"Jingle Bells" - Part 57 - Organ-ic!

Remaining in the 1960s with "Jingle Bells," we have versions by three popular organists!

First up is Jimmy McGriff with this track from his 1963 "Christmas with McGriff" album on Sue Records:

Very cool and definitely a memorable album cover!

The title track was edited for a two-sided single:

Jimmy had first attracted national attention with his great version of the Ray Charles tune "I've Got a Woman," released on Sue Records in 1962:

Good stuff!

A little more pop-oriented is this 1965 version of "Jingle Bells" by Earl Grant from his "Winter Wonderland" on Decca Records:

Very solid! What's that beat?

The flipside features Earl crooning "Silver Bells":

That single (as well as the album) was popular for a long time.

As evidenced, in addition to his keyboard prowess, Earl Grant was a talented vocalist of the Nat King Cole school. This really shows up in his big 1958 hit single "The End" on Decca Records:

A great track that belongs on your 1958 playlist!

Another LP from 1965 was Eddie Dunstedter's "Christmas Candy" on Capitol Records, which featuted this Bossa Nova take:

That's really fun!

Here's the title track from the album:

Eddie Dunstedter recorded a few Christmas albums and they still sound great today!

Eddie had a long career and was a professional long before Jimmy McGriff and Earl Grant were even born!

We had heard Eddie backing singer Kenny Baker on a couple of Christmas Carols from 1938 here, so let's hear him do the same for Frances Langford, also from 1938 on Decca Records:

Still sounds good!

So, organists with different styles but all masters of the instrument!