An Encore Presentation with Jimbo Mathus of the Squrrel Nut Zippers

This is an encore presentation of Alex Rawls' interview with Jimbo Mathus of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. It first appeared late last March as an accidental loosey, and Mathus, the Squirrel Nut Zippers’ Christmas Caravan, and their conversation deserve more attention than they got at the time.

The band was at the height of its popularity in 1998 when it recorded Christmas Caravan at the request of their label. Even though no one in the band felt particularly excited by Christmas music, it made a memorable one that includes “Hanging Up My Stockings,” a song written by a band members’ parents. Mathus talks about the experience of recording that album, and recording a Christmas single, “Mardi Gras for Christmas,” in 2018 with the current, New Orleans-based Squirrel Nut Zippers lineup.