Mitchell Kezin of ”Jingle Bell Rocks,” Jim McCormick, and Bailey James

<p>This is the last episode of the Christmas season, but The Twelve Songs of Christmas is a year-around affair, so the conversations will continue in January after I take a much-needed week off.</p> <p>This week's episode includes an interview with filmmaker <a href='http://jinglebellrocks.oscilloscope.net/'>Mitchell Kezin</a>, whose documentary Jingle Bell Rocks! takes a deep dive into the world of Christmas music, talking to people who collect it and create it. It's streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime, and we'll talk more about the movie next year, but this week we discuss its origins including the songs and ideas that set him on the path for a documentary on Christmas music. </p> <p>Then I talk to songwriter <a href='http://www.eclipsemusicgrp.com/talent/jim-mccormick'>Jim McCormick</a>, an old friend and successful songwriter in Nashville. Last year, he co-wrote his third number one, Gabby Barrett's "The Good Ones," and we catch up on the story behind that, as well as some of his favorite country Christmas songs. We talk about Kacey Musgraves, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Luke Bryan and more, thinking about the songs from the songwriter's or the industry's perspectives.</p> <p>Finally, I talk to young country artist <a href='https://www.baileyjames.com/'>Bailey James</a>, who is still finding her audience. We talk about dealing with COVID times and her two Christmas recordings, which at the time of the interview made up a quarter of her output. How does Christmas music create marketing opportunities? </p> <p>Alexandra Scott returns this week to discuss two of Phoebe Bridgers' Christmas songs--"The Christmas Song" and her cover of Merle Haggard's "If We Make it Through December." </p> <p>We also hear some of our favorite contemporary Christmas albums, JD McPherson's Socks and Kelly Finnigan's A Joyful Sound, and The Polyphonic Spree, who put<a href='https://www.prekindle.com/promo/id/531433528084778786'> tickets on sale</a> for their 2022 Holiday Extraganza this week. <a href='https://www.twelvesongsof