Carrying on the family tradition, Wilson Fairchild duo presents a country Christmas filled with music at the Bosque Arts Center’s Tin Building Theatre
CLIFTON – With it being around for decades, holiday music gives a sense of nostalgia and comfort, since we know the melodies and lyrics so well, and it celebrates the most wonderful season. Add some country twang to narrative lyrics, some wistful harmonies, some two-step or waltz rhythms, some guitar, banjo and mandolin, and it’s a perfect marriage for those loving and living country music.
Country duo Wilson Fairchild – musical cousins Langdon and Wil Reid, sons of the Statler Brothers – brought that happy union of Christmas and Country to Bosque Arts Center’s Tin Building Theatre with their concert on Dec. 16, inspiring the audience to singing a song, clapping along and laughing about their on-stage banter. By way of Huntsville, the Virginia Ambassadors of Country music gave it their all on this last gig of their Christmas Concert tour.
The Reid Brothers brought their superlative guitar skills and sweet sounding, warm vocal harmonies to Country Christmas songs like “No Reservation at the Inn,” “Old Toy Trains” and “Carols Those Children Used to Sing,” sung by their fathers on the holiday records “Christmas Card” from 1978 and “Christmas Present” released in 1990.
They also performed a Wilson Fairchild original Christmas song, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” putting all the stuff they like about Christmas in a song from Ebenezer Scrooge to Jesus Christ and everything in between, urging people to keep the feeling of Christmas and a wonderful life from December to December. You can hear the duo sharing this song and other their favorite Christmas songs through their Facebook Friday Music Moments – Christmas series.
Besides some other wonderful Christmas classics, the duo performed some Statler songs like “How are Things in Clay Kentucky,” and promoted their newest CD “Statler Made” with the countrified Elvis standard “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Flowers on the Wall.”
Several songs highlighted Jonathan Dillon’s accomplished bluegrass mandolin and banjo. Hailing from Wirtz, VA, Dillon began playing mandolin at the age of seven and later moved on to banjo, guitar, and bass. Besides being the bus driver he played with Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice.
With lots of smiles on the faces as they left the venue, the audience clearly loved the less traditional Christmas concert, enjoying the pure country music, the fun tunes and stories. And they got to get up close and personal with the musicians in the BAC atrium after the concert, where duo even broke into a “Happy Birthday” for a doting fan.
“A big glass of eggnog to ya and a stocking full of blessings for a beautiful Christmas season,” the duo wished the audience as they headed home to their own Merry Christmas.
Photos by SIMONE WICHERS-VOSS
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