Rodney Crowell and Flow Tribe

Twas the week before Christmas, and host Alex Rawls talked to the legendary singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell about Christmas Everywhere, the holiday album he released recently. The conversation deals with Crowell's relationship to Christmas music, but it's clear in the conversation that the same ideas and aesthetics that have shaped his songwriting for decades shaped his Christmas music as well. He worked to make Christmas music that is true to his art and that surprises in the same way that his songs can. With the title song certainly, he succeeded. 

In the second half of this week's show, Alex talks to singer K.C. O'Rorke of the New Orleans funk/rock band Flow Tribe. This is the 10th year for the band's annual Christmas week show, and O'Rorke talks about the art and commerce of it along with the band's first Christmas song, "Hammered for Christmas." 

During the conversation, Alex fumbles for the artist and title of a song he picked up from the program director of New Orleans' Magic 101.9, which goes all-Christmas at some point every holiday season. The song is "Papa Noel" by Brenda Lee. The song is also included in the episode, but here it is as well since it's not clearly identified in the show.