Jim Caruso's 12 Days of Christmas... Cher Takes on a Classic on Day 1!

I couldn't be more thrilled to share some of my all-time favorite holiday tunes with the BroadwayWorld readers! Rob Diamond, BroadwayWorld and I have had a long history together, with countless podcasts, interviews, and kajillions of photo flashes to our credit. The consistent support the site gives to the entire entertainment community is a thing to behold, and one that all of us consider a great present!

I've been told that my musical taste runs the gamut from A to B. I am obsessed with the slightly campy, musically solid, but completely show bizzy production numbers of days gone by, but I will pepper my Twelve Days of Tunes with some current choices, just so you don't think I'm the Prince of Arcane. I hope you're wearing your ugliest Christmas sweater...here we go!

Who says "Happy Birthday, Jesus" better than a bedecked and bedazzled Cher? This clip has been parodied by everyone from Paul Shaffer to...me...but it's one that makes me truly happy and starts my season with a bang! I've always been fascinated by performers who don't sing like they talk...and Cher is the Queen Of That. Her "O nat, when Krast was bowan," followed by the full-on signature lip lick, completes the Cher-ishness of this performance. Bob Mackie's Dickensian costume, complete with muff and a bonnet the size of a golf bag, deserves a network special of it's own.

Jim Caruso made his Broadway debut alongside Liza Minnelli in the Tony Award-winning Liza's At The Palace!, singing, dancing and celebrating the music and arrangements of Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. He has won six MAC Awards for his nightclub appearances, performed with the New York Pops in a tribute to Kander & Ebb, performed with Rosemary Clooney in a celebration of Bing Crosby, and sang songs of Hope & Crosby with Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall. Jim was honored to sing with Barbara Cook at President Clinton's First State Dinner at the White House. For the past fourteen years, he has hosted the weekly showbiz bash "Jim Caruso's Cast Party" at Birdland, Town Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center and across the globe. He also produces the Broadway at Birdland concert series and has a weekly segment on Legends Radio 100.3 FM called "A New York Minute with Jim Caruso." As a crooner, he performs regularly with Billy Stritch at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel. His two cds, "The Swing Set" and "Caruso Live and In Person" are available online.