My Grown-up Christmas Wish
Or, 2024 in review, complete with a thank you!
Friends and neighbors, I want to thank you for making 2024 such a meaningful and productive year. My “grown-up Christmas wish” for you is loving friends and family, good health, music and meaning, and some holiday rest and happiness. Our family is about to begin a several day run of holiday gatherings including the celebration of my “Christmas baby” Andi’s birthday. Before I exit for the year, let me leave you with a reminder of the goodness you supported and made happen. Thank you so much for keeping an eye and and an ear on what I’m making. As I always say, your support is not taken for granted. I’d love to hear from you what your fave creations were in 2024.
I’ll see you again in 2025! Peace and love to you and yours.
So, 40 years ago, almost to the date, this is what I was doing:
40 years later, though . . .
In the Year 2024
Music & Meaning Podcast ***** Five star rating on Apple! Thank you! A huge thanks to Mike Cosper and CT Media Podcasts for the partnership.
Why Everything That Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much—book cowritten with Andi and released March 12th with a lovely launch evening at Parnassus Books here in Nashville.
“This profound and luminous book is the fruit of decades of inhabited truth, of practicing faith, art, community, and hospitality.”
—Tish Harrison Warren, author of Liturgy of the Ordinary and Prayer in the Night
“Sound of the Room” a single featuring bassist John Patitucci. The theme from the Music & Meaning podcast. Released May 17th, 2024. Jazz nerds, listen to John and I “trade fours” in the outvamp. Avail everywhere.
Every Kind of Uh-Oh — a new vocal recording featuring family and friends, including the legendary harmonica player Charlie McCoy on “Turtle in a Chinese Food Box.” Most played songs from the set? Turtle, “Get Yourself Some” and “Someone About to Get Sent” with special guest Sara Groves, extraordinary artist and cofounder of Art House North. First recording in 20 years for one of the entertainment giants—many thanks to Brad O’Donnell & Troy Tomlinson from CCMG/Universal and Universal Music Publishing, respectively—to the crew at RE:THINK, Clay Bradley and BMI, and my publicists Milestone Publicity. Big props to all the musicians, vocalists and engineers that blessed me with their skills and artistry.
CharliePeacock.com gets a remodel! Many thanks to my granddaughter Bridget Ashworth for her help. And you can always hear Bridget singing with Papa on “Sing It Blue.”
Faith & Democracy Tour: I was honored to help organize the music for a handful of events in the Fall featuring speakers Diana Butler Bass, Jemar Tisby, Kristin Dumez, Robert P. Jones, and musicians Tommy Sims, Fernando Ortega, Sam Ashworth, Ruby Amanfu, Taylor Leonhardt, and Rissi Palmer. Many thanks to Mike Tash, Sean Sands, Colleen Ross, and Melissa Deckman for your help.
Bonus Music! Through my friends at the Meta Music Initiative I was also able to release an album and EP this year: Big Hope Big Love and Mad Funky and Some Chill. Available everywhere. Many thanks to Brent Bourgeois, Leslie Barton, Richie Biggs, Pamela Roberts, Sam Page, and Soo Kwak.
The memoir, Roots & Rhythm: A Life in Music, wrapped in 2024 and will release on February 4, 2025 in hardcover, Kindle, and Audible. Preorders avail here:
AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE HEARTS & MINDS
Nashvillians and visitors, join me for the book launch at Parnassus Books in Nashville from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. Purchase a ticket now at Parnassus Books.
Note: Your ticket includes a signed hardcover copy of the memoir.
This is the only event I’m doing for Roots & Rhythm so please plan to join me and my special guests if able. Note: there’s only 100 seats or so.
Please direct all requests for interviews and podcast appearances to Milestone Publicity c/o Jessica Bonner at jbonner@milestonepublicity.com and Mike Gowen at mgowen@milestonepublicity.com.
Sing It Blue
I got rhythm in my pocket
A place where I can stand
The mind to move away from
A tried and true plan
Who says it is so anyway?
The prophet, the thief?
I’ve no need of your map
To find myself a priest
It’s all been decided
The history of love
The hammer and the nail
The hand in the glove
Lift your voices like sirens
Like echoes in the black night
Of the universe
Do your part to be a heart
That beats in time with the truth
And I will too, sing it blue
Too many beaten down
Ignored or written off
What happened to the gold
In the rule, did it stop?
Not so fast, it’ll outlast
Every tyrant with a stick
There’s help for the helpless
Healing for the sick
The consequence of sitting on our hands is too great
Making plain our conviction isn’t something that can wait
There’s a bell in the distance ringing like a clock
The hand of its melody sweeps the sound of its thought
Can you hear, can you see, can you hear, can you see?
Are you free to believe, free to receive?