My Favorite Album...Live

I love Andrew Peterson's album, Behold the Lamb. It's everything that Christmas music should be - beautiful narrative, a story of a story and amazing musicality. I listen to this album all year long (really), but it's especially meaningful during the Christmas and Easter seasons.

We make every effort to attend the album's annual Christmas tour. Andrew Peterson (singer/songwriter/album crafter) puts together an amazing ensemble of other singers/songwriters to perform the album live.

The first half of the concert is an opportunity to hear each of these remarkable musicians perform songs of their own creation (two each). It's the most cooperative musical experience - each artist playing instruments and/or singing backup for the others. Wonderful, wonderful stuff.

When I say these musicians are remarkable - I mean it. They even have two guys who play the hammered dulcimer.

After a short intermission, the group gathers to perform Behold the Lamb straight through. I can't even begin to capture the wonder of the album, the storyline and the deep emotional and spiritual impact it has. This is Christmas music - the story of the nativity, starting at the beginning of time, and ending at the stable in Bethlehem.

Do yourself a favor. Buy the album. Listen to it once. Then again - and again and again and again. It will quickly become your new favorite Christmas album, as it is mine.