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A Rambler Christmas

Gary Brewer & the Kentucky Ramblers

By Paul Moffett

Gary Brewer has recorded so many records over his twenty-five years in the business that he has a trailer devoted exclusively to hauling them around when he plays shows. In spite of that prodigious output, he didn't have a Christmas CD. That lack has been remedied with A Rambler Christmas, recorded early this year a TNT Productions at Falk Audio. The CD has eight standard Christmas carols, one movie Christmas song ("The Grinch") and a parody of "Winter Wonderland" entitled "Women's Underwear"

Sharing the vocal duties with Gary is his father Jim Brewer, who sings "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Claus is Coming To Town." The singer on "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," titled here "The Grinch" is Gary, though fans might not recognize him immediately, as he sings it in a faux basso profoundo style a la Boris Karloff.

The recording has the feeling of a get-together of a family band on a cold afternoon to sing a few tunes and begins with blazingly fast versions of "Over the River" and "Up on the Housetop." Things ease up on "Rudolph" and "Silver Bells" before Gary takes his crack at "The Grinch," which he likely included for his two young sons. Other tunes include "Let It Snow," "Frosty the Snowman" and "Little Drummer Boy."

The somewhat amusing "Women's Underwear" parody, however, takes the CD out of the children's bin, which is unfortunate for a Christmas project. Fans of Brewer and the Ramblers will want add this to their collections of his work to make them complete.