The ghosts of Christmas past mean something entirely different for one singer who loves to unwrap musical nostalgia.
Gospel and bluegrass vocalist Tim Shelton thinks of people such as Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a bit of an old soul,” Shelton said, speaking from his home in Carlisle, Ohio, near Cincinnati. “And I’ve always enjoyed older Christmas music.”
Therein lies part of the reason that, with the help of a 12-piece band, including a generous amount of brass, he will step into the past and revive an old-fashioned holiday with a big band sound and tunes in the style of the more classic crooners come Nov. 29 at The Commons. His “A Very Vintage Christmas” two-hour free show will encompass carols such as “O Holy Night” and secular seasonal favorites such as “Let It Snow.”
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Tunes ranging from the 1950s to the early 1970s hold a special place for Shelton.
“I just feel something from it,” he said of the period.
He feels such a vibe that he copied from some of the singers of the time when he recorded the EP disc “A Very Vintage Christmas” in December to accompany the concert tour. He did parts of the four tunes live in the studio, just the way artists such as Sinatra did.
And he loves the idea of performing live with the backing of the rich, lush sounds of a jazz-style ensemble. It reminds him of the time he was enthralled years ago when he caught country star Vince Gill with the Dayton Philharmonic about 20 years ago, before Shelton ever became a singer.
“I was blown away,” Shelton said.
So Shelton was inspired to do his part to make a live show extra special.
“That’s not something you can see very often,” Shelton said of the extensive musical backing. “There’s so much power behind a horn section. And when you’re singing along with that, it is just amazing.”
Shelton, formerly of the nationally touring bluegrass group Newfound Road, is happy to have steered himself to such a newly found road of expression. The last time he did a Christmas tour, it unfolded as an intimate affair four years ago, and included stops at locales such as the local Columbus Christian Church, where music pal Ron Bridgewater is pastor.
“He’s pretty incredible,” Bridgewater said. “And he can sing anything in any style. With this concert, I think he just wants to transport people back to a nostalgic era — and do it in a very high-quality kind of way.”
Shelton acknowledged that the logistics of “a lot of moving parts” for the concert make it challenging. But he’s confident it will all come together beautifully — and looks forward to moments such as presenting “O Holy Night” — a song that he most often has presented a cappella at past concerts.
“It’s beautifully written, and the melody is gorgeous,” Shelton said.
He hopes the evening at The Commons can be all that more for his audience of listeners.
“I want them to be part of an experience,” Shelton said. “I know that sounds a bit lofty. But I want them to be taken back in time in a very good way.
“The holidays tend to bring nostalgia around, anyway. I want people to be engulfed in a show during which they can simply forget all the troubles of life, and forget about all the political arguing and fighting and stresses,” he added.
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What: Bluegrass and gospel singer Tim Shelton and a 12-piece band performing the concert "A Very Vintage Christmas," featuring tunes from Bing Crosby to Nat King Cole and others.
When: 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 29.
Where: The Commons, 300 Washington St. in downtown Columbus.
Admission: Free, made possible by Columbus Christian School.
Information: Facebook page for Columbus Christian School or veryvintagechristmas.com.
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