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Our Review

In Austin, Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel are an institution. My wife is one of their most steadfast and loyal fans. So, a wrong move here could get me run out out of town, or put out of my own home, or both! Fortunately for me, Santa Loves to Boogie has several nice tracks that should guarantee my continued prosperity and residence in central Texas, at least for now. It is now December 18, so this review is a last-minute job. Not only that, but it may not even be possible to purchase this CD on-line (update: Santa Loves to Boogie may be purchased from iTunes), as Santa Loves to Boogie is initially packaged as a 2-CD set with the Wheel's latest non-holiday offering, Reinventing the Wheel and marketed only through HEB grocery stores. Although someone was supposed to send me a copy, we wound up buying the box set at HEB Plus where, by chance, Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel were performing an in-store (which is why the image I'm using here is autographed by the band).

If for nothing else, Santa Loves to Boogie is notable for the people who showed up to perform with Ray Benson. Few artists can compare with Willie Nelson, and there aren't many contemporary Christmas songs with poignant imagery to match Nelson's Pretty Paper. So, this track is one of those once-in-a-lifetime tracks Christmas music mavens live for. But for my money, Christmas In Texas, Benson's duet with Kevin Fowler, offers the most fun of any track on the CD, particularly for people who enjoy Austin-style Americana. This song is the CD's Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother track; Benson's "ho ho ho, y'all" kicker made me laugh; this was the track I kept coming back to.

I enjoyed Elizabeth McQueen's vocals on Mele Kalikimaka, a song that rarely appears on a non-Hawaiian recording. But of particular interest is the new song by David Singer and Elizabeth McQueen, Give You My Gift, which was sung by Benson and Ms. McQueen. Along with Christmas In Texas, this was my other favorite track on the Christmas disc.

I have not listened to Reinventing the Wheel, the non-holiday part of the box set though Laura already has it in her iPod. But Santa Loves to Boogie is first-class, fiddlesome Texas swing. Ray Benson's stage antics and crooning vocals have lost nothing from years spent on the road. Jason Roberts continues to impress on fiddle. And Elizabeth McQueen sings nice. Ahh haah!

--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2006)

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Santa Loves to Boogie may be purchased from iTunes

From the liner notes:

David Sanger: Drums, Percussion
Jason Roberts: Fiddle, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Mandolin, Electric Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals
Ray Benson: Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals
John Michael Whitby: Piano, Background Vocals
Elizabeth McQueen: Vocals, Background Vocals
Eddie Rivers: Steel Guitar, Sax
Glenn Fukanaga: Bass
David Miller: Bass, Background Vocals
Willie Nelson: Vocals
Dale Watson: Vocals
Jack Ingram: Vocals
Kevin Fowler: Vocals

Produced by Ray Benson, Sam Seifert & Asleep at the Wheel

Associate Producer: Peter Schwartz
Assistant Producers: Bridget bauer, Dan Skarbek
Engineer: Sam Seifert
Additional Engineering: Cris Burns, Will Armstrong, Mike Mercer
Mixing: Sam Seifert, Ray Benson
Mastering: Jerry Tubb at Terra Nova Mastering Digital Audio, Inc, Austin, Texas
Mixed and Recorded on Nuendo

Asleep at the Wheel

Santa Loves to Boogie

Artist site

Track List