Skip Ewing has long been one of country music’s most successful songwriters and his gifts seem to shine especially bright during the holidays. After all, Ewing is the writer who penned the modern-day classic “It Wasn’t His Child,” which has been recorded by numerous artists including Sawyer Brown, Trisha Yearwood and Tim McGraw. He also wrote “Just a Kid,” recorded by Kenny Chesney. But this holiday season, fans can hear Ewing himself serve up some holiday cheer on his new album Skip Ewing—Christmas.
Reaction to his music has been humbling for Ewing, who recently performed songs from Christmas as well his 2020 album Wyoming during a recent Grand Ole Opry performance. “I did ‘Mr. Snowman’ and ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ at the Opry and got a standing ovation I would have never expected,” he tells SLN with a big smile. “You don’t expect to get a standing ovation at the Opry. It just feels like some things are happening when I get a chance to do what I do as an artist and the music that we’ve made most recently is being received in a really positive, exciting way.”
Ewing is no newcomer to the country music scene. He first hit the charts in 1988 with the No. 3 hit “Burnin’ a Hole in My Heart” from his critically acclaimed debut album The Coast of Colorado. In addition to being an artist in his own right, Ewing also forged a successful career as a songwriter. He has had songs recorded by Kenny Rogers, Reba McEntire, Clint Black, Conway Twitty and numerous others, including such hits as Collin Raye’s “Love, Me,” Diamond Rio’s “I Believe,” Randy Travis’ “If I Didn’t Have You,” Kenny Chesney’s “You Had Me From Hello” and Brian White’s “Rebecca Lynn” and “I’m Not Supposed to Love You Anymore.”
After decades in Nashville, Ewing embarked on a different life. He discovered a passion for working with horses and moved west. It would be more than a decade before he would make another album. Currently living in Wyoming with his wife Linda, an equestrian photographer/videographer, Ewing began writing new music in 2018 and Linda encouraged him to make a new album. The result was Wyoming, a beautifully crafted sonic masterpiece filled with poignant, powerful songs.
Ewing recruited legendary producer Kyle Lehning (Randy Travis, Dan Seals, George Jones) to co-produce Wyoming and Christmas. “I enjoy being in the studio with Kyle, but I already had a lot of respect for him knowing the records that he had made,” Ewing says. “It almost felt like we’d worked together on many, many albums the first day we walked into the studio. It was so natural. Things were easily communicated.”
Christmas is a seven-track collection that includes Ewing originals such as the beautiful piano ballad “Whenever a Child is Born” alongside Ewing’s unique interpretation of such classics as “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “’ Twas the Night Before Christmas,” which he transforms into “Better Watch Out.”
“‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ was either written in 1943 or released in 1943 and from my understanding of history that song, it’s popularity made a huge difference to morale in US troops during WWII,” Ewing explains. “People may know the song, but they may not know the history behind that, and to me, it still had power. When I go to play Christmas songs, I may not have time to play every song and so I often figure out ways to put them together. I was just musing on that and . . . the melody of ‘America The Beautiful’ I realized was so similar in some ways to ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ and I just thought it wove beautifully musically and lyrically. I just kind of took a chance with that. I believe that people still listen, and they listen with their heart. So I just gave that a try and it seems to have hit a chord and people do understand why I would make that decision.”
On Christmas Ewing serves up his version of “Just a Kid,” originally featured on Chesney’s 2003 album All I Want for Christmas is a Real Good Tan. “Kent Blazy and I wrote that together and Kent and I have been friends more than just writing partners. We got together in a conversation that led us to the path of that song,” he says. “When Jesus was born, the Pharisees said he couldn’t possibly be King because he was just a kid. And then when Jesus is speaking, after we know he’s going to be crucified, he’s speaking to his father and he’s saying, ‘I’m just a kid’ comparatively and that speaks to his humility.”
Another powerful moment on the album is the tender ballad “Whenever a Child is Born,” which Ewing wrote with Aaron Barker. “Many of the Christmas songs that I’ve written, I didn’t sit down planning to write a Christmas song, but if I got a Christmas idea then I would approach as ‘Oh this makes sense for a Christmas song,’” he says. “For instance, ‘Whenever A Child Is Born,’ we didn’t start out writing that to be a Christmas song. The topic was kind of more universal, but the way to talk about that particular miracle was to say it was every day and in that sense was a Christmas morning and that sort of made it a Christmas song.”
“Christmas Carol” is a sweet story song that tugs at the heart strings. “Ewing first record the song on his acclaimed 1995 Christmas album Following Yonder Star. “Don Sampson and I wrote ‘Christmas Carol’ and I remember us just saying, ‘What if Carol was actually a little girl?’ We just thought through the story about her being born on Christmas day and being orphaned. The story is not true. We don’t know a Christmas Carol, but we know stories that are like that, and we know children that who are orphaned and need a home. I think Christmas time brings out such generosity, not just generosity from resources, but generosity of spirit and of heart. It reminds us of things that are really important, and we tried to bring some warmth to something that could be sad, but hopefully it will ultimately make you smile.”
Ewing is looking forward to celebrating Christmas in Wyoming. “We have a very small community, but the community is strong and our friends in Wyoming are very dear,” he says. “We will have small safe gatherings, even with COVID. I love to cook. It’s one of the things that helped me get through all the time last year. I cooked the whole season on the ranch. I love to do that and that will be a big part of our Christmas. It’s a way to love people. We’ll eat and play games and sometimes sing. It’s a lovely time. It’s Christmas time.”
Ewing is hoping his Christmas music will add joy to other’s holidays. “It feels like an amazing gift and blessing for me to have been able to even record this album,” he says. “If those who listen experience it as a gift, then I’m honored. Even more, I am infinitely grateful they took time to listen.”