When Ricky Swindle’s “Have Yourself a Local Yokel Christmas” CD arrived too late for holiday sales last year, the founder of the popular Batesville radio program just shelved them.

Wait ‘til next year.

Next year is here, “So for all the folks who didn’t get one last year they are now available,” Swindle said.

The CD collects a who’s who of artists with whom regular Local Yokel listeners have become familiar during the program’s history — now approaching its eighth anniversary next March. Swindle started the show in 2003 as a six-week promotion for his tire and muffler shop. He wanted to showcase music by local musicians. Swindle and WBLE deejay Johnny Pace host the broadcast from 7:15 to 8:30 Saturday mornings, adding their local banter and sometimes their own music to the repertoire.

Regular fans and the uninitiated will appreciate the “Have Yourself a Local Yokel Christmas.”

It opens with a “Merry Christmas, Y’all” from Swindle’s granddaughter, Rylan Clair Hughes, known to listeners as “The Birthday Girl” who sings birthday wishes to listeners named each Saturday.

Ricky’s brother Mike Swindle follows with Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December.” On the air Ricky has occasionally given the impression that his brother is a reluctant performer. It may be hard to get him started, but once he opens his mouth, rich baritone flows.

Ricky Swindle and Pace team up for “Merry Christmas From The Family,” and if you’re thinking that the album is rampant with nepotism, you’re right. Musical talent abounds in many Panola families.

Steve McGregory sings the classic, “Blue Christmas” and is otherwise woven throughout the CD, having mixed and mastered it at his McGregory Studios at Mt. Olivet and providing accompaniment throughout the project. McGregory also fathered at least two of the musician/singers featured on the album: Delisa McGregory Brown, who sings “Mary Did You Know,” and Danny McGregory, who along with fellow Willie Waggs Jamie Bright, Dave Mitchell and Marcus Pickle with Keith Jefcoat, perform “Please Come Home for Christmas.”

Yet another family project on “Have Yourself a Local Yokel Christmas” CD is that of Panola County’s Martin Family. The talented mom dad, Rick and Cheryl, were joined by equally talented son and daughter, Jesse and Kelley, for a live on-air recording of “Christmas Medley.”

There are still more family connections on the CD: Sandra Allen sings “Winter Wonderland.” Her husband Joe is among those listed as accompanying musicians.

With “And The Angels Sang,” Casey Lipe demonstrates his own versatility while showcasing the talent of the song’s writer, his mother Belle Lipe.

Other musicians and songs featured include Ken Hatton, local by way of Tate County. Hatton sings “White Christmas.” Harvey Byers of Tallahatchie County is featured singing, “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem;” Ladd Rogers of Sardis Lake sings “Pretty Paper,” a version also recorded live on the program.

Kayla Brower of Batesville via Lambert sings “Please Daddy Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas.”

Joey Boone, of Nashville via Holly Springs, sings “Cussin’ Up the Christmas Tree,” an original he co-wrote with Batesville’s Billy Grantham.

A collection of Panola County’s music would be incomplete without a song by an Adams. Jason Adams provides the Local Yokel CD with “Santa Claus is Back in Town,” another live, on-air recording.

Carroll County native and Rockabilly Hall of Famer Mack Allen Smith performs “P. S. I Love You Santa.”

The CD ends with Larry Hall’s recitation of “Twas The Night Before Christmas,” but the album’s local utilization of talent (and nepotism) don’t end there.

The cover was developed from a photo by Ricky’s daughter (and Rylan Clair’s mom), Jennifer Swindle Hughes, by Terri K. Chandler’s DwC Creations, which created the CD graphics. Those graphics contain a wealth of names and visual entertainment about the CD and the program that spawned it.

And finally, “This album is dedicated to our Recording Engineer, Annie Swindle (Ricky’s Mama),” the album credits state in very fine print. “Thank you for ensuring the Local Yokels Show is on tape to influence future generations. Lord, help us all.”

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“Have Yourself a Local Yokel Christmas,” now on sale for $10 each at Batesville Tire and Muffler with a portion of the sales to be donated to the Batesville Shrine Club.