Ashley McBryde and Brittney Spencer Give the Gift of Holiday Cheer with “Man with the Bag” During CMA Country Christmas

CMA Country Christmas is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. Tonight’s (December 3) show features some of country music’s brightest stars singing a laundry list of holiday favorites. The songs range from touching to fun and hit every high point in between. Ashley McBryde and Brittney Spencer teamed up for a toe-tapping rendition of the Yuletide classic “Man with the Bag.”

CMA Country Christmas was recorded earlier this year. However, McBryde, Spencer, and the rest of the cast were feeling the holiday spirit in tonight’s broadcast. The duo’s rendition of “Man with the Bag”—complete with a troupe of dancers—was just what the doctor ordered to shake off those post-Thanksgiving blues and get ready to deck the halls with family and loved ones.

“The vibe here and all of the performers—the way we interact, the way we hang out with one another—it’s just a fantastic thing to be a part of,” McBryde said about the holiday special. “Getting to feel the spirit of Christmas a little before everybody else is really cool,” Spencer said. “I want to go home and put up Christmas decorations, now,” she added.

Ashley McBryde and Brittney Spencer Performed a Christmas Classic

Ashley McBryde and Brittney Spencer were far from the first artists to take on this upbeat Christmas hit. Irving Taylor, Dudley Brooks, and Hal Stanley wrote the song in 1950. American singer—and Stanley’s wife—Kay Starr made the song a hit in the early ‘50s. The original version was titled “(Everybody’s Waitin’ for) The Man with the Bag.”

Several artists have performed and recorded the song since Starr made it a hit. Notable artists who have covered the song include Jessie J, Hannah Waddingham, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, and Darren Criss and Adam Lambert.

Vonda Shephard also sang a version of the song for the hit TV show All McBeal in 2000. Additionally, Shephard’s version appeared on the album Ally McBeal: A Very Merry Christmas.

After the show airs, McBryde and Spencer’s rendition of the song will be available to stream via the CMA’s official Christmas playlist.

Featured Image by Terry Wyatt/WireImage