Hope for the Holidays is a concert to take place tomorrow in Hempstead Hall starting at 7:00 p.m. You may have seen the red, blue, green and white posters around town showing photos of the four singer songwriters coming to perform, Mae Estes, Rachel Hale, Lance Carpenter and CJ Solar. In case you have not inspected that poster closely, tickets to the event are available now on HempsteadHall.com.
Mae Estes makes her return from Nashville where she has lived seven years to performing in her hometown. According to her website, she has won Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2021 and 2022 Arkansas Country Music Awards and has released a series of singles including “Naked,” “Roses,” and “Thinkin’ Bout Cheatin’” whose video premiered on Country Music Television this past May. Her most recently released single is “Die in a Bar,” which was released to streaming services October 26.
We reached Estes this week and asked her some questions in line with the Hope for the Holidays theme of the concert. First, what does the Christmas season mean to you?
“That it’s time for good food, family drama, and loving on my nephew as much as possible!”
We then asked her what makes a good Christmas song. “Being able to put your own story into it for me. I’m a little partial to the songs based in reality. I actually released my own version of Dolly Parton’s ‘Hard Candy Christmas’ because it’s one of my favorites!”
Then we asked what people coming to see Estes could expect Saturday night. “Laughing, dancing, crying, sing-a-longs and taking a great memory home with them!”
Estes also brought us up to date about what has happened in her life since last Christmas. “Last Christmas feels like a lifetime ago. This year has been a big one for me musically, checking more boxes off of my bucket list, like getting to perform in Sweden and releasing my first music video. I also celebrated my second year of marriage with my sweet husband, which was a highlight for sure. And my nephew Lincoln was born. Lots to be thankful for this Christmas,” she said.
Rachel Hale, a Prescott native, perhaps most known for finishing in the Top 20 of 2013’s American Idol with a performance of Grace Potter’s “Nothing But the Water” being deemed one of that seasons highlights. After the show, she continued her career in church singing, having joined Cece Winan’s Nashville Life Church. This led to her writing songs and performing on the Church’s debut album, Shine On Us. In 2020, her song “Firm Foundation” was performed by the Gospel trio Selah on their album of the same name. She has performed with such artists as Ricky Skaggs and Peter Frampton. The Christian television network Daystar has featured her on several of its shows. Most recently she has released the singles “Rainbow” and the country song “A Man.”
Asked what the holiday season meant to her, Hale said, “I love being able to celebrate the birth of Jesus. He changed my life, and His birth is what gets me excited for Christmas!” Her song “Can You Here the Sound?” certainly attests to her love of the holiday season.
As for what audiences can look forward to seeing from her Saturday night, Hale said, “We are going to have SO much fun!! People will be hearing hit songs from the original songwriters. … I am excited to be performing several original songs including ‘Firm Foundation.’ I co-wrote “Firm Foundation,’ which became the title track for the album recorded by gospel trio Selah that went on to win Inspirational Album of the Year at the 51st Dove Awards.”
Hale said, she’s also looking forward to sharing the stage with the other performers, “What makes the event even MORE special is that all of the songwriters have Arkansas roots. CJ Solar has written songs for artists such as Jason Aldean, Jerrod Niemann and Justin Moore, while also writing number one singles for Jameson Rodgers with 2020's ‘Some Girls’ and Morgan Wallen's breakout hit ‘Up Down’ featuring Florida Georgia Line. Lance Carpenter wrote Kelsea Ballerini’s number one hit ‘Love Me Like You Mean It,’ she said.
Hale has also branched out into a new field lately, and attendees of Hope for the Holidays will be able to sample her new work. “While on the road, I have been steadily developing my new venture Hale’s Kitchen. Hale’s Kitchen is a cooking series that I began on Instagram. It is a spin on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen and a pun on my last name. In the series, I team up with paleo companies to create fun recipes for my followers to enjoy. I sometimes invite celebrity guests to join me on the show as well. At Hope for the Holidays, I will be partnering with a company called Amy Myers MD to create a few tasty baked goods for people to purchase at the show. The treats will be for sale at my merch table at Hempstead Hall. I cannot wait for people to get a taste of Hale’s Kitchen in person.”
The Southwest Arkansas Arts Council organized the event.
