Christmas came a little early this year for country music fans who celebrated the season with Kacey Musgraves on Wednesday night. Not only did the Texas artist close her Christmas tour at Billy Bob's Texas, a historic Fort Worth venue in the Stockyards, but she also surprised the audience by bringing out hometown singer Leon Bridges for their duet, "A Present Without A Bow."
In a tilted fedora and a sharp suit straight from the '60s, Bridges' soulful swagger and silky-smooth vocals mellowed the vibrant number, which is one of Musgraves' original holiday songs. The beloved Fort Worth swooner is featured on Musgraves' newest release, A Very Kacey Christmas, as are Willie Nelson and the Quebe Sisters.
The stage was decked out with a wintery scene of snow-capped trees, twinkling lights and festive holiday attire, and Musgraves and her expansive band hosted a whimsical Christmas party reminiscent of the past. They performed classic holiday songs like "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" and "Let It Snow" using a multitude of instruments including saxophone, accordion, lap steel guitar and cello.
Musgraves played the part well in a sparkling dress, glittering heels and her girl-next-door persona the country music world fell in love with when she debuted almost four years ago.
Her sweet Texas twang and flickering vocal breaks added just enough western flair to the Christmas tunes, maintaining a balance between the vintage holiday theme and her southern charm. Her full-size band did more than just back her up; they put their own spin on the Christmas classics, adding in a wavering whistle and jazzy saxophone interludes from Nashville-extraordinaire Rory Hoffman. The multi-instrumentalist played nearly everything, from the accordion to the oboe, and even sang lead on "I'll Be Home For Christmas."
Musgraves performed her unconventional holiday single, "A Willie Nice Christmas," strumming a ukulele with the lines, "May we all be higher than the angel at the top of the tree." These tongue-in-cheek lyrics set her album apart from the countless Christmas records that have come before. Fans have embraced her racy undertones. And yet she's also found a way to connect with multiple generations; young girls and older people alike sang along to both her holiday songs and her most popular singles.
Non-seasonal numbers included "Follow Your Arrow" and "Family is Family." Musgraves saved the best for last -- her acoustic rendition of "Merry Go 'Round."
Even though her most famous songs were few and far between, Musgraves found a way to make a typical Christmas concert a surprising experience.
