Why the Eagles' Christmas album is going to ‘shock' people

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It started out as just a fun little project for a few Eagles offensive linemen. Jason Kelce thinks it could end up as a smash hit.

Kelce, Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson along with former teammate – and Eagles director of player development - Connor Barwin announced last week their, “A Philly Special Christmas,” a seven-track Christmas album featuring an all-star cast of Philly musicians led by War on Drugs drummer Charlie Hall. 

On Thursday, Kelce spoke about the release, which will be available on streaming services this weekend and is scheduled for vinyl release two days before Christmas. The project will raise money for the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center in Philadelphia.

“What Jordan did you could call singing,” Kelce said. “What Lane did you could call singing. I don’t know if you could call what I did singing. I’m very much just a yeller in certain tones. 

“But I do think there’s some songs on there that I think are going to shock people, especially people who haven’t heard Jordan Mailata sing. There’s at least one song I think really sounds like a legitmate pop hit. I think it could be huge.”

Among the veteran Philly musicians who volunteered their time and talents to the project are Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian of the Hooters, Zach Miller from Dr. Dog, Brandon Beaver of mewithoutYou, Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner of Flight of Mavis, Marah and currently Wild Pink, Eliza Hardy Jones from War on Drugs and Grace Potter’s band and Nick Krill and Thomas Hughes from Wilmington’s Spinto Band.

A.J. Brown, Jordan Davis, Brandon Graham, Jalen Hurts and Haason Reddick also appear on the release, as does Voice of the Eagles Merrill Reese.

“It was a lot of fun,” Kelce said. “It’s always exciting to meet people who are experts in their field and extremely talented individuals and there’s a lot of talented muysicians on this album that really make it. 

“We’re just out there having fun, but there’s some people on the record that are really, really talented and have dedicated their lives to their crafts, and whenever you get to watch somebody work and their process and how they create something like that it’s a joy. 

“It’s just fun to hang out in a pretty light atmosphere and drink some beers and sing some Christmas songs. But it’s also extremely privileged and humbling to watch people as talented as some of these musicians.”

The record was recorded at three area studios - Rittenhouse Soundworks in Germantown, Silent Partners Studio in Germantown (run by former Walkmen drummer Matt Barrick) and Elm Street Studio in Conshohocken (which Hyman owns).

Kelce, Johnson and Mailata have been teammates for five years, and Kelce and Johnson for 10 years. Mailata said the project, which will benefit underprivileged kids during the holiday season, brought the three of them closer together, and he hopes it has the same effect on people who listen.

“Why we wanted to do it in the first place was just to reminisce and bring everyone closer,” Mailata said. “Doing this project brought Lane and Kelce and I closer together, and so we hope when we release it everyone can get the same feeling. Hopefully it brings the family a little bit closer and they could have a little bit of a laugh, too. 

“Just good times and good vibes.”

Mailata can sing. Anybody who saw his performance on Masked Singer knows that. What will surprise people the most on the record?

“Probably hearing Lane sing,” Mailata said. “Everyone is going to be surprised when they hear Lane. Sounds like Elvis. Just wait and see. He’s not too bad. He’s pretty decent.”

Kelce echoed Mailata’s remarks about Johnson.

“Lane is going to surprise people … because nobody knows Lane can sing,” Kelce said. “Lane and I a lot of times after games we’ll goof around and sit in his car wait and for traffic to die down and listen to old sad country songs, usually. He’s got a very good voice.”

Kelce said the group of o-linemen first thought about doing a Christmas record last year around the holiday season.

“I thought we could do it, I did not think it was going to get to this level of quality and this level of musical level,” he said.

“I think really just getting connected with the right people, Charlie Hall being a big part of that. (He’s) very connected in the music community in Philadelphia and can arrange music and play music and do all that stuff, and a lot of other people were willing to lend their time and talent to it. 

“I think it’s just something fun, to be honest with you. It was like, ‘Hey, let’s do an album, raise some money for kids around Christmas, have some fun.’ I mean, sounds like a good time to me.”

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