Ben Folds will release ‘Sleigher', his first Christmas album, on 25th October 2024 via New West Records.
The album is a 10-song collection featuring 7 original songs and reimagined versions of classics such as Mel Torme and Robert Wells' ‘The Christmas Song', Burt Bacharach's ‘The Bell That Couldn't Jingle' and the Mills Brothers' ‘You Don't Have To Be A Santa Claus'. Lindsey Kraft guests on the record to duet on ‘We Could Have This'.
‘Sleigher' examines the passage of time through the lens of Christmas, reflecting on memory, loss, and longing as it explores the variety of ways the yuletide season marks chapters of our lives. It was produced by Folds and recorded by Joe Costa in Nashville and Los Angeles.
“Christmas is constant,” says Folds. “Allowing you to take stock of what’s different, to understand who you are and all the ways you’ve grown and changed.” He continues, “There’s something about Christmas that really pushes you to ask, ‘Who am I now? How did I get here?’ You can look back on Christmases from your childhood and see the progression, or you can zoom out and look back at Christmas songs from the ‘30s and ‘40s and ‘50s and see we’ve evolved socially and culturally. Having that consistent framework is really illuminating. I love those holiday classics that are totally broad and timeless, but I’ve only ever been able to be myself, and I realized the most generous thing I could do with this album was write the best songs I could, no matter where that took me. Anything else just wouldn’t ring true.”
Folds is currently on the road throughout the end of the year on his ‘Paper Airplane Request Tour'. During each performance, the audience is encouraged to send song requests to the stage via paper airplanes. A fan favorite, the show has become a must see since originally launching in 2017, and will be the first time audiences can experience the songs comprising ‘Sleigher' live.
‘Sleigher' Track Listing:
- Little Drummer Bolero
- Sleepwalking Through Christmas
- Me and Maurice
- Christmas Time Rhyme
- Waiting for Snow
- We Could Have This (feat Lindsey Kraft)
- The Christmas Song
- The Bell That Couldn’t Jingle
- Xmas Aye Eye
- You Don’t Have to be a Santa Claus
Ben Folds On Tour:
- September 28, 2024 – Bellingham, WA – Mount Baker Theatre
- September 29, 2024 – Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Arts Live at the Pantages Theater
- October 4, 2024 – Sioux Falls, SD – Washington Pavilion
- October 5, 2024 – Duluth, MN – Decc Symphony Hall
- October 6, 2024 – St. Paul, MN – Ordway Music Theatre
- October 8, 2024 – Wausau, WI – Grand Theater
- October 9, 2024 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theater
- October 10, 2024 – Carmel, IN – The Palladium- The Center for the Performing Arts
- October 12, 2024 – Des Plaines, IL – The Event Center at Rivers Casino Des Plaines
- October 13, 2024 – Ft. Wayne, IN – The Clyde Theatre
- October 15, 2024 – Midland, MI – Midland Center for the Arts
- October 16, 2024 – Marietta, OH – The Peoples Bank Theatre
- October 17, 2024 – Johnston City, TN – ETSU Martin Center for the Arts
- October 25, 2024 – Washington, D.C. – Ben Folds: Recorded Live with the NSO in the Concert Hall
- October 26, 2024 – Washington, D.C. – Ben Folds: Recorded Live with the NSO in the Concert Hall
- November 1, 2024 – Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre
- November 2, 2024 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory
- November 3, 2024 – Bloomington, IL – Bloomington Center for Performing Arts
- November 7, 2024 – Buffalo, NY – University at Buffalo Center for the Arts
- November 8, 2024 – Ithaca, NY – State Theatre of Ithaca
- November 9, 2024 – Kingston, NY – UPAC
- November 10, 2024 – Beverly MA – Cabot Theater
- November 12, 2024 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount Theater
- November 13, 2024 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
- November 15, 2024 – York, PA – Appell Center for the Performing Arts
- November 16, 2024 – Philadelphia, PA – Penn Live Arts/ Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
- November 17, 2024 – Raleigh, NC – Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
- November 19, 2024 – Winston-Salem, NC – The Ramkat
- November 20, 2024 – Newberry, SC – Newberry Opera House
- November 22, 2024 – Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live
- November 23, 2024 – Tampa, FL – David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts – Ferguson Hall
- November 24, 2024 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Parker
- December 2, 2024 – Nashville, TN – Schermerhorn Symphony Center
- December 4, 2024 – Naples, FL – Hayes Hall
- December 10, 2024 – Houston, TX – Jones Hall
- December 11, 2024 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater
- December 12, 2024 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre
- December 14, 2024 – Fayetteville, AR – Walton Arts Center
- December 15, 2024 – Shreveport, LA – The Strand Theatre
- December 17, 2024 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore
- December 18, 2024 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall
- December 19, 2024 – Huntsville, AL – Mars Music Hall
- December 21, 2024 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre
