Yarbrough to Sing ‘Forgotten Carols’

Glenn Yarbrough admits that when someone first proposed the idea of a Christmas album, he had mixed feelings, to say the least.

“I hate Christmas songs,” Yarbrough said. “But when I heard this material, it sent chills up and down my spine.”

Yarbrough is bringing his one-man show, “The Forgotten Carols,” to the Palmdale Playhouse tonight at 7:30 at 38334 10th St. East.

The guitarist-singer came to national prominence as a member of the 1960s folk trio, the Limeliters. Riding the crest of the folk music craze of the early 1960s, the Limeliters scored 10 hit albums between 1961 and 1964.

Yarbrough left the Limeliters to pursue a solo career in 1964 and scored a top 15 single with “Baby, the Rain Must Fall.” All told, Yarbrough has recorded 72 albums in his 40-plus-year career.

Yarbrough first became involved with “The Forgotten Carols,” written by Michael McLean, as a recording project several years ago.

“It’s an amazing show,” said Yarbrough. “It’s changed my life.” Yarbrough said he spent a good part of his youth in boarding schools and Christmas was not a happy time while growing up.

When composer McLean first proposed a Christmas CD, Yarbrough’s reaction was negative. “But in the end, I was really moved,” he said.

After the recording, Yarbrough developed the material into his one-man show. He has been performing it for five years.

“It’s almost automatic now. People want it back year after year,” Yarbrough said. “When you do something good for the love of it, it turns into something wonderful.”

Tickets to tonight’s performance are $8-$10. For more information, call (661) 267-5684.