Artists – Z

1980 Christmas LP by Don Zimmers and Charlie Whitaker, presented by Neiman-Marcus.

This LP contains 16 original Christmas songs 'to begin a brand new decade', all written and orchestrated by songwriters Charlie Whitaker and Don Zimmers. The record was meant to be sold at Neiman-Marcus stores during the holiday season.

According to the liner notes this LP is 'an expression of the feelings of two friends...about their favorite season."

The orchestra and chorus were conducted by Don Zimmers and the album was produced for Neiman-Marcus by Charlie Whitaker. The LP has a large list of credited musicians, including Fred Crane on piano, Lee Robinson and Bobby Thomas on guitar, Ernie Chapman on bass, Banks Dimon Jr. on percussion, Don Zimmers on synthesizer, Wally Roberts on woodwinds, Greg Hustis and Lorin Larson on french horn, Jay Saunders on trumpet, Dick Cole on trombone, Bill Guthrie on bass trombone, Anshel Brusilov, Peggy Miller Zimmers, Norma Davidson, Gloria Stroud, and Jean Deason on violins, Mildred Moxley and Beverly Woolery on cello. The chorus includes Lucy Crane, Kaye Henrikson, Bettye Pierce Zoller, Frank Bloebaum, Johnny Hooper, Chris Kershaw, and Don Zimmers.

Christmas Love was recorded and mixed by Bill Jones and was recorded at Sumer-Bernet Studios in Dallas, Texas.

Don Zimmers has a few other odd composition credits to his name. He composed the background music for a film called 'The Story of Redesign'. This was a film meant to train 'ad men' for Plastics World Magazine about the rapidly evolving plastics industry. The most interesting credit is as a conductor and pianist on Palmer Rockey's film soundtrack "Rockey's Stle". Palmer Rockey was (allegedly) a con-man who spent years creating a film all on his own and trying to get it submitted for an Academy Award. Those who saw the movie (in one form or another) called it a suspense/mystery with occult elements. Rockey re-shot and re-released the film several times in the 70s and 80s, under titles like "It Happened One Weekend", "Scarlet Warning 666", and "It Happened On Sunday", but none are viewable today. Zimmers also composed and arranged the music for the LP "All About '71: The Country Club Mal Liquor 1971 Sales Meeting". Talk about an obscure list of credits!

I can't find any other credits out there for Charlie Whitaker.

Tracklist
A1 Christmas Love
A2 Joseph Was A Carpenter
A3 Santa's Wish
A4 A Christmas Memory
A5 Near Bethlehem
A6 Tonight We Trim The Tree
B1 Sounds Of Christmas
B2 Star Spangled Night
B3 There Will Be Winter
B4 The Two Trees
C1 God Bless Us, Every One
C2 Poor Little Day After Christmas
C3 Little Babe, A Lyin' In A Manger
C4 Thank You For Your Love
C5 Rattle Those Packages
C6 The King Of Glory
D1 A Christmas Fantasia On Themes By Zimmers & Whitaker (Instrumental)