Jamie O'Neal Dedicates Touching 'White Christmas' Cover to Late Sister + Parents [Exclusive Premiere]
Sterling Whitaker Published: October 21, 2021
Angela Talley
Jamie O'Neal is sharing an update of a Christmas classic with her fans in advance of the holiday season, and it's a song to which she has a deep emotional connection. O'Neal is dedicating her new rendition of the Bing Crosby classic "White Christmas" to the memory of her late sister, and fans are hearing it first in this Taste of Country exclusive.
O'Neal's new take on the Irving Berlin song — which debuted in the classic 1942 film Holiday Inn and became such a smash hit for Crosby that it inspired an entirely separate movie titled White Christmas in 1954 — turns the arrangement on its head. She opens the first verse with solo voice and piano in a wistful mood, but by the second verse, she adds more instrumentation for a Western Swing-tinged performance that's far more playful than the familiar track.
O'Neal — who shot to fame with the back-to-back No. 1 success of her debut single, "There Is No Arizona," in 2000 and its follow-up, "When I Think About Angels," in 2001 — is releasing both her "White Christmas" cover and a Christmas original this holiday season as a prelude to a Christmas album she will release in 2022 via BFD/The Orchard.
"'White Christmas' is one of my favorite classic songs to hear and to sing," O'Neal shares, "With the passing of my sister this year, it makes the song even more poignant for me as I think back to when we lived in Kentucky as kids and always hoped to wake up to a white, snowy Christmas. This song is dedicated in loving memory to my sister Sam and to my parents for the great Christmas memories we all shared."
Top Country Songs of 2021, Ranked
You'll find much more than just the Top 10 Country Songs of 2021 on this list. Enjoy the 21 best country songs of the year, based on Taste of Country staff and country music fan opinion, plus commercial data (sales, streaming, airplay).
To be considered, the song must have been released in 2021 or have actively charted for a portion of the year (see "Wine, Beer, Whiskey"). New artists including Lainey Wilson, Larry Fleet and Morgan Wade crack the top songs list, while hitmakers including Thomas Rhett, Jason Aldean and Luke Combs make the Top 10.
Let us know your favorite song of 2021 on Twitter, or email us at staff@tasteofcountry.com.
Source: Jamie O'Neal Dedicates Touching 'White Christmas' Cover to Late Sister + Parents [Exclusive Premiere]