Geoffrey Andrews

Geoffrey Andrews’ festive new album is here just in time!

JB: The album is called “A Christmas to Remember,” and its memories of family and togetherness and gifts of giving that Geoffrey Andrews took into the studio with him…and that studio experience is one he will never forget!

More about Geoffrey Andrews

 There’s something about Christmas that unleashes a torrent of emotions. Joy, pain, loneliness, laughter and hope swirl through the season like snowflakes on a busy street with holiday music providing the soundtrack. The most beloved Christmas albums that surface year after year are the ones that reflect the essence of the season. Acclaimed vocalist Geoffrey Andrews captures the magic of Christmas with his new collection of holiday songs A Christmas To Remember.

  “As I was recording certain songs, I would think about Christmas as a child and about being with family. Opening gifts obviously was a big deal when I was a kid,” he recalls with a smile. “Singing those songs really brought back a lot of memories.”

  Recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios with the famed London Symphony Orchestra, A Christmas To Remember includes some of the holiday season’s most beloved classics. Mixing the sacred and the celebratory, Andrews put his distinctive vocal stamp on such gems as “O Holy Night,” “What Child is This,” “Silent Night,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”  It also includes the poignant original “Candle in the Window,” penned by Andrews.

  “I initially wrote that song as a sad love song,” Andrews shares, “But the more I wrote, the more I thought this could apply to other situations such as loved ones who can’t make it home for Christmas or even someone who might be deployed overseas during Christmas. It could be different situations. So it started as a sad love song, but I think it’s really more universal. People will hear their own situation reflected in the lyric.”

  Andrews has a gift for touching people with his soaring, emotional vocals. Influenced heavily by such icons as Josh Groban, Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli, his phrasing and the emotion in his voice make listening to any song a memorable experience. In 2013, he caught the attention of Sirius XM radio with his cover of “White Christmas,” which they continue to support and include in rotation. His follow up single, “You Don’t Stand Alone,” peaked at #24 on the Friday Morning Quarterback Chart and his single, “I’ll Still Love You,” hit #21 on the FMQB Top 40/AC Chart.

  Listeners are drawn to the warmth and power in his vocals. And if it sounds as though he’s an old soul, it’s because the Texas native has overcome much to get to where he is today. “I feel very blessed. I don’t know what God has planned for me in the future, but I do believe that getting to this point is something of a miracle,” says Andrews, who was born with severe, bilateral clubfoot deformity.  “Doctors told my parents that, at best, I would walk clumsily, but I would never be able to run. To have defied those odds is a God thing.”

  As if club foot deformity and the surgery to correct it wasn’t challenging enough, Andrews was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome when he was eight years old. Because of the Tourettes, he dealt with bullying at school, yet he persevered. “I still have Tourettes but it’s not a big issue anymore,” he says.  “I still deal with it here and there, but that’s part of life for me. I don’t let it slow me down though. It’s a miraculous thing that I’ve gotten this far and I’m excited to see what God has in store for the future.”

  This winter, he looks forward to hitting the road with Selah and sharing music from his new Christmas collection.  Andrews loves performing and has toured in the past with the likes of Lauren Daigle, Point of Grace, For King & Country and other major acts.  “It’s my favorite thing,” says Andrews, who currently resides in Nashville when not on the road. “Before I go on stage I’m always nervous. But other artists have told me that it is a good thing to be a little nervous. Because if you’re not nervous, it could mean you don’t care enough about your performance. When I get out on stage, it’s an energizing experience and those nerves just kind of calm themselves.  It’s one of those moments where I feel like I’m in my element so it’s fun for me to be on stage performing live.”

  Andrews’ talent shines on stage, but he also knows how to wield his gifts in the studio. Even when working with the intimidating skills of the London Symphony Orchestra. “It was like a dream come true for me. I thought of all the things that had gone on at Abby Road Studio, most obvious being The Beatles. I couldn’t believe I was actually there,” he says. “Before the members of the orchestra arrived, I placed a copy of my original album on each chair for them to take home. One musician looked at me and said, ‘Is this you?’ I said, ‘Yes sir, that’s me.’ He said, ‘Wow, no one has ever done anything like this for us.’”

   When choosing what Christmas classics to record, Andrews went to a favorite spot and brainstormed with his production team. “We actually went to my family’s ranch in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.  It was February and it was snowing like crazy. My producers and I sat down by the fire and while it was pouring snow outside the window, we picked songs for this album. Obviously, we all had our favorites. We all had something we really wanted to do. We just decided, ‘Hey we’re going to hash it out right here, right now.’”

  Among the highlights on the album are Andrews’ thoughtful, measured rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and his lush, romantic rendering of the Carpenters’ classic “Merry Christmas Darling,” which he recorded live on the floor with the London Symphony.  And of course, no holiday collection by a classical vocalist would be complete without them tackling “O Holy Night.” “It’s one of my favorite Christmas songs,” he enthuses. “I love the song. I love the dynamics of it, so it was my must have song on this album.  I know that a lot of artists have done ‘O Holy Night’ a million times on their albums, but it’s one of my favorites. It holds special significance to me because of my faith. This is my go-to song.”

  Fans are also gravitating to a special medley on the project titled “Carol Fantasia.” “It’s a mixture of different carols put together in an unexpected format,” he says. “I hope it’s one of those things where people feel it’s really energizing and very epic.  It’s Christmas carols that everyone knows, but it’s arranged and orchestrated in a manner that is just spectacular.”

  Recording his favorite Christmas songs with one of the world’s most esteemed orchestras was a dream come true for the talented artist who has wanted to be a singer since he was five-years-old.   A Christmas To Remember builds on the promise of his debut album, Via Voce, a compelling collection that introduced his phenomenal voice to the world.  “I do believe that God is always on my side. I believe he’s on everyone’s side,” he says.  “As far as the future, I’m not afraid of it. I hold to my faith and I’m eager to see what the future holds. I believe the things I’ve gone through have shaped who I am.  I’ve been through some tough times in the past but I don’t let those times define who I am today.”