Matthew West is doing his part to help spread Christmas cheer. The singer-songwriter will return once again for his Come Home for Christmas event, which includes a dinner and performance in downtown Franklin, as part of the city’s tree-lighting ceremony, along with a concert at Belmont University’s Fisher Center, breakfast with West and more.
The concert, taking place on Saturday, December 2 at 7:30 PM, is what West says is part of his “Michael Bublé season.”
“I’ll joke with the crowd that Michael Bublé couldn’t be here, so I’m filling in,” West tells The Tennessean. “We’re all putting suits on, we’re adding a horn and a string section; it’s all the feels and all the nostalgia that great Christmas music brings. It’s a complete departure from the norm in our yearly touring.”
The entire, jam-packed weekend is a favorite for West, who loves everything about the holiday season, especially in his hometown of historic Franklin.
“I love that people get to experience my favorite place at Christmastime,” West says. ” I host the Christmas tree lighting in downtown Franklin and I always think I wish people who see me in other cities could see me here. The tree lighting has gotten bigger and bigger each year. It’s like Pleasantville.”
Part of West’s Come Home for Christmas includes a Writers Around the Christmas Tree event, with West and some of his songwriting friends performing there own songs.
“The songwriting is what brought me to town, whether I’m writing for myself or another artist,” West explains. “It’s what sets everything into motion. There’s no touring without the songwriting. If I could only do one thing, getting in that room in Nashville everyday and writing a song is something I’ve always had a passion for. I’ve learned so much rubbing shoulders with some great songwriters in Nashville.”
West’s double My Story Your Glory album was released earlier this year. The 22-track project was divided into two parts, the first, My Story, showing off his love of songwriting, and telling a story through music. while Your Glory is more focused on worship.
“It’s a double album, and that for starters makes me really excited, because it’s more music than I’ve ever put out before,” West told Everything Nash when the project was released. “The title of the album splits perfectly in half those two statements, ‘My Story Your Glory.’ And as I began to think about calling the album that, I began to realize, ‘Oh, this could be the dividing line, like two different concepts in one.’
“We’re living in a world where a lot of times people listen to one song from one artist,” he continued. “And my idea was just to be less focused on trying to have a radio hit, and more focused on telling a story from start to finish. And so that’s the idea.”
Tickets for West’s Come Home for Christmas concert at the Fisher Center are still available. More information on the entire weekend can be found at MatthewWest.com.
