A brand-new Christmas at Belmont holiday concert premieres on NPT Thursday, Dec. 14, at 8 p.m. and airs on PBS member stations across the country – including NPT – on Friday, Dec. 22, at 8 p.m. CT. Grammy-winning musician Sheryl Crow hosts the 2017 concert, which was recorded Dec. 4 in Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center and at McAfee Concert Hall on the Belmont University campus. The festive production features nearly 700 musicians and performers, including Belmont University students and faculty as well as the Nashville Children’s Choir. The show will air several times on NPT during the holiday season (see below).
This year’s edition of Christmas at Belmont features Belmont Chorale, University Orchestra, Musical Theatre Ensemble, Jazzmin, Bluegrass Ensemble, Jazz Band and Bluegrass Ensemble. The music crosses a number of genres with songs such as “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and “Russian Dance” from The Nutcracker. Sheryl Crow performs with the Jazz Band on “The Christmas Song” and the rocking “Run Rudolf Run” (with Peter Stroud on lead guitar); and with the Orchestra Strings ensemble on the beautiful “There Is a Star That Shines Tonight.”
“I’m thrilled to appear as this year’s Christmas at Belmont guest artist,” Crow said. “It’s an honor to be asked to share the stage with hundreds of impressive student musicians and join in this beautiful Christmas tradition. I look forward to celebrating the holiday season with so many viewers across the country.”
A nine-time Grammy Award recipient, Crow is an American music icon. Her nine studio albums have sold 35 million copies worldwide – seven of them charted in the Top 10 and five were certified for multi-platinum sales. Forty of Crow’s singles have made the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Mainstream Top 40 and Hot Country Songs charts. She has had more No. 1 singles in the Triple A listings than any other female artist. Crow is also known for her passionate support of multiple charities; City of Hope, Stand Up to Cancer, The World Food Program, Feeding America, the TJ Martell Foundation, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, MusiCares and the Special Olympics among them.
Additional airtimes for Christmas at Belmont:
- Monday, Dec. 18, 8 a.m. on NPT2
- Tuesday, Dec. 19, 1 p.m. on NPT2
- Friday, Dec. 22, 8 p.m. on NPT
- Saturday, Dec. 23, 1 a.m. on NPT
- Saturday, Dec. 23, 4 a.m. on NPT2
- Monday, Dec. 25, 3 a.m. on NPT
- Monday, Dec. 25, 9 a.m. on NPT2
- Monday, Dec. 25, 11:01 p.m. on NPT
- Tuesday, Dec. 26, 4 a.m. on NPT2
See wnpt.org/schedule for our complete programming schedule.
Christmas at Belmont on NPT is made possible by The Beaman Family Foundation; The Jack C. Massey Foundation; Tyson Foods; Barbara Massey Rogers; and Marty and Betty Dickens.