Big holiday energy meets honest storytelling as we map Jacksonville’s most festive concerts and sit down with two artists who know how to turn a December night into a memory. Charles Kelley of Lady A shares how their first Christmas tour finally came to life, why Beach Boys harmonies on Little Saint Nick became a crash course in arranging, and how a rolling banjo and duet feel reshaped Wonderful Christmastime. He opens up about faith-forward moments like Silent Night with Chris Tomlin and the new original While We Sing Noel, written with Scripture close at hand. We talk family, flow, and the little choices that make a two-hour holiday show feel like a living room singalong.
Then the spotlight shifts to Dave Koz, who’s building a concert designed to acknowledge a tough year and guide the room toward hope. He walks us through the rehearsal process, the front line featuring Jonathan Butler, Kayla Waters, Haley Reinhart, and Casey Abrams, and the decision to add New Hope—the Grammy-nominated duet with Bob James—to a Christmas set. Koz shares a heartfelt timeline: the beloved holiday tour will take its final bow at year thirty, not as a farewell to performing but as an opening for new creative paths. Along the way we revisit a shared obsession with Ray Charles’ The Spirit of Christmas and the power of music to connect generations.
We round up key dates at the Florida Theater and other local venues so you can plan your season with confidence. If you’re ready for harmonies that lift, songs that center the heart of the holiday, and a stage full of collaboration, this one’s for you. Hit play, grab tickets while they last, and tell us: which Christmas song do you most want to hear live? If you enjoyed the show, follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find us.