredible to hear Ricky talk about all the different collaborations he’s done with everyone from the Stanley Brothers to Emmylou Harris to Dolly Parton to Jack White.  In honor of Ricky’s inspiring stories, here’s a YouTube tour of some of Ricky’s coolest collaborations, I think some will definitely surprise you.

Here’s a 7-year-old Ricky performing “Ruby” on the Flatt and Scruggs show (two years after he first shared a stage with Bill Monroe)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhvDvMV4_FY]

Ricky and Emmylou Harris performing “Hello Stranger”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqd6ek9OCPk&feature=related]

Ricky and Dolly Parton doing “The Pain of Loving You”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKCmFzgaf0E]

Ricky, Geogre Jones and Elvis Costello on Ricky’s old TNN show

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbPeFsyZWXA]

Ricky and Bill Monroe doing “Uncle Pen”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpH8Wu9DbjM&feature=related]

Ricky and the Chieftans

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QZ0eZ196SM]

Ricky performing”Uncle Pen” with Phish and Del McCoury

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QShQjr-hiig]

Ricky and Brad Paisley performing “Highway 40 Blues”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWcIFRzqHVY&feature=related]

Ricky recording a bluegrass-inspired version of “Old Enough” with The Raconteurs and Ashley Monroe

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD2i9K03lt8]

Ministry, the highly influential industrial metal band, and TuneCore, have teamed up for a really unique promotion that went live earlier this week. One of Ministry’s most famous songs, “Psalm 69,” is being given away by the band for a remix contest. Any artist can download the individual tracks (aka stems) for the song and remix in any way they want.

Through TuneCore, artists can submit (and distribute) their song and the contest will be judged by Ministry’s Paul Barker. The winner will get their remix of “Psalm 69″ included on ‘Fix – The Ministry Movie’ documentary soundtrack, which features Tool, Soundgarden, Skinny Puppy and others.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ioeo3SapS1E]

Nick Loss-Eaton and I caught Brendan Benson’s fall tour with The Posies in NYC last weekend at The Highline Ballroom. Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, of The Posies and Big Star, are performing in Brendan’s band on this tour and they put on an amazing show. It was a rousing, rocking 16-song set that dug into Brendan’s 4-disc catalog, including some of my favorites like “Good To Me,” “Tiny Spark,” and “Cold Hands.” The encore started with “Happy Birthday,” (Brendan was celebrating his) and closed with one of my absolute favorite songs, Big Star’s “September Gurls.” The shows on this fall tour are being recorded and made available on USB drives right after the shows. The tour goes through Dec 11.

a shot from the balcony: