Blues rock icon Joe Bonamassa invites you all to gather round as he adds another staple to his festive season single releases, as this year he offers ‘Lonely Christmas Eve’.
Despite its title, warm tones invite you in from the cold throughout ‘Lonely Christmas Eve’, so it’s only when Bonamassa starts to sing that we begin to reflect on his plight, for much as he lists the various traditional festivities one looks forward to, when you get a phone call telling you there’ll be no kissing under the mistletoe this year things look nothing but bleak.
Fortunately, as the animated video that accompanies this single shows, Bonamassa’s cartooned character is not to be a maudlin caricature for long, as friends race like a cavalry coming over the hill, riding bob sleighs, zipping between trees, and traversing the snow just as the melody guitar hooks in for a more euphoric chorus and the promise that “we’ll have a party for all us strays” with a feel good factor to put the world to right, if only for just one special night.
Broadly mainstream in appeal while dipped in the blues, with some country regret, ‘Lonely Christmas Eve’ is a gentle reminder to try not to forget those alone; be they without love, elderly and widowed, or homeless.
Available on streaming platforms, you can check out the video yourself below, while Bonamassa’s digital stocking can be found brimming over with other Christmas songs here.
This release follows Bonamassa’s recent GRAMMY nomination for Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category, his fourth career nomination. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Blues Album Chart last year, resonating with Grammy voters and further solidifying his legacy as a modern blues powerhouse. His other nominations include 2022’s Royal Tea (Contemporary Blues Album), 2017’s Live At The Greek Theatre (Best Traditional Blues Album) and 2014’s Seesaw (Contemporary Blues Album) with Beth Hart.
2024 has been a monumental year for Bonamassa, with his live album and concert film Live at the Hollywood Bowl with Orchestra debuting at#1 on multiple Billboard charts, including Blues, Classical, and Classical Crossover. This achievement marks his 28th career #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, extending his record and showcasing his ability to blend blues with orchestral grandeur.
