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Raymond Arroyo has entertained and informed audiences in one way or another his whole life, as a contributor for Fox and CNN - Raymond spoke to Bill about his new album Christmas Merry & Bright - charms listeners with his renaissance sensibilities-new light on a collection of Christmas standards
Raymond Arroyo – Christmas Merry and Bright with the NOLA Players Jazz Orchestra and special guest Frankie Avalon on Friday, December 15 th at 7:30pm at the KeyBank State Theatre at Playhouse Square. Get show info and purchase tickets at PlayhouseSquare.org.
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WTAM- CHRISTMAS MORNING 5AM TO 8AM - Christmas Radio Special with Raymond Arroyo
ABOUT RAYMOND'S DEBUT ALBUM CHRISTMAS MERRY & BRIGHT
Soon to be Released Debut Music Album, Already Topping Amazon Music's Jazz Charts
A response to longtime fan requests, Raymond Arroyo Christmas Merry & Bright charms listeners with Arroyo's renaissance sensibilities. Warm vocals and a touch of humor refresh and cast new light on a collection of Christmas standards we've all taken for granted.
Raymond Arroyo has entertained and informed audiences in one way or another his whole life, as a contributor for Fox and CNN, with his New York Times bestselling-books and his frequent appearances on: The Today Show, Fox News, Good Morning America, CNN Headline News, Access Hollywood, Erin Burnett Outfront, The Ingraham Angle and through beloved shows on EWTN (commonly known as "the world's largest Faith media network"). Now audiences will be treated to his debut recording Christmas Merry & Bright in which his deeply rooted musical background takes center stage; having grown up singing in his native New Orleans, then graduating from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts followed by theater stints in London. On Merry & Bright Arroyo is backed by jazz supergroup, The NOLA Players. Christmas Merry & Bright showcases Kevin Kaska's (The Greatest Showman, Jungle Book) beautiful, Big Band new arrangements of the timeless "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", a hard driving, "Joy to the World", and a never-before heard orchestration of medley "The First Noel/ We Magi of Orient Are". Recorded at the historic Le Petite Theatre by multi-grammy award winning producer Brad Michel, the album captures unexplored emotions of the season with an all-new rendition of the beloved, "Feliz Navidad"-- complete with a moving duet with Grammy Winner José Feliciano.
Soon to be a Christmas favorite, Christmas Merry & Bright will forever change the way listeners will experience these cherished songs. Arroyo will be touring in select markets this coming November and December in support of Christmas Merry & Bright, bringing a uniting, memory making, wonder awakening, experience to prepare for the yuletide season!
ABOUT CHRISTMAS MERRY AND BRIGHT: PLAY BACKSTORIES
In this three-hour radio special, award-winning broadcaster, New York Times best-selling author and acclaimed vocalist Raymond Arroyo unveils the hidden backstories of some of the most beloved songs of Christmas - with new big band arrangements from his Billboard chart-topping album, Christmas Merry & Bright and some classic tracks. He also interviews Grammy winners Jose Feliciano and Amy Grant for special insight into their massive Christmas hits. This is a tuneful, illuminating holiday celebration that will surprise and enchant listeners. They'll never hear these Christmas songs in quite the same way. Christmas Merry & Bright: Play Backstories reveals:
* The origin and true meaning of Jingle Bells, the most well-known song of Christmas. Did you know it's actually a drag racing, girl chasing, drinking song, which was written in a tavern?
* The story of how the beloved Christmastime Is Here from A Charlie Brown Christmas almost didn't happen, and the man who not only saved it, but also wrote the lyrics.
* We reveal that hidden, tragic backstory of White Christmas, and why it continues to stir up deep emotions nearly a century after its premiere.
* Did you know that Joy To The World and Deck The Halls were never intended to be Christmas songs, and in fact, aren't? Or that neither the composer nor the lyricist of Hark the Herald Angels Sing wanted to write that song?
All this and more awaits all who join us for Christmas Merry and Bright: Play Backstories.
RAYMOND ARROYO BIO
Raymond Arroyo is a Fox News contributor and appears regularly on The Ingraham Angle where his Seen and Unseen and Friday Follies segments have become viewer favorites. He joined the network in 2017. In addition to his role as a contributor, Arroyo co-hosts Laura & Raymond on FNC's on demand subscription-based streaming service FOX Nation. During the program, he and co-host Laura Ingraham, dive into the latest in politics and culture. A New York Times bestselling author, Arroyo is the founding news director of EWTN News, and the creator of The World Over, a Washington-based international news magazine show. He has worked for the Associated Press, The New York Observer, and the political columnist team of Evans and Novak. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Newsweek, Time Magazine, and The New Yorker.
Throughout his career, he has interviewed prominent names including, President George W. Bush, President Donald Trump, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Placido Domingo.
Arroyo is the author of five books, including his biography of Mother Angelica, and the Will Wilder series for young readers, which he continues to write.
A graduate of New York University, Arroyo received a bachelors of arts in Political Science and Journalism and a bachelors of fine arts from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He currently resides in New Orleans and Washington DC with his wife, Rebecca and three children.