The Holiday Music Fest

We'll end this year's Holiday Music Fest with Steve Goodman.  

I write about the singer-songwriter Steve Goodman a lot on these pages, and post quite a few of wonderful songs.  As I often say, none of this gets across the impact and joy he brought to the stage for his live performances, what visceral connection he had with his audiences.  I've told some stories about that, but even those don't do it justice.

This comes somewhat close, even though it's just audio.

I believe this comes from an appearance he made on the TV show Austin City Limits.  It wasn't included in the broadcast, but got released on one of his albums.  Between numbers, someone in the audience yelled out for him to play the song, "Winter Wonderland."  Now, why on earth anyone would request that song at a Steve Goodman concert is beyond me.  But call it out they did.  And why he didn't just laugh and ignore it and move on, is beyond me, as well -- all the more so because not only was it not even remotely in his repertoire...but he didn't even know the song particularly well.  But -- being Steve Goodman and always out to ingratiate himself with this audience and give them the best show he possibly could, often staying on stage long after the scheduled end of his show -- he dove in.  And this is what he came up with.  It is the most joyous, fun version of "Winterland Wonderland" I've ever heard.  I suspect you might agree on your end, too.  This is the joy and the wit and artistry and affectiousness of Steve Goodman.