Ho! Ho! Hoey – Gary Hoey Returns To the NJ Area With His 2023 Holiday Shows

The 2023 holiday season is rapidly approaching which means Gary Hoey will be back in our area spreading his unique brand of holiday joy. Gary and Jim Monaghan got together on "All Mixed Up" to chat about this year's Ho! Ho! Hoey tour and more.

JIM MONAGHAN - It's 105.5 WDHA here on a Sunday morning with the one and only Gary Hoey. It's that time of year. Ho ho ho. Welcome back to WDHA, my friend.
GARY HOEY - Oh, thank you so much, bro. To having me back. And you guys are literally one of my favorite stations in the world. I have to say that right out of the gate.

JM - I'll pay you later.
GH - Yeah, send me the check in the mail, will you?

JM - We've had a long history of playing your music here at WDHA. The Ho! Ho! Hoey tour gets underway this coming Friday in Pennsylvania, and there's a handful of dates in our area. When did you actually start rehearsing for this, Gary?
GH - Well, I mean, I started rehearsing myself about a month ago. I started working on the songs, just sitting at home going through stuff. And then we've had a few band rehearsals over the last couple of weeks. We had one yesterday with the band and doesn't take us too many rehearsals to get ready. Everybody's such pros. Everyone shows up knowing what they got to do. So we usually do like three or four rehearsals and we're ready to go.

JM - I know a lot of artists when they record Christmas albums, they have to do it in the summertime in order to get it ready for the holiday season. And they'll decorate the studio with Christmas lights and what have you. Do you do the same thing when you rehearse?
GH - Same exact thing. When I recorded it, it was in July. I put up the lights and I cranked the AC to try to cool it down. And yeah, I showed up at rehearsal with my Santa hat yesterday. We had the lights going and everybody, the band was kind of laughing, but I'm like, I got to get in the mood.

JM - Well, the weather down here is getting us in the mood because it was in the mid 20s this week and I'm not ready for that. I'm telling you.
GH - I'm not ready either. This morning it was 19 degrees here in New Hampshire. I feel you.

JM - The Ho! Ho! Hoey Tour, as we said, kicks off Friday in PennsyLvania, then gets into Elmsford, New York, not too far away, on Saturday the 25th, Sunday the 26th at Daryl's House. I'm so glad he opened that up again up in Pawling, New York, and then in Manhattan on Wednesday the 29th at the Cutting Room. What kind of surprises do you have for us this year?
GH - Well, this year it's good because we're getting out. We're doing a lot of the songs we've been doing throughout the tours, but I always like to add something new. I always like to freshen it up a little bit. So this year we do have the new single, "The Nutcracker, Suite (Sugar Plum Fairy)" that I recorded. So we have a new single out, and I'm adding some songs in the set that I haven't done before. I've never done "My Favorite Things," which is a beautiful song. For some reason, in all the Christmas tours, I've never played that one live. So we always dig through some of the songs because we only get to play about 22 songs, so I have to pull out some of them. And I'm excited, too, this year that my son, Ian, he's 22 years old, he's become quite a guitar player. He's coming out and playing with me for some of the shows, not every show, but he'll be out for the beginning of the tour. He's going to be playing live with me.

JM - And who are the other members of the band with you this time?
GH - This year I have a new band. My original rhythm section is retired off the road. They took a break and I have a great couple of. I call them young kids because they're Berklee graduates. I have a girl drummer who's amazing, Leah Bluestein, she's a Berkeley graduate and she's just a monster musician. And Mike Dutko on bass. These both are just top notch musicians, but they're young kids. When I look at them, I'm like, they're in their 20s.

JM - When I was a little kid, Gary, one of my favorite things that my family did at the holiday time was drive around and look at other people's decorations. And I asked my younger daughter a little earlier today, growing up, when you were a little kid, what was your favorite thing to do at holiday time? And for her, it was breakfast Christmas morning. Because my wife always makes something special for you. As a kid, what was a big, cool thing that the Hoey family did that you really liked?
GH - My mom had so many traditions just growing up, she was so big into, like, I would come in the house and we'd be all playing in the snow, and she'd be playing the Elvis records and the Bing Crosby albums would be going. I could just remember the vinyl record playing and the Christmas music always playing in the house. And my mom would, you know, my hands would be freezing and she'd say, gary, put your gloves on the radiator and don't warm up your hands too quick because you can't get too much heat on them too fast. You got to thaw them out a little bit. And then she would make me some hot cocoa. And I remember we had a fireplace, so my mom would put a log on the fire and she'd get me some hot cocoa. And I just remember sitting by the fire drinking my hot cocoa, watching my mom decorate the tree. And she wouldn't let me help because she was so obsessed with every bulb being the way it had to be. So when I started going on tour and talking about my mother not letting me help one year, she's like, I'm going to let you put a red bulb on the tree. Ten minutes later, she moves it.

JM - Favorite Christmas song to play?
GH - You know, for me on the tour, one of my favorites, because the crowd goes crazy, is when I go, is "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch." That just gets me going, and the crowd reaction. But one that I really love, that my mom used to really love was the old classic that goes, you know, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." Beautiful melody.

JM - My favorite version of that song is Frank Sinatra's.
GH - Oh, he does an incredible version. Definitely one of my favorites for sure.

JM - And I think if I had to pick an all time favorite Christmas song, and I don't think there could be two different songs each end of the spectrum. One would be Nat King Cole's timeless recording of the Mel Torme song, and then the other would be "The Chipmunk Song" by Alvin, Simon and Theodore. And I think you could find two songs at opposite ends of the spectrum.
GH - I was going to say that shows how crazy you are.

JM - In addition to the Ho! Ho! Hoey Tour, there are two things coming in 2024. One is the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp, which is in February in Los Angeles. I've got to get to one of these things one of these years, Gary, because they sound like a lot of fun.
GH - Oh, it's so much fun. You have to come out. I have to be your counselor, though, if you come out. We have Nancy Wilson coming out this time, the DeLeo brothers from Stone Temple Pilots. We have Chris Slade from AC/DC. It's just a four day experience. That is unbelievable because we have all levels of musicians, from beginners, intermediate, advanced. Doesn't matter how well you play. It's all about helping people out. And then they get to jam on stage at, like, the Whiskey a Go Go or something on the weekend night, we get them out on stage, and I'm going to tell you, I've made friends at Rock Camp that I've stayed in touch with for ten years that have become like my blood brothers and sisters, because there's a bond that happens with music that when you play music together, it just creates a really cool bond. So you should definitely come check it out.

JM - And then the other is the Rock Legends Cruise that comes out of Miami a little bit later on in February the 22nd through the 26th. In fact, I think one of my friends is playing with Duane Betts's band, John Ginty, who's a keyboard player extraordinaire from here in Morristown. I'm pretty sure he's in Duane's band.
GH - Well, I'll have to go say hi because I know Duane. I've become friends with him. He's a great guy. And, yeah, what a lineup. Sammy Hagar, Brett Michaels, Rick Springfield Canned Heat, Billy Gibbons. I mean, it's going to be one of the best cruises I think we've had. And I host an all star jam on Saturday night where I get a lot of the celebrities to come down, and we do this jam, and it's one of the most popular shows of the ship where they just see everybody interact. And in the past cruises, I had Sebastian Bach on stage with Robbie Krieger from the Doors. I mean, would you ever see that again?

JM - The Ho! Ho! Hoey Tour kicks off this Friday right after Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania and then Elmsford, New York on the 25th. Darryl's House in Pawling on Sun 26th, and then Wednesday, the 29th at the cutting room in Manhattan. Gary, have a wonderful Thanksgiving. All the details on everything. Gary Hoey related online at garyhoey.com and have a great holiday season. Thanks for your time this morning here on DHA.
GH - You, too, my friend. Always a pleasure to hang out with you. I appreciate you having me on. Thank you.

Physical gifts can be cool for a moment, but the memories they create are what truly last a lifetime. This holiday season, why not do your friends and family a favor by skipping the usual physical presents? Maybe consider giving a unique Christmas experience instead?

An experiential gift is just as thoughtful as something you can hold in your hand. The difference is that it won't end up gathering dust, getting re-gifted, or donated. That's because experiences, whether it's a subscription, an activity, or a class, let people give people memories. Whether the giftee does it on their own, with their family, or even with you, it offers opportunities for learning and exploration.

If you're searching for an exciting experience for adults or children, ther are lots of choices. You could start with something as simple as covering the dinner tab for a couple. Another option is going big by planning a fantastic trip as the ultimate gift for your spouse. For kids and teens, they can dive into fun activities. These can be learning to play an instrument or mastering the art of making their favorite dessert.

Another advantage of opting for experiential gifts is that they make ideal last-minute presents. They can be conveniently purchased online. And if all else fails, a gift card is always an option.

Let's face it: most of the stuff we buy just because we like it or think we need it tends to fade into the background pretty quickly. This is especially true when they're given as gifts. We've all had those times when we eagerly tore into a physical gift at Christmas or a birthday, only to realize it didn't quite live up to the hype. It's even worse when you know that time and money were spent on something you're not too thrilled about.

Experiences can enrich our lives, contributing to personal growth and opening our minds to new horizons. Meanwhile, dust collectors, especially the ones from distant relatives, don't quite measure up. You know that feeling, right? It's like saying, "Thanks, Aunt Rose, but I could've done without that Christmas scarf and hand lotion from the buy-one-get-one special at the mall."

So, when the holiday season or other celebrations roll around, and you're stuck with gift-buying, consider giving experiences instead of physical items. To help you get started, here are some experiential gifts that would make great Christmas gifts.

Gifting an annual membership to a zoo, museum, aquarium, or perhaps, for those aged 21 and above, a wine club or mug club membership can make for a wonderful holiday gift. It's a simple and thoughtful gesture that can benefit almost everyone this season. Offering your friends or family several months or a full year at a location they cherish is an excellent method to provide them with extra savings and a valuable present they can enjoy throughout the year.

Offer the gift of a year-long adventure with the America the Beautiful Annual Pass. This pass grants free entry to all 115 National Parks with entrance fees, along with over 3,000 other federal lands. The pass includes the pass holder and up to three accompanying adults (aged 16 and above), with free admission for children under 15. Similar passes are available at various state parks, city and county parks, as well as botanical gardens nationwide, either for online purchase or directly on-site. It's a thoughtful present for anyone who enjoys the outdoors.

Imagine the excitement of receiving a personalized video message from your beloved celebrity, something you can hold onto for a lifetime. Cameo provides a platform where you can hire celebrities and athletes to create personalized videos, making them memorable gifts. The pricing for Cameo videos is set individually by thousands of actors, artists, and influencers and can range from as low as $1 to as high as $15,000 for personal videos, depending on the celebrity's status and demand.

It's reassuring to know that you're offering your loved ones something they can personally choose and appreciate. Movie gift cards are a great option as they usually have no expiration date and can be used to buy movie tickets and concessions at the specific theater or theaters from which they are purchased. The recipient can use it for any movie they desire, without having to dip into their own funds.

Consider giving tickets to a theme park amusement park as one of the most enjoyable experiential gifts. When presenting tickets as a gift, there's room for creativity in how you package the gift, whether in a sizable wrapped box or as part of a unique scavenger hunt.

There are plenty of enjoyable indoor activities to explore, including options like indoor rock climbing, trampoline centers, indoor skydiving, game centers, arcades, and escape rooms. A gift of this kind can be especially convenient for those times when you're looking for indoor entertainment, especially during bad weather.

Concert or show tickets are a great gift choice. They provide a one-of-a-kind experience and make for a thoughtful way to celebrate your best friend and their interests. Even if they've seen the band before, each performance is unique and memorable.

If you have a sports enthusiast in your circle, giving them tickets to a baseball game is a thoughtful gesture to express your care. It's also an excellent means of enjoying quality time together while rooting for your favorite team. To make the experience even better, you can go the extra mile by including a food voucher along with the tickets.

Offer the perfect gift of relaxation and beauty, whether it's a spa day, a massage, a facial, or a visit to the salon for hair styling, a wash, or a manicure and pedicure. Depending on the recipient, this could be something you can enjoy together. It's an opportunity to unwind and connect, spending quality time together, catching up on life, sharing some laughter, and reminiscing about the past.

Lessons in various experiences, such as cooking classes, dance lessons, or sewing lessons, can be beneficial to many. This kind of gift is well-suited for people who enjoy learning and trying out new experiences. By gifting classes or lessons, you provide someone with an additional means of self-expression.