NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Franklin Theatre saw “Christmas Stars” come out to support J.T. Hodges as he celebrates his new Lifetime movie with screening hosted by Valiant Wealth. Among celebrity guests and friends of Hodges’ were, Vince Neil, Naomi Judd, Lee Greenwood, Maggie Rose, Mike Wolfe, Scott Reeves, Patrick Cassidy, Jack Cassidy, Butch Walker and many more.
“Christmas Stars,” listed in NPR’s Guide to 2019 Holiday Movies, airs December 13 at 8PM ET/PT. The movie finds aspiring R&B artist Layla (Erica Durance) crossing paths with amateur songwriter Spence (Hodges), and thinking she’s found her shot at finally getting a record deal. But as the holidays approach, the fast-paced, high stakes music business threatens to change their sound and relationship – especially when the label executives begin to see Spence as the real star.
Produced by Chesler/Perlmutter Productions, “Christmas Stars” is part of Lifetime’s largest holiday movie slate ever for the network’s annual It’s a Wonderful Lifetime programming schedule. Hodges’ acting chops can be traced to 2013’s “Finding Christmas” on Lifetime, when the New York Times raved the film was “most notable, though, for the presence of J. T. Hodges, normally a country singer but here an actor. Mr. Hodges, a newcomer to the acting thing, is surprisingly good.”
J.T. Hodges gets festive with the release of his new holiday EP, All Through the Night: A Christmas Collection, available now across all music platforms. Billboard.com exclusively premiered a first listen to the EP as well as a first look at the trailer for Hodges’ upcoming Lifetime movie “Christmas Stars.” To stream or download All Through the Night: A Christmas Collection, click HERE.
In celebration of his Christmas projects, Hodges also just released a new limited edition holiday merch line, available exclusively on JTHodges.com.
“I approached each song in the studio just like I would when recording a record — from the key, to the arrangement. I’ve always wanted to cover these songs, so when I read the script, I knew we needed a little edge to make these songs work for the film,” Hodges explained to Billboard.com.
On Dec. 7, Hodges will perform “God Rest Three Kings” at the 2019 Nashville Christmas Parade benefiting Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. “God Rest Three Kings” is a melodic holiday tune that weaves in lyrics from “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “We Three Kings.” For tickets and more information, visit nashvillechristmasparade.com.
Along with “God Rest Three Kings,” All Through the Night: A Christmas Collection features the original title track for “Christmas Stars” and holiday classics with an arrangement that only Hodges can deliver, including standards like “Jingle Bells” and “Deck The Halls.”
Hodges, known for his smash hits “Hunt You Down,” “Goodbyes Made You Mine” and “Sleepy Little Town,” which spent two weeks at No. 1 on Sirius/XM’s The Highway, is also in the studio working on all-new music for release in 2020.
All Through The Night: A Christmas Collection Track Listing:
1. Silent Night
2. God Rest Three Kings
3. Deck The Halls
4. Jingle Bells
5. All I Really Wanted
6. All Through The Night
Keep up with Hodges on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and visit JTHodges.com.
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