HOMEGROWN ROCKER 12/25/11 (CHRISTMAS SPECIAL)

[Jim Price]

Hello Everyone,

Here is the recap of the December 25 edition of Rocky 104.9 and Rocky 99's weekly local music program, "The Homegrown Rocker," which airs every Sunday night from 9 to 11 PM during Steelers football season on WRKY-FM (www.rocky1049.com) and WRKW-FM (www.rocky99.com).

Merry Christmas! Since this Sunday was Christmas Day, the “Homegrown Rocker” annual 2011 Christmas Special provided the perfect way to help cap the holiday! For two hours, we checked out holiday sounds of the season from local and regional bands and artists! We heard area musicians interpret time-honored Christmas classics and share their own original Christmas-themed musical creations! We debuted a new Christmas song by X-Terra, dug into the archive for a 2001 Christmas standard by the late Eric Vincent “Fat Vinny” Kelly and Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys for this week’s “Local Music Flashback,” reviewed Zupe’s new Christmas CD, Yuletides, in “The Professor’s CD Corner.”

Here is this week's playlist:

HOUR ONE:

HALESTORM – “Tempest Holy Night”
DON HUGHES – “Christmas Medley”
GAS STATION DISCO – “Christmas Without You”
NEGATIVE SPACE – “I’ll Be Home”
X-TERRA – “Is There Room in the Inn”
PASTOR BRAD & FRIENDS – “Joy to the World”
LORDS-A-LEAPING – “The Bells of Christmas”
LORDS-A-LEAPING – “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
LORDS-A-LEAPING – “All I Want”

HOUR TWO:

EMILY’S TOYBOX – “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
THE JELLYBRICKS – “Father Christmas”
B.E. TAYLOR – “Go Tell It on the Mountain”
ZUPE – “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
NICK FINOCHIO – “Let Love In”
THE SERVELLO FAMILY – “Little Drummer Boy”
ROADKILL – “Santa Is a Big Fat Jerk”
BUSTED MONKEY – “Merry Christmas (Your Stuff’s in the Yard)”
THE SUNFLOWER SPECTACLE – “The Christmas of 2003”
KIWI – “Christmastime”
CLOUD PARTY – “The Ghost of Christmas Presents Past”
J.R. MANGAN – “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”
DAVE KEPHART – “Christmas in Whoville”
FAT VINNY & THE WISEGUYS – “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (2001, Local Music Flashback)

On our next program, as we begin the New Year 2012, the “Homegrown Rocker” will start to close the book on the year just completed, 2011, with Part 1 of the two-part “2011 Year In Review Special!” During Part 1, we will review the news and happenings on the local and regional music scene during the first half of 2011 from January through June. We will recap area music news, band formations, break-ups and make-ups, noteworthy shows and new local recordings; and we’ll hear music from many of the bands and artists who helped to shape 2011 on the area music scene. Our action-packed journey through 2011 on the area music scene commences on Part 1 of the “Homegrown Rocker” 2011 Year In Review Special, next Sunday night at 9 PM!

Forthcoming guests and specials include:

JAN. 8 – 2011 YEAR IN REVIEW SPECIAL PT. 2
JAN. 15 – CAESER PINK AND THE IMPERIAL ORGY
FEB. 12 – THE BACKYARD KINGS
FEB. 26 – MILLENNIUM MUSIC CONFERENCE RECAP SPECIAL

For regular updates on what is happening on the area music scene, pay a visit to Rockpage (www.rockpage.net). Rockpage features band links, a message board, "Homegrown Rocker" updates, live show and CD reviews in “JP’s Corner," and other local music scene information.

Bands and artists interested in having music aired on "The Homegrown Rocker" are invited to send their broadcast-quality recordings to: WRKY Radio, One Forever Drive, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; ATTN: Jim Price. Or drop the recordings off at the station during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 9 AM - 5 PM. You can also email me with inquiries about the show at profjp@rocky1049.com.

Jim Price