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KSUT's 2021 holiday programming schedule features plenty of music for the season. And Patrick Stewart reading 'A Christmas Carol.'

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KSUT is always pleased to bring you special programming for the holidays. This year, we put together a festive mix that includes KSUT specialty music shows and offerings from NPR and PRX, the Public Radio Exchange. And what would Christmas Eve be without Patrick Stewart? Make it so!

Here's the complete schedule, along with selected program descriptions below.

Enjoy. And seasons best from all of us at KSUT!

- - -

Wednesday, December 1, 2021
9 PM – 10 PM: Hanukkah Lights

Monday, December 20
7 PM – 9 PM: Down Home Girl Holiday Show
9 PM – 10 PM: A Thistle & Shamrock Solstice
10PM – 12 AM: A Celtic Christmas

Tuesday, December 21
7 PM – 9 PM: Barrelhouse Blues Holiday Show
9 PM – 10 PM: Paul Winter Solstice Concert
10PM – 12 AM: Echoes Solstice

Wednesday, December 22
7 PM – 9 PM: Tales of the New West Holiday Show
9 PM – 10 PM: Sounds From the Mother Road Holiday Show
10PM – 12 AM: The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice

Thursday, December 23
7 PM – 9 PM: Ike's America Holiday Show
9 PM – 10 PM: A Crosby Christmas
10PM – 12 AM: A Wild Winter With Smoke Fairies

Friday, December 24 – Christmas Eve
7 PM – 9 PM: kuni Nashwa Holiday Show
9 PM – 10 PM: Patrick Stewart Reads “A Christmas Carol”
10PM – 12 AM: A Nordic Cosmic Christmas (continues until 1 AM)

Saturday, December 25 – Christmas Day
12 AM – 1 AM: A Nordic Cosmic Christmas
1 AM – 6 AM: BBC World Service
6 AM – 8 AM: A San Juan Sunrise Christmas Morning
8 AM – 10 AM: Weekend Edition
10 AM – 11 AM: Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me
11 AM – 12 PM: This American Life
12 PM – 1 PM: Tinsel Tales 4
1 PM – 2 PM: An Afro Blue Christmas
2 PM – 4 PM: A Cool Christmas
4 PM – 6 PM: American Routes
6 PM – 7 PM: All Things Considered
7 PM – 9 PM: A Strange Brew Christmas
9 PM – 10 PM: A World Cafe Holiday
10 PM – 12 AM: An Echoes Christmas

Monday, December 27
9 PM – 10 PM: A Seasons Griot: Celebrating Kwanzaa in Story and Song

Thursday, December 30
9 AM – 12 PM: Best of the KSUT Music Blend 2021

Friday, December 31 – New Year's Eve
7 PM – 9 PM: Musician Memorial 2021
9 PM – 12 AM: Toast of the Nation (continues until 1 AM)

Saturday, January 1, 2022 – New Year's Day
12 AM – 1 AM: Toast of the Nation
12 PM – 3 PM: New Year's Day Music Blend

- - -

Selected program descriptions

Monday, December 20, 10PM – 12 AM
A Celtic Christmas
Music for the winter holidays, including a 30-minute concert performance by Irish harpist and singer Moya Brennan.

Tuesday, December 21, 9 PM – 10 PM
Paul Winter Solstice Concert
Celebrate the return of the sun with an encore performance recorded in the world’s largest Gothic cathedral. Musicians include gospel singer Theresa Thomason, multi-instrumentalist and singer Arto Tunçboyacıyan and double reed wizard Paul McCandless. Hear the American Performance Premiere of the Grammy-winning suite MIHO with The Paul Winter Consort: Eugene Friesen, Paul Sullivan, Eliot Wadopian, Jamey Haddad, Tim Brumfield and the thundering Cathedral Pipe Organ.

Wednesday, December 22, 10PM – 12 AM
The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice
A two-hour musical celebration of the winter holidays -- Christmas, the Solstice, Chanukah, Jonkonnu, New Year’s and Twelfth Night/Epiphany -- featuring traditional carols, anthems, wassails, hymns, children’s game-songs, and folk dance-tunes excerpted from live Christmas Revels stage productions presented around the country.

Thursday, December 23 – 9 PM – 10 PM
A Crosby Christmas
A loving tribute to the man whose voice remains the quintessential soundtrack of the Christmas season. Featuring rare interviews and memories from a galaxy of Bing's contemporaries: Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Maxene Andrews of The Andrews Sisters and rare interviews with the man of the hour: Bing Crosby! This special celebrates the voice of Christmas like no other. It's Bing Crosby in a collection of studio recordings and performances from film, television and radio.

Friday, December 24, 10PM – 12 AM
A Nordic Cosmic Christmas
Music for the winter holidays, including a 30-minute concert performance by Norwegian guitarist Erik Wollo.

Saturday, December 25, 12 PM – 1 PM
Tinsel Tales 4
For many of us, Christmas is about family and traditions. For others it's a stressful or even a sad time. No matter how good or bad your holiday is, it’s quite likely to include music. This year, Tinsel Tales includes stories of the season told thru music with interviews from the NPR Archives. Kenny Rogers, Katie Melua, Sting, Amy Grant and Jon Batiste talk about the power of music at Christmas. Hosted by Lynn Neary.

Saturday, December 25, 1 PM – 2 PM
An Afro Blue Christmas
Here's a very special holiday concert with Howard University's premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue, and special guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut. The a-cappela group performs a variety of holiday songs including African-American spirituals, jazz and pop tunes, and classical repertoire. The joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions... music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris.

Saturday, December 25, 2 PM – 4 PM
A Cool Christmas
Music history producer Paul Ingles gently hosts an hour of pop, rock and soul holiday music. Paul Simon, Otis Redding, Charles Brown, Pretenders, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Kinks, Shawn Colvin, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Beatles, and more. Perfect for giving your regulars time off for the holidays and treat your listeners to some of the cooler holiday tunes.

Saturday, December 25, 9 PM – 10 PM
A World Cafe Holiday
World Cafe is celebrating 30 years by revisiting special holiday performances from Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Los Lobos, Andrew Bird, The Bird and The Bee, Pink Martini, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and more. Hosted by Raina Douris, this musical gift will provide a full hour of hip holiday cheer.

Monday, December 27, 9 PM – 10 PM
A Season's Griot: Celebrating Kwanzaa in Story and Song
Public radio's only nationally-syndicated Kwanzaa program. Hosted for 25 years by acclaimed storyteller Madafo Lloyd Wilson, this annual one-hour special captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples.

Friday, December 31, 9 PM – 1 AM
Toast of the Nation
An NPR tradition every New Year's Eve since the 1970s, Toast of the Nation is the perfect audio compliment for the occasion. It's festive jazz you can party to. Hear sets from The Catherine Russell Trio, The Jazz Gallery All-Stars, KOKOROKO, and Pink Martini.

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