Hang the Holley: Liz Madden

10/14/21 • 3 min

Welcome to Hang the Holly. I'll introduce you to LIZ MADDEN as we take an inside look at artists in the latest episode of the Celtic Christmas Podcast. "Little Christmas" is the final episode of 2020. It features Christmas music from The Jig Is Up, Cynthia Shelhart, Steel Clover, Abbots Cross, Liz Madden, Laura MacKenzie, Reilly, Sharon Shannon, deCeadaoin, Tiffany Schaefer, Emish, Stephanie Claussen, Celtic Woman, Runa, The Selkie Girls The show is generously brought to you by the Patrons of the Celtic Christmas Podcast on Patreon. Please show your Celtic Christmas Cheer, make a pledge to support the show. You will find milestones on Patreon which will effectively launch this show in 2021. If you enjoy the show, you can rate the show or post comments on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher. Subscribe to the podcast at CelticChristmasMusic.net. And now on to Liz Madden Irish-born singer Liz Madden is a classically trained vocalist with multiple artistic talents. Not only does she have a cache of her own solo albums, but she is an actress and musical theater performer as well. In addition, she has done voiceover work and it’s easy to see why—her gentle, bright, clear voice is a pleasure to listen to, whether she is speaking or singing. Madden has delved deeply into studying the things she is interested in, and holds a Masters degree in music, and she is working toward one in theology as well. Her list of accomplishments really does go on and on, and they include everything from songwriting credits for film and television, to producing a live show, to winning multiple awards throughout the course of her career. Such a full and total immersion in the arts shows fierce passion and a dedication to creating, and this is apparent in Madden’s musical history. She has contributed to 12 albums, and is actively involved in collaborating with other musical artists on a regular basis. Her albums tend to favor simple arrangements that allow her beautiful voice to be the centerpiece, with instruments serving as a support, rather than the central focus. It works well, and Madden’s voice is definitely worthy of having a place that is front and center. She has certainly earned it, developing her voice as a well-honed instrument in its own right. Not all singers are blessed with such an even measure of talent and passion, but this is a singer that certainly has a heaping spoonful of both. Her holiday album, "Liz Madden’s Christmas Celebration" offers nearly an hour of music that ranges from delights such as the French carol Noel Nouvelet to some of the more expected holiday favorites like Joy to the World, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. The satisfying mixture of simple arrangements and a classically trained voice make this singer's holiday album a perfect choice for the season. A well thought-out grouping of 17 tracks provides a solid Christmas soundtrack that would make a terrific gift—or would blend in well with nearly any rotation of holiday music you may already own. Whatever you do, be sure not to miss Madden’s version of Silent Night—it’s a song that was meant to be covered by a vocalist with her range, and she does it beautifully, hitting those high notes with confidence and clarity. Find out more about Liz Madden at LizMadden.co. If you hear music you love in the Celtic Christmas Podcast, then support the artists. Buy something from them. Sign up to their mailing lists. And share the episode with your friends on social or in your community. The Celtic Christmas Podcast is free to enjoy. However, it is supported by the generosity of Celtic music fans like you over on Patreon. Get Christmas Cheer. Subscribe at CelticChristmasPodcast.com . Nollaig shona daoibh.

Previous Episode

Hang the Holly: Celtic Woman

Hang the Holly is an inside look into the latest episode of the Celtic Christmas Podcast. The first teaser episode of the 2020 season came out last week. I want to share a little bit about one of the artists in the show, namely Celtic Woman. But first, the first episode of 2020 is show #55. It features Celtic Christmas music from eight Celtic artists with Christmas holiday music, including: Angus Mohr, Don Grieve, The Irish Rovers, Marc Gunn, Alexander James Adams, The Wee Heavies, Matthew Young, Celtic Woman. Show #55 is a shorter episode. Most shows will be about an hour long. They also no available on Spotify or YouTube. So if you want to hear those shows, please subscribe the podcast at CelticChristmasPodcast.com. Let's get on with the show. Are you searching for a GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum, Celtic music group with a decidedly feminine sound to fill your home with warmth during the Christmas season? If so, you don’t have to look any further than Celtic Woman. Many fans of Irish music already adore this celebrated band, and with several Christmas albums to choose from, there’s something for everyone to listen to during the upcoming holidays! Since the band’s debut in 2005, this group has had a PBS special, performed at the White House, and even appeared on ABC-TV's Dancing with the Stars. All this from a group that was originally created for a single event! That tells you a little something about how special they are... Although there is plenty of traditional appeal in Celtic Woman’s sound, they also bring a more contemporary flavor into the mix. This can be ideal for those who are searching for something fresh for the holiday season. You won’t have to worry about it being too modern, but you will hear an updated take on many of your seasonal favorites, and you may even hear some new tunes too! This, and the fact that they are an all-female group, might make a CD or DVD of theirs a perfect Christmas gift for someone on your list as well. There are a number of them out there – 15 CDs and 11 DVDs to choose from. Four of these CDs are dedicated to Christmas music. Celtic Woman's A Christmas Celebration album made it onto Billboard's World Music Chart in 2006, and it remained there for 112 weeks in a row, so that would definitely be one to check out if you haven’t already. It’s the earliest offering of Christmas music by the band, and it was followed by Home for Christmas in 2012. The Best of Christmas was released in 2017, and their last holiday album was The Magic of Christmas in 2019, featuring songs such as 'The Wexford Carol’ and ‘Deck the Halls’, among others. Fans of the band might find a bit of solace in listening to these CDs since Celtic Woman's much-anticipated 2020 tour has been cancelled due to COVID-19. While nothing is quite like live music, unfortunately this year a recording will have to do. New listeners can opt to add yet another layer to their Celtic Christmas spirit with music by these lovely ladies. Their angelic voices make the Christmas music shine, and each of these CDs has a decent number of tracks on them. It makes for a good introduction to the band’s sound, and will be a super add to the rotation of holiday tunes each year going forward. What better way is there to celebrate the end to this long year than hearing Celtic Christmas songs drifting through the house as you decorate? To get a taste of the band’s sound and their Christmas songs, be sure to subscribe to the Celtic Christmas Podcast. The show is free though it is supported by Celtic music fans on Patreon. I have featured Celtic Woman many times on past episodes. And they will be on again on future episodes. Subscribe at CelticChristmasPodcast.com . Nollaig shona daoibh.

Next Episode

Hang the Holley: Laura MacKenzie

Welcome to Hang the Holly. You'll meet Laura MacKenzie this week as we take an inside look into the latest episode of the Celtic Christmas Podcast. The The Holly and The Ivy is already getting a ton of downloads. Over 1000 in less than a week after it came out. So I have high hopes that all of these incredible artists will special attention this holiday season. Show #56 features Christmas music from The Irish Rovers, Steel Clover, Matthew Young, Emish, Spencer & Beane, Laura MacKenzie, Cantus Lunaris, The Jig Is Up!, Andrew D. Huber, Rosmerta, Haggis Rampant, A Shamrock in Kudzu, Sarah Marie Mullen, The Selkie Girls, The Gothard Sisters. If you enjoy the show, please do all of these artists a favor. Share it with your friends on social or in your community. You can also rate the podcast or post comments on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher. And of course, subscribe to the podcast at CelticChristmasPodcast.com. And now Laura MacKenzie It’s not hard to believe that Laura MacKenzie has Irish dance in her background – you can almost hear it when she plays her music! This talented artist has not only been the recipient of some coveted fellowships, but she also has her own designated namesake “day” in Minnesota because of her work in traditional Irish music. (In case you are wondering, it’s November 22nd.) Laura has been mentored by some wonderful musicians on everything from button accordion, to Irish flute, to Scottish smallpipes. Yes—she’s definitely one of those Celtic artists that plays numerous instruments! She has also been awarded some heavy-hitting titles, such as a Master Folk Artist, a "Celtic music wizard”, and a "High priestess of Celtic music”. It’s doubtful that any of these monikers were handed out lightly! If you’re looking to lay in something unique in terms of holiday music, this lady presents some fun options. Yuletide Bagpipes is exactly what it sounds like—a nice collection of tunes, featuring a wide array of pipes. You’ll hear border pipes, smallpipes, lowland pipes, medieval greatpipes, and even some cornemuse. It’s hard not to feel festive with this type of music wafting through the air. The album begins with Joy to the World/I Saw Three Ships and offers 15 bright tracks that end with her version of Auld Lang Syne. Celtic Holiday is another one of MacKenzie’s holiday albums; this one features 14 tracks with many favorites peppered throughout, such as “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”, “God Rest Ye Marry Gentlemen”, and “What Child is This/The Greensleeves Jigs. There’s an especially haunting version of “O Come, O Come Immanuel” that is almost meditative. Just lovely. It’s always interesting to see what various artists do with the arrangement of tunes that are familiar to almost everyone. Each has their own take on how to present it, and this is especially true of holiday music like these tracks. For those who can’t decide which of these sounds better, the obvious compromise would be to go with “Heigh Ho, The Green Holly”, which is a collection of Celtic Christmas music that was selected from both of the previous albums. It really is a good mix of the two. This would probably also make a great gift if you know someone who loves the pipes and is in need of a bit of holiday cheer this season. Quite honestly, we could probably all use a bit of that in 2020. Take a look at the track lists and see if one of these albums piques your interest, or tune in and hear Laura MacKenzie for yourself on show #56: The Holly and The Ivy. Visit her website www.lauramackenzie.com. The Celtic Christmas Podcast is free to enjoy. However, it is supported by the generosity of Celtic music fans like you over on Patreon. Get Christmas Cheer. Subscribe at CelticChristmasPodcast.com . Nollaig shona daoibh.