Formerly known as North Pole Patrol from about 2009 to when they released the single "Naughty List" in 2014, The Ellas adopted their new moniker this year as a tribute to their inspiration, Ella Fitzgerald and to free them up to record non-Holiday songs in the future.
Group member Jennifer Denmark has been writing Christmas songs for years and CCM group Point Of Grace recorded her song "Candy Cane Lane" in 2010 and later won a Dove Award for Christmas Album Of The Year with the song's parent album, Home For The Holidays. Denmark's fellow Ellas, Melissa Fuller and Emily James, both country songwriters like Denmark herself, have crafted an additional 14 original songs throughout the ensuing years for their sixteen song 2015 debut album as The Ellas entitled Merry & Bright. The girls sound like an updated Andrews Sisters with more than a dash of Wilson Phillips or The Wilson Sisters with a wonderful mostly Big Band backing though there are some wonderful changes in tempo and accompaniment. Merry & Bright is another Xmas winner for 2015 - 16 new Holiday songs! - and time should be kind to it as we continue to welcome Christmas with open ears and open hearts each year. In addition, a portion of each album sale or download will be donated to the Salvation Army. Win-win!
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