BRENDA LEE TIES A NOSTALGIC BOW ON CHRISTMAS WITH TREE AUCTION TO BENEFIT MUSICARES CHARITY
(Nashville, Tennessee) –December 4, 2014 –Brenda Lee’s perennial Christmas song classic, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” consistently recognized by Billboard Magazine
as one of the Top 10 Christmas songs in the history of American music,
gets new meaning this year as Brenda’s nostalgically themed addition to
Gaylord-Opryland Resorts “Annual Parade of Trees” in
Nashville is now up for online bids to benefit Musicares, the
humanitarian arm of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
(NARAS).
The
only female artist to be enshrined in both the Rock & Roll and
Country Music Halls of Fame, when Brenda Lee decorates a Christmas tree
for charity it bears paying attention.
Heavily
laden with over seven feet of ‘50’s-‘60’s pop culture memorabilia that
includes vintage car models, replicas of gold records, malt shop
sundaes, musical notes, autographed ornaments from top artists of the
50’s and ‘60’s a whimsical Brenda tree topper and surrounding pink
poodle tree skirt, the Brenda Lee tree is currently bringing happy
memories and smiles to the more than 2 million visitors expected to be
on hand to see it throughout the holidays at Nashville’s
Gaylord-Opryland Cascades Atrium.
The
tree’s unique decor will be sold to the highest bidder—a winning bid
that will bring not only a tree full of nostalgic ornaments and goodies
but a sleigh load of personal gifts from Brenda herself—highlights
including:
- Personal lunch with Brenda for four at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
- Autographed replica of her “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” gold record.
- Handwritten “Rockin” lyrics.
- Limited edition signed “Rockin Around The Christmas Tree” ornament from Hallmark.
- Malt
Shop Memories Autograph Book –autographs from Brenda, The Beach Boys,
Dion, The Drifters, The Temptations, Martha & The Vandellas, etc.
- Vintage replica tabletop jukebox that plays Christmas classics.
In Brenda’s case, the inspiration for the tree., as well as many of the ornaments, came from her November performances on the “Malt Shop Memories Cruise”
–an annual week long oldies music extravaganza at sea presented by
Star Vista Entertainment. The sailing again this year offered
cruise-goers the top names in music from the 50’s and 60’s aboard
Holland American lines elegant ship, the Eurodam. While cutting the blue
waters of the Caribbean, Brenda proved to be an instant hit aboard ship
with the sea-faring music lovers—a love affair on her maiden voyage
that was in this case mutually felt by both artist and audience.
“I’ve
done many cruise performances but the ‘Malt Shop Memories Cruise’ moved
the experience to a whole new level for me,” noted Brenda from her
vantage point back on dry land.
“It
was just tremendous fun to be surrounded aboard ship by people of my
generation who loved and identified with the same music I did as a
teenager—and who brought these same memories to share together on the
cruise. I actually was given ornaments for the tree from many of the
cruisers who used them as door decorations aboard the ship—which adds to
the special ‘malt shop memories’ element of the oldies theme we used.
To say the audience made me feel loved during the week would be an
understatement, and it was a thrill for me to get to know and perform
for the actual people who’ve supported my music for more than six
decades. These are the very people who have stuck with me and allowed
me to have the career I’ve had.”
Paying
her career blessing s forward, Brenda has earmarked the proceeds from
her tree to MusiCares, the humanitarian outreach of the National Academy
of the Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), for whom she’s served as a
board member and which serves as the parent organization of the Grammy
Awards. MusiCares offers a broad reach of financial resources and
assistance aid to those in need within the music community.
Brenda’s
tree and the additional 15 celebrity trees up for auction for charity
through the “Parade Of Trees” at Gaylord Opryland will be available for
bidding throughout December to close of bids on December 31st. They can
be viewed and bids placed online at: www.oprylandparadeoftrees.com
