Drew and Ellie Holcomb Keep Their Christmas Tradition Alive

When Ellie Holcomb steps onstage to sing a few holiday tunes, she feels a little bit like Buddy the Elf, Will Ferrell’s cartoonish, sugar-fueled embodiment of people who really love this time of year. And she’s typically joined in song by her husband Drew Holcomb, who the couple says channels the season’s green goober whose heart is two sizes too small — the Grinch, of course. 

Luckily for them, these Yuletide opposites work pretty well together. Drew is a Memphis-born troubadour who has built his nearly two-decade career on delivering in-the-feels Americana sing-alongs as the leader of a band of road dogs called The Neighbors. Nashville-raised Ellie is a singer-songwriter who built her own Dove Award-winning career in Christian music after her own tenure with The Neighbors. Hundreds typically flock downtown in late December to see the couple’s annual Neighborly Christmas show, which they’ll reprise Thursday at the Schermerhorn. Music kicks off at 7:30 p.m., and tickets were nearly sold out at press time.

“[It’s a] gathering of a community of people — really, a similar group of people come every year — to remember the good stuff and celebrate the good stuff together,” says Ellie. “I’m grateful for that.” 

The couple played their first holiday show in 2007 at the Belcourt — how’s that for a throwback to the days when Nashville’s arthouse booked live music more frequently? It was the first sold-out gig in Nashville for either of the Holcombs. For a few years, the Neighborly Christmas show migrated to 3rd and Lindsley. Then the Holcomb family put it on hiatus — not knowing that they’d thrown a wrench in what had become a holiday tradition for locals, who looked forward to hearing the couple croon “Blue Christmas” and “Santa Baby,” among others. Ellie points to “feedback from our fans” as the main driver for the decision to revive the show about a decade ago.

“In that [time], our careers had grown substantially,” Drew adds. “We were able to bring it back at the Schermerhorn. That room is very, very beautiful and magical. It’s part of the show, in its own way.”

For their visit to the symphony center, the Holcombs craft a set list bound to scratch the itches of Buddies and Grinches alike. Backed by The Neighbors and playing in the round, they pull from a canon of time-tested holiday staples, as well as the couple’s growing catalog of duets and songs featuring guest appearances from each other. Often both singers use this time to debut new music in a room that’s full of family and longtime friends. Drew remembers earning a standing ovation in 2018 when debuting what would become a fan favorite and the titular song of his next album, “Dragons.” 

But playing a handful of original tunes doesn’t mean they cut corners on Christmas classics. Ellie can’t leave the stage without singing “O Holy Night,” while her husband takes advantage of covering Chuck Berry’s highly spirited “Run Rudolph Run” to — as he puts it — act like an idiot. 

“There’s a sense of anticipation in that room that’s really special,” Ellie says. “Often families will bring their children. There’s some very excited moments from children that echo and reverberate throughout [the venue], which feels appropriate for a Christmas show. There’s that childlike anticipation and excitement, which is something I think we all can remember and appreciate about Christmas.”

And though he sometimes finds himself in a decidedly Grinch-y mood, Drew isn’t immune to feeling his heart swell — much like Dr. Seuss’ beloved character — when it’s time for this once-a-year happening. 

“It’s a reminder that it’s a joy and it’s a privilege to make music,” he says. “It’s a nice way to put a period on the end of every year.”