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Thursday, Dec. 11 and Friday, Dec. 12, 2025
West Virginia Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV
CHARLESTON, WV — Bob Thompson’s annual holiday jazz celebration is back! For over 30 years, Joy to the World has delighted audiences with new and classic holiday favorites. Joining Thompson on stage is his long-time bandmates Timothy Courts on drums, Ryan Kennedy on guitar, John Inghram on bass, plus special guest vocalist Catherine Russell with James Moore on trumpet.
Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 8pm.
World-renowned jazz pianist Bob Thompson is the Mountain State’s best-loved musician and ambassador of jazz. Since 1991, he has been a pianist and regularly featured artist on WVPB’s nationally syndicated radio show, Mountain Stage, distributed by NPR Music. For 33 years, he has also been co-producer and host of Joy to the World, a holiday jazz show broadcast on public radio stations nationwide. In October 2015, Thompson was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. He makes his home in Charleston, West Virginia, and has enjoyed a long and active career as a performer, composer, arranger, and educator. Learn more about his work at colortones.com.
Guest vocalist Catherine Russell is a Grammy Award-winning jazz and blues artist best known for her 2016 album Harlem on My Mind and for her years touring with David Bowie and Steely Dan as a backup vocalist. She has also been a guest artist on Mountain Stage six times since her first appearance in 2006.
Joy to the World is presented by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and the producers of Mountain Stage.
All seats are general admission and are available online at Eventbrite.
Click here for Thursday, Dec. 11 tickets
Click here for Friday, Dec. 12 tickets
Member Tickets on sale Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 10am ET: $25
Early Bird Tickets on sale Friday, Oct. 16 at 10am: $25 (Sales end on Friday, Nov. 28 at 10am)
General Admission Tickets on sale Friday, Nov. 28 at 10am: $30
Day of Show Tickets (Dec. 11 and 12): $35
Watch and listen for last season’s show coming to WVPB this December on radio and television. More info coming soon.
Support provided by the United Methodist Foundation of WV
MEDIA CONTACT:
Amanda Rogers, WVPB Marketing Communications
arogers@wvpublic.org
304-556-4911
We have a conversation with Marshall University's Turning Point USA chapter president. We also learn about a recently released horror film shot near Huntington, and the population decline in central Appalachia that may be getting worse.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsThis week, the region is known for exporting coal, but it’s losing people, too. Also, folk singer Ginny Hawker grew up singing the hymns of the Primitive Baptist Church, but she didn’t think of performing until she got a little boost from Appalachian icon Hazel Dickens. And, the chef of an award-winning Asheville restaurant was shaped by memories of growing up in West Virginia.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsHalloween may be over, but mountain state spookiness continues on with a new film called “Self-Help.” Shot in locations near Huntington, the horror movie follows a college student who infiltrates a dangerous self-actualization community after her mother becomes entangled with its leader.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsHalloween may be over, but Mountain State spookiness continues on with a new horror film called "Self-Help" shot in locations near Huntington. The film was produced by brothers Erik and Carson Bloomquist. Bill Lynch spoke with Carson about the film and their experience in West Virginia.
Continue Reading Take Me to More News
