Bill Herrick’s The Christmas Spirit Story: A Vicennial Memoir is a deeply personal and inspiring account of one man’s unwavering commitment to bringing his Christmas song to life. Spanning two decades, this memoir chronicles Herrick’s journey to introduce the world to his beloved carol, Christmas Spirit, a song that became the cornerstone of his creative pursuits. The memoir reveals not only the challenges he faced in the music industry but also the resilience and hope that defined his life during this journey. In doing so, Herrick offers readers a reflection on determination, the power of creativity, and the magic of the Christmas spirit.
The Genesis of Christmas Spirit
At the heart of Herrick’s memoir is the song Christmas Spirit, a composition that began with a simple yet profound inspiration—his grandmother’s handwritten poem. While visiting his family in Vermont, Herrick discovered a collection of his grandmother’s papers, including the poem that would later serve as the foundation for his Christmas carol. Touched by the sentimental value of the poem, Herrick decided to turn it into a song that captured the essence of hope, peace, and goodwill associated with the holiday season.
Herrick’s journey into songwriting had already started with jingles and small compositions for his business. Shortly after returning to Wisconsin, he read an announcement that the U.S. Capitol Tree for that year would be coming from his home state. Fresh with the inspiration from his grandmother’s poem and his recent successes in jingle writing, he thought, "Why not write a Christmas song for the Capitol Tree Lighting Ceremony? Since the tree was coming from Wisconsin, why not an original Christmas Carol, by a Wisconsin songwriter. Produced and arranged in Nashville by a Wisconsin native, and professionally recorded using studio musicians and singers?"
Without mentioning that his Christmas song had not been professionally recorded yet, he wrote to every U.S. representative and senator from Wisconsin, requesting that Christmas Spirit be included in the Capitol Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 14, 1983.
Through a fortuitous connection, Herrick had hired a Nashville producer—whose brother he had taught to fly—to produce his jingles. Hence, Herrick had a Nashville connection should his request be approved. Herrick’s song had only been performed once by the local high school choir during their Christmas program in 1982.
Then came the good news: in June 1983, Herrick received an unexpected call from Paul Pincus, the Architect of the Capitol. Pincus informed Herrick that his request was being considered, leaving him speechless. When asked to send a recording of the song, Herrick had to admit that it was not finished yet, but assured Pincus that it would be professionally recorded in Nashville. Within a month a master recording of Christmas Spirit had been completed and a copy sent to Mr. Pincus. Herrick finally received approval from Pincus in September. His dream of having the Christmas Spirit featured at a national event was coming true, filling him with excitement and a renewed determination.
A Decades-Long Struggle
The memoir reveals the many obstacles Herrick faced as his beloved song Christmas Spirit barely received any radio-air-play after being performed live on a national stage and covered by C-Span. Despite his passion for music, Herrick was a novice in the highly competitive world of professional songwriting. He had even left his aviation career and moved to Nashville believing he would become a great songwriter. Early on, he encountered the darker side of the music industry, including the practice of “payola,” where songwriters had to pay to have their songs played on the radio. This harsh reality crushed Herrick’s initial enthusiasm, but it did not diminish his determination. Herrick’s disappointment was palpable, but his resolve remained unshaken. He continued to push forward, even as life threw new challenges his way.
Moments of Hope
Despite the setbacks, there were moments of hope and triumph along the way. As each new Christmas season arrived Herrick would send out hundreds of copies of the Christmas Spirit sheet music and cassette recordings. Herrick recalls receiving positive feedback from friends, family, and local musicians, all of whom recognized the beauty of the song. These small victories kept him going, even as he faced rejection from major music labels and discovered that most of the cassette recording, he sent to radio stations ended up in their wastepaper baskets. The complexities of navigating the music industry as an outsider? Next to zero!
Personal Transformation
As much as The Christmas Spirit Story is about Herrick’s song, it is also about his personal transformation. He used his creativity as an outlet to cope with the difficulties of life. He had moved to Nashville for a songwriting career but found more success in education. He earned four degrees in five years, including a Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and became a Middle Tennessee State University professor.
The Meaning of Christmas Spirit
At the core of Herrick’s journey is the song itself, Christmas Spirit. The song’s message of hope and peace resonates deeply with the values of the Christmas season, and Herrick’s memoir reflects on the importance of these themes. For Herrick, the song represents not only the spirit of Christmas but also the enduring power of belief and perseverance.
Throughout the memoir, Herrick emphasizes the universal appeal of Christmas Spirit and its potential to become a beloved Christmas classic. He draws comparisons to timeless holiday songs like White Christmas, expressing his hope that Christmas Spirit will one day join their ranks. More than just a song, Christmas Spirit encapsulates Herrick’s unwavering belief in the importance of hope and goodwill, even in the face of adversity.
Bringing Christmas Spirit Back to Life
One of the most compelling aspects of The Christmas Spirit Story is Herrick’s determination to resurrect the song after years of it being overshadowed. After its initial performance at the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony the song faded into obscurity. However, Herrick never gave up on his dream of bringing it back to the national stage. That opportunity came in 1994 while visiting his parents in Vermont. Herrick heard on the radio that the Capitol Christmas was coming from the National Forest in Bennington, Vermont.
Herrick, having grown up in Vermont, thought that he would ask Vermont’s senator James Jefford for assistants in having Christmas Spirit performed at the Capitol Christmas Tree Ceremony. Ironically, the ceremony was on the same date as it was in 1983-just 11 years later. December 14th.
The approval came much quicker for Herrick’s song as Paul Pincus was still the Architect of the Capitol. However, Mr. Pincus required that Herrick rewrite the verse containing the Virgin Mary's son. Herrick wanted to bring his song back to life so badly that he agreed to the request and Mr. Pincus approved the new verse.
Over coffee with a high school friend Bill discussed his song and mentioned he would now seek a singer from Vermont to perform Christmas Spirit at the Capitol. His friend immediately replied, "My daughter has a wonderful voice, and she happens to be home.” Herrick had a cassette copy of the Christmas Spirit soundtrack and sheet music in his car. Will she be able to do an audition for me this afternoon? Herrick’s friend called his daughter, they spoke for a few minutes, then he turned to me and said, “she can come down here now.” “Great,” have her bring a cassette player with her.
Herrick was impressed with the audition. Then to Herrick’s surprise his friend said, “Christmas Spirit” will become my daughter’s debut single. At once they planned to come to his home in Tennessee, and as soon as Herrick returned to Tennessee, he would arrangements at a recording studio in Nashville for a professional recording using the original two-inch session tape from 1983, but with the new verse.
James Jeffords introduced Herrick’s song at the U.S. Capitol on December 14, 1983, as the “Spirit of Christmas.” Herrick’s heart momentarily stopped beating. He grabbed the arm of Senator elect from Tennessee, Fred Thompson, who he had invited to be with him at the Tree Lighting. Herrick teared up-whispered, Fred my song is, Christmas Spirit not the “Spirit of Christmas.”
Despite this second performance at the U.S. Capitol’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony, and being released as a debut single, Christmas Spirit still faded away, with the only exception being played by Herrick himself.
Herrick’s pursuit of this dream is a testament to his resilience. He refers to this latest effort, this book, The Christmas Spirit Story as his “third attempt,” a hopeful nod to the saying that “the third time’s a charm.” With renewed energy, Herrick continues to promote the song, believing that it still has the potential to touch hearts and become a cherished part of the Christmas season.
Reflections on Creativity and Persistence
As Herrick looks back on his journey, he offers readers valuable insights into the nature of creativity and persistence. This 20-year memoir serves as a reminder that success does not always come quickly or easily. Instead, it requires patience, resilience, and a deep belief in one’s vision. Herrick’s story is a testament to the power of never giving up, no matter how many times one faces setbacks or disappointments.
Conclusion The Christmas Spirit Story: A Vicennial Memoir is not just a book about a song—it is a story about hope, resilience, and the pursuit of a dream. Bill Herrick has shown that passion and persistence can overcome even the most daunting obstacles. His memoir is a celebration of the Christmas spirit, not only in the literal sense but also in the broader sense of the term—the spirit of hope, determination, and the belief that anything is possible with enough heart. As Herrick continues to bring Christmas Spirit to new audiences, his story serves as an inspiring reminder that dreams, no matter how long deferred, can still come true.
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