12/01/2024 at The Wood Theater, Glens Falls

“[Gilman’s] a chameleon, moving seamlessly to power ballad singer, to classic crooner, to country star, to Christmas caroler, to his most earnest self: a humble adult who has faced failures, and successes, doubts and growth, just like each and every one of us.”

Billy Gilman’s Classic Christmas album has been a cherished holiday tradition in my home ever since its release in 2000, when the singer was just 12 years old. As the youngest-ever Grammy nominee turned The Voice contestant (2016) and now an accomplished adult country and bluegrass artist, Gilman has made multiple visits to the Capital District. Whether performing to support the Center for Disability Services through the 518 Gives telethon or appearing in Kevin Richards’ Close-Up series—where country music fans enjoy intimate Q&A sessions and live performances—Billy consistently delivers unforgettable shows. Most recently, I had the pleasure of seeing him for the third time in this very Close-Up series.

Our setting for the Q&A section, and subsequent performance, was decked not with boughs of holly, but rather with the bright red petals of poinsettias, flickering battery-operated candles, and a standalone Christmas tree. The audience’s questions, submitted beforehand, received answers from the singer that offered insightful peeks into the past, present, and future of his career.

The audience was treated to a rather special moment, when Kevin Richards mentioned Close-Up alumna Georgette Jones, daughter of Tammy Wynette and George Jones. Richards had said to [Georgette] Jones that Billy Gilman had also been a guest of his, and that Gilman’s cover of Wynette’s song “Til I Can Make it On My Own” was the best cover of the song she’d ever heard. At this high praise, Gilman’s jaw had dropped, and goosepimples rippled up his arms—he had pointed them out to the audience, and as the photographer, I can confirm he really did get them—I can see them in the photos.

Gilman’s performance began with, according to him, a last second decision that left him winded. Deciding merely a minute before he went on, he wanted to begin his set by walking amongst the audience, and so he sprinted up to the top just to descend the staircase singing his opening number.

With each song, he gave a small anecdote, but there were two stories that stood out to me. The first was in regards to his first studio album (c. May 2000), and a song that he had always loved because of the story it told. It was a song that has withstood the test of time, and that song is “Oklahoma,” a story about a foster boy who bounced from home to home throughout his life, until they found the father who never knew he existed. The father met him with open arms: “Son, welcome to your home in Oklahoma.” It’s a heartwrenching tune, and one of my favorite songs he’s done. Whenever I hear him sing it, I just sit and listen. As expected, it resulted in more than a few wet eyes and sniffling noses.

The second anecdote was from his time on The Voice. He and his coach Adam Levine (of Maroon 5) had discussed the song to use for the semi-final round. They had gone back and forth, and the song Gilman wanted to perform was big, and it was one he had been keeping in his pocket for a moment like the semi-finals where it truly was go big or get voted home. Days had passed without Billy having heard from his coach until the night before the performance, when Levine had said to him, “Fine, go with your song.”

That song was Celine Dion’s “I Surrender,” a tall order by any musical standard.

Billy performed it last year with wonderful success, but hearing him sing it this time… I’m not sure what he had done differently, but it was noticeably better: bigger, more impactful, more refined and powerful. I was left saying, “wow.” That song takes immense vocal control, breath support, and fervor to push all of that out in an impactful way.

There were some festive Christmas songs, both from his old and new Christmas albums and he sang them with festive splendor, but while that album may be integral to my Christmas celebrations, Christmas music is a dime a dozen. It’s Billy’s original music that really sells the kind of performer he is—whether it is performing the songs that are 25 years old like “One Voice,” or the newer songs like “Say You Will” or “Get It Got It Good,” Billy’s professionalism shines through. He’s a chameleon, moving seamlessly to power ballad singer, to classic crooner, to country star, to Christmas caroler, to his most earnest self: a humble adult who has faced failures, and successes, doubts and growth, just like each and every one of us.

I’ve seen and met him three times (Thanks, Kevin!), and over the years I’ve said the same thing again and again. It’s surreal to have a person who was so central to my love of music growing up “step back” into my life two decades later. I’ve said that, despite us being total strangers, in many ways it feels like we grew up together, and it has offered me this warm feeling of kinship. The continued refinement I see in every one of his shows feels like I’m still witnessing that growth in real time, and each time it feels like bumping into that old musical friend again—we’re just older, wiser, and at least in my case, more cynical. This third time really sold me on that feeling of knowing; it’s hard not to when you converse with each other and you’re met with flickers of recognition and warm hugs.

So thanks, Billy. Thanks for an evening of well-performed Billy Gilman originals, Christmas classics, Christmas originals, and dialogue. And while I can’t imagine how you’ll do it, I look forward to seeing how you make “I Surrender” even stronger next time. I know you will, because that’s the kind of musician you are.