When Brian McKnight sings, the world slowly fades from view. Even bluebirds pause — and turn green with envy — because his melodies are hypnotic and have the power to envelope nearby listeners in the spirit of love.
Since 1992, Brian McKnight's smooth, velvety vocals have blessed the ears of music lovers worldwide. And with the recent deaths of Luther Vandross and Gerald Levert, he stands as one of America's last modern-day "soul men." Even so, fans of every genre can readily identify his work without question or pause.
Upon review of his tenth studio release, I'll Be Home For Christmas, Brian McKnight managed to find time in his busy schedule to settle down for an interview with Clayton Perry, where together they reflected on Lionel Richie, "Win," and McKnight's 16 Grammy nominations.
In 1998, you released Bethlehem, which served as your first Christmas album. Ten years later, you revisited the holiday concept with I'll Be Home For Christmas. Your second offering is much different from the first, in terms of style and delivery, so what influenced the stylistic turn on I'll Be Home For Christmas?
Well, with Bethlehem, I tried to make a record that people could listen to all year round. Over the last ten years, I figured out people wanted their Christmas music to sound like Christmas music. That's what it's supposed to be. When we think about Christmas, we think about Charlie Brown Christmas and Burl Ives. That's what really gets you in the spirit; it's not the contemporary songs about Christmas that you remember 20 years down the road. So I wanted to make a very traditional-sounding record and then sprinkle in a little bit of Brian McKnight here and there. I did most of it live. It's all big band and the orchestra and I did it in a six days. I tried to make a record by considering that if I was making it in 1965, how would I do it? That's the approach I went for.
You are right in saying that a lot of contemporary songs don't really fit when it comes to holidays, but one of my favorite Christmas songs of all-time is "Let It Snow." Since the song came out in 1993, I have played it every single Christmas. It's apparent that Christmas means a lot to you, having put out two Christmas albums of your own and producing Boyz II Men's classic Christmas Interpretations offering. What special attachment do you have to the holiday and what is your fondest Christmas memory?
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