I’ve always said not many can do country legend George Straight proper justice, however today let me proclaim two things. One: I ate a few of my aforementioned words, and two: Finis Smith fits comfortably into the category of “not many.”
The cowboy hat is not a prop for Finis Smith. The young Texan-born singer, songwriter, and musician raises cattle when he isn’t busy playing shows or recording first-class music. His holiday-themed cover of the George Strait Yuletide classic “When it’s Christmas Time in Texas” should do more than just enliven your seasonal cheer. It should further reinforce Smith’s standing as one of country music’s major new vocal talents emerging over the last decade or more.
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Couple that obvious talent with an instinct for well-suited material, and you have an undisputable winner. Smith carries off phrasing and interplaying with instruments with singular skill. His stylishness is apparent from the outset, but it isn’t a hollow device. Instead, Smith sings with authority beyond his years. He demands the audience’s attention from the start, holding it with equal parts effortless vocal control, and conveys his affection for a particular Texas sort of Christmas with every line.
The instrumental contributions are top-notch. Jazzy six-string contributions pair well with the fiddle, and Smith’s approximation of the classic “western swing” sound, best epitomized by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, hits the mark. Maintaining a jaunty tempo doesn’t diminish the song’s sentiments – if anything, it puts an extra pep in the step of Smith’s vocals. He responds with superb skill.
It will play well for 80s and 90s country fans who recall George Strait’s grip on the genre during that era. Classic country fans will likewise flock to the music and especially Smith’s vocal potential. It cannot be overstated; this is not a talent in development but in full bloom. Smith’s voice sounds ready for any material; honkytonk broadsides, aching balladry, throwaway gimmick numbers, nothing sounds beyond his reach.
Delivering the goods in less than three and a half minutes further burnishes Smith’s credentials. He knows exactly how long this track needs to work its magic and doesn’t overstep his purview. Smith’s production keeps an even-handed instrumental balance serving the single from the first note to the last, and copping such a time-tested style plays in his favor. Yes, it’s a retro throwback, but Smith fuels it with young, exploratory energy that never treats it as a museum piece.
“When it’s Christmas Time in Texas” has multi-generational appeal. It is very American, no question, but its appeal doesn’t stop at our shores. Anywhere celebrating Christmas will appreciate its feelings, and it certainly recalls a vision of America heavily promoted in television and films. It will resonate in multiple cultures. Finis Smith’s talents are not niche; the wide-open emotive quality of his singing has global appeal. Marrying it with the straightforward and clean music we hear during “When it’s Christmas Time in Texas” further brightens the spotlight on his gifts.
We will be hearing more from Finis Smith over the coming years. There’s no question that his 2024 holiday single “When it’s Christmas Time in Texas” will remain one of his greatest achievements and a song you can return to each year. It sparkles with genuine inspiration.
Chadwick Easton