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The holidays are here, and rather than succumb to the same old Christmas music, why not explore Pacific Northwest artists from the not-too-distant past who put out some really interesting Christmas music over the years?

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No offense to Tacoma-born and Spokane-raised or (who spent his twilight years in Anacortes) or other well-known Northwest artists not featured in this roundup. Those guys get plenty of well-deserved airplay already.

The Brothers Four 鈥淢ary鈥檚 Boy Child鈥�

The original Brothers Four was a folk quartet featuring Bob Flick, John Paine, Mike Kirkland and Dick Foley. They were actual fraternity brothers at the University of Washington in the late 1950s. The group was signed by Columbia Records as that label鈥檚 鈥渁nswer鈥� to the Kingston Trio on Capitol Records. They had a hit in 1960 with a song called 鈥淕reenfields鈥� and put out a number of LPs, and a version of the band is still touring.

In 1966, the year they recorded their Christmas LP, they had traveled to Vietnam and performed short shows for troops all over the jungle, arriving and leaving by helicopter. It made an impression on Dick Foley and other members of the group, and they dedicated the holiday record to American servicemen.

Dick Foley said several years ago that is his favorite song on the album.

The Ventures 鈥沦苍辞飞蹿濒补办别蝉鈥�

The Ventures were the kings of instrumental guitar rock. The band was founded in Tacoma in the late 1950s by Don Wilson and the late Bob Bogle and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. You鈥檝e probably heard their version of from their 1965 Christmas album that sounds like a fraternal twin of the band鈥檚 huge hit

Ventures鈥� co-founder Don Wilson told 成人X站 Radio in 2015 that he was the one who came up with the brilliant idea to 鈥渇ilter鈥� traditional Christmas carols and more recent Christmas songs through current (in 1965) pop songs. The song is a reworking of 鈥淕reensleeves,鈥� but the pop song it pays tribute to is unclear. If you know, please comment below.

The Ventures鈥� original Christmas LP is loaded with similar songs, and comes up on many as one of the best Christmas albums of all time.

Etiquette Records 鈥淢erry Christmas鈥�

This 1965 LP of legendary Tacoma bands has been reissued on CD and is one of the greatest Christmas records of all time. There鈥檚 nary a miss on either side, including rockers by , plus sensitive ballads by The Fabulous Wailers, including and And don鈥檛 forget the prescient

Stan Boreson 鈥淯ncle Sven Is Coming To Town鈥�

If there was a 鈥淣ovelty Song Hall of Fame,鈥� the self-proclaimed 鈥淜ing of Scandinavian Humor鈥� Stan Boreson would be in it.

Stan was a quintessential Northwest performer and icon for more than half of the 20th century, and a good chunk of the 21st. He grew up in Everett and was an early star on KING-TV while he was still in college. He put out all kinds of novelty records going back to the early 1950s, and hosted a kids鈥� program with Doug Setterberg until the late 1960s.

After Stan passed away earlier this year at age 91, a huge public of his life was held at the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI); his widow Barbara died just a few months later.

Stan based his Christmas parodies on the work of another Northwest native named Hal Stewart (also from Tacoma) who performed and recorded under the name of Yogi Yorgesson. Hal died in a car accident 1956, but not before taking Stan under his wing (or his 鈥渧ing鈥�) and mentoring him; Hal鈥檚 widow gave Stan her blessing to carry on the holiday novelty song tradition.

is from the 1970 Stan Boreson album 鈥淵ust Go Nuts at Christmas.鈥� For extra credit, check out Stan鈥檚 performance of from Lawrence Welk鈥檚 TV program.

as interpreted by Jimi Hendrix

What more can you say about this version of the Harry Simeone holiday classic as played by Jimi Hendrix? , the impromptu performance was 鈥渞ecorded in late 1969, while Hendrix, drummer Buddy Miles, and bassist Billy Cox of the Band Of Gypsys were rehearsing for their upcoming Fillmore East gigs.鈥�

Cary Grant鈥檚

While not really a true Pacific Northwest artist, Cary Grant was married briefly to Tacoma-born West Seattle High School graduate Dyan Cannon. He was 62 and she was 29 when they married, and the union only lasted a few years. It did produce Grant鈥檚 only offspring, the actress Jennifer Grant. This unusual song, from 1967, is most certainly a tribute to this father’s special little girl.

Ron Holden and The Thunderbirds 鈥淲ho Says There Ain鈥檛 No Santa Claus?鈥�

Ron Holden grew up in Seattle and had a hit with a single called 鈥淟ove You So鈥� in 1959. This odd Christmas number, was released in 1960, and holds the distinction of being the only holiday tune where the protagonist dies in the electric chair.

Do you have a favorite Northwest Christmas song or album? Tell us about it in the comments.

Editor’s note: The story was originally published on Nov. 15, 2017.

You can hear Feliks every Wednesday and Friday morning on Seattle鈥檚 Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O鈥橞rien, read more from him鈥�here, and subscribe to The Resident Historian Podcast聽here. If you have a story idea, please email Feliks鈥�here.