7″ single featuring a new track and a cover of The Band’s 1976 classic.

“I’ve always felt that Christmas music was important. I can’t imagine launching into the season without Ronettes, Ventures, or Beach Boys tunes playing in the background somewhere. And for a songwriter like me, it’s a chance to write something people may take to heart for years to come.”

—Peter Holsapple

The dB’s co-founder is no stranger to holiday music. Take that band’s “Home For The Holidays,” “Christmas Time,” and more found on the Christmas Time Again! release (Expanded and reissued by Omnivore in 2015). Holsapple always loved The Band classic, “Christmas Must Be Tonight,” and realized that his new Combo (with dB’s drummer Will Rigby and bassist Glenn Jones) was the perfect outfit to interpret it anew. So, what better than a holiday single?

But, what about a B-side? At the suggestion and urging of Rigby, Holsapple wrote “Felt Like Summer (But Looked Like Christmas)” while on tour with Hootie & The Blowfish this past summer. “I’ll admit that writing a Christmas song in the middle of the desert heat is something of a stretch for this old boy, but I think I got the results I’d wanted,” said Holsapple. At the end of that tour, the Peter Holsapple Combo entered the studio to record these two tracks.

Available for Record Store Day/Black Friday 2019, this 7″ single features the two songs in a full-color sleeve, even sporting a snazzy shot on the back of Holsapple from Christmas 1965.

After release of his first solo album in 21 years, Game Day, and his 1978 recordings with Alex Chilton, The Death Of Rock, it’s obvious that the world needs more Holsapple. The Christmas Must Be Tonight 7″ certainly fits the bill. A great stocking stuffer for the music lover in your life!

7″ Single / Digital Single Track List:

Side 1:

1. Christmas Must Be Tonight

Side 2:

1. Felt Like Summer (But It Looked Like Christmas)