WATCH: Riley Green’s Nostalgic ‘Christmas To Me’ Performance Lights Up ‘CMA Country Christmas’
Green brought his fan-favorite Christmas original to the stage.
Riley Green; Photo by Disney/Connie Chornuk
Riley Green helped fans get into the holiday spirit with a nostalgic performance of “Christmas To Me” during CMA Country Christmas.
Taking the stage with his guitar in hand, the country star delivered a heartfelt rendition of his original Christmas tune, which captures the magic of a small-town holiday with family. The song paints vivid scenes of a bustling gathering at Grandma’s house with the yard “looking like a parking lot,” grandkids piling onto Grandpa’s lap, and all the little moments that make the day feel special.
“And all them in-laws are showin’ up late/ For a five star meal on a paper plate/ Sound of barefoot feet runnin’ through the house/ The football game’s just about to start/ About the time momma has a come-apart/ ’Cause sister’s new tattoo she just found out about/ There’s a string of lights all tangled around the tree/ That’s Christmas to me,” he sings.
Green co-wrote “Christmas To Me” with longtime collaborator Erik Dylan and released it last year after celebrating his first-ever CMA Awards win.
For the festive performance, Green wore cowboy boots, a brown suit, and a light brown cowboy hat as he gently strummed his guitar. He also sported his signature “Duckman” guitar strap, a nod to the nickname fans know and love.
Before the show, Green reflected on his own Christmas traditions, admitting that the homemade meals are his favorite part of the season.
“My favorite family tradition during Christmas is definitely the food, all the home cooked meals back at home. I kind of miss those being on the road a lot,” he shared.
Green was one of several artists featured on this year’s CMA Country Christmas lineup, joining Lady A, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, and BeBe Winans. Jordan Davis and Lauren Daigle hosted the special and also performed.
CMA Country Christmas aired Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 9/8c on ABC, with streaming available the following day on Hulu and Disney+.
Riley Green has enjoyed another wildly successful year and is set to wrap up his busy touring schedule with just a few remaining December dates, including two performances at Resorts World Las Vegas.
Looking ahead to 2025, he’ll head to Mexico for Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa before traveling “down under” for a run of shows in Australia.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
