What happens when three hit country songwriters get together to write and record some new Christmas music? A fresh big band sound that’s a cross between the Andrews Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald and Rosemary Clooney, of course. Jennifer (Zuffinetti) Denmark, Emily Shackelton and Melissa Fuller affectionately call themselves the North Pole Patrol, and they just released their debut single “Naughty List” to radio and iTunes.

 

“We all love Christmas, and particularly Christmas music, but we noticed that modern Christmas songs just sound like pop songs,” said founding North Pole Patrol member Jennifer. “When we think of Christmas music, the greats like ‘White Christmas’ and ‘The Christmas Song’ come to mind. Our goal was to create modern Christmas songs with throwback lyrics and melodies to create that timeless feel similar to the songs everyone has been singing along with for decades. I think we did that.”

 

“We also wanted to make the songs relatable to holiday traditions people actually practice,” added Emily. “Most people don’t roast chestnuts on an open fire, so we added catchy, sing-songy woo’s and ooh’s to sing along to while ‘Bakin’ Cookies.’”

 

“Naughty List” was written by Jennifer, Melissa and Tim Jackson and produced by Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer Chad Carlson (Taylor Swift, Trisha Yearwood, Jewel), a full album of original Christmas music is in the works, which will be released next year.

 

Jennifer (Zuffinetti) Denmark, who co-wrote the new Hunter Hayes single “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me” with Dave Brainard and Hayes, has been performing in trios since she was nine years old. From doo-wop to country, she has played it all in three-part harmony. Her love of big-band era music stemmed from dinner at a steakhouse when she was 15 years old.  “I remember hearing Ella (Fitzgerald) playing through the restaurant and I was so enamored with her voice I had the waitress go find out who was singing.” By noon the following day, Jennifer owned every Ella album Tower Records had on their shelves.  

 

Ten years later, Jennifer found herself writing country music full-time in Nashville. In November of 2009 she was inspired to write her first Christmas song, Candy Cane Lane, which she wrote in traffic on her way home from work one day. This song became the catalyst for the creation of the North Pole Patrol (NPP) & was recorded by Point of Grace on their 2010 album.

 

Emily Shackelton is a singer/songwriter hailing from Biwabik, Minnesota. While she grew up listening to many different genres of music, her love for big band came from her grandmother, who died only months before she was born. “Everyone tells me I’m so much like my Grandma Barbie,” Shackelton says. “Even though we’ve never met, big band era music, especially Ella Fitzgerald, has always made me feel a connection to her.”  Emily toured as the singer and piano player with her high school jazz ensemble and studied jazz intensely at Berklee School of Music, but ultimately landed a staff songwriter position at Liz Rose Music. Shackelton shares, “it wasn’t until North Pole Patrol that I finally found an outlet for my love of all things swing.” Emily co-wrote Cassadee Pope’s new album cut “Proved You Wrong.”

 

After living & writing country music in Nashville for a few years, Melissa Fuller found herself incorporating the big band jazz and pop melodies she’d grown up listening to into her story driven lyrics. “I had such a rich upbringing of incredible music – from the Glenn Miller Orchestra to every Rat Pack and Nat King Cole record I could get my hands on.” She began writing with kindred spirits who also had eclectic tastes in music. "When Jennifer and I wrote for the first time, we were singing these jazz runs and finishing each other’s melodic thoughts in harmony. It was incredible." Melissa was chosen by the Recording Academy & Hitlab as an Emerging Artist Competition Finalist for the 55th Grammy Awards earlier this year.