The 12 Songs Holiday Project

Your friends at TCD and WMSE couldn’t be more tickled to give this holiday gift to you, our readers and listeners. We’ve brought back our 2009 12 Songs Holiday Project, the brainchild of a couple of crazy independent media outlets and a dozen local artists who share two things in common: a love for local music and a true desire to show our appreciation to you this season.

Starting today, we’ll be posting videos from an amazingly diverse array of local artists who each recorded a holiday song just for you. And the best part is, you can download an MP3 of each song to keep – for free! But wait, that’s not the only best part! Our dear friend Dwellephant made CD cover art just for you, too. Download the front and back (right-click and save).

New songs will be posted throughout the week, so check back often or follow us on Twitter to be alerted whenever there’s a new song. Before New Years, we will post the coup de grace: A mash-up mix of all the artists covering “Auld Lang Syne.” It’s probably the only time you’ll ever hear Stas Venglevski, Milwaukee Choral Artists, Invade Rome, Lisa Gatewood, Philomusica String Quartet, Frank Almond and Tom Strini, Melissa Czarnik and the Eric Mire Band, Peter Mac, 1913, Pezzettino, The Celebrated Workingman and Joel Kopischke on one recording.

Kind of great, we’re really excited. Hope you are too, and that you have a warm and wonderful holiday.

Peter Mac: “We Three Kings“ (right-click to download)

Guitarist Peter Mac’s influences include the Beatles, Sting, Pat Metheny, George Benson and, most of all, Jimi Hendrix. Mac is a pro’s pro. He’s recorded hundreds and TV and radio spots and has opened for the likes of Kenny Loggins, Dave Koz, Tower of Power, the late Danny Gatton, Washington, the late Jeff Healey, Eddie Money, Kansas, Doc Severinsen, Tim Wiesburg, Jeff Lorber, The O’Jays, Al Jarreau, and most recently King’s X, Adrian Belew and Robin Trower! We at TCD and WMSE are thrilled that Peter contributed his unique take on “We Three Kings” to our holiday song project.—Tom Strini