“The Little Drummer Boy” is one of the most popular Christmas tunes. Also known as “Carol of the Drum,” the famous Christmas song was written by American classical music composer and teacher Katerine Kennicott Davis in 1941.
According to Wikipedia, the song was first recorded ten years later by the Trapp Family Singers but became popular after the Harry Simeone Chorale recorded it in 1958.
The song is about a poor drummer boy who was summoned by the Magi to be present for the birth of Jesus Christ. The drummer poor couldn’t afford a gift for the baby Christ so, at the request of the Jesus’s mother, the Virgin Mary, he played his drum for the baby.
“I played my best for him,” the lyrics go. “He smiled at me.”
Since then it’s been covered countless time since the 50s by artists like Bing Crosby, Joan Baez, Jimi Hendrix, and the Jackson 5.
More recently, the song was covered by Jackie Evancho and Il Volo.
Jackie Evancho is an American classical crossover singer who has been singing since she was young and was inspired after seeing the musical The Phantom of the Opera. She entered her first musical competition when she was just 8-years-old.
You may remember her from the fifth season of America’s Got Talent where she sang so well that some thought she was lip-synching. She has recorded seven albums, including a platinum and gold album.
Il Volo is an Italian operatic pop trio made up of tenors Piero Barone and Ignazio Boschetto along with baritone Gianluca Ginoble. They describe their style as “popera,” according to Wikipedia. They were the winners of the 2015 Sanremo Music Festival and went on to represent Italy in the Eurovison Song Contest later that year and won third place in the competition and first place in televoting.
All of these singers are amazingly talented in their own right but when their talents are combined the result is unbelievable.
The foursome performed together during TODAY’s Citi Concert Series during Christmas and performed “The Little Drummer Boy.” Their performance completely blew away everyone in the studio and reduced them to tears and did the same with the viewers at home.
“Not a dry eye in the place,” said TODAY host Kathie Lee.
“What just happened?” TODAY co-host Hoda asked the performers.
Their performance of “The Little Drummer Boy” is absolutely breathtaking and you can watch it in the video below.
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