Ragan Whiteside | "This Christmas"

Contemporary flute-playing soul-jazz phenomenon Ragan Whiteside caps off a banner year with the No. 1 top-charting single, “Thrill Ride” on five Jazz Radio charts. This year has been incredible for Whiteside, her current single, “Thrill Ride” peaked at No. 1 on five charts including the Billboard Smooth Jazz (14 weeks), Mediabase, the Smooth Jazz Network, Radiowave and Groove Jazz Music radio charts (15 weeks) on the chart, making it her second No. 1 single as a solo artist, which is also featured on her sixth career album of the same title. 

The classically trained flutist also re-issues her first-holiday single, “This Christmas.” Her warm and witty version of the perennial seasonal classic, originally penned and performed by the late Donny Hathaway, is available on the Randis Music label, through all digital download and streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, and more. 

“After nearly three years of the global pandemic, I have so many things in my life to be grateful for including family, and a career that continued to flourish during these tough times,” says Whiteside. “Christmas is a time for family and to spread more love and joy throughout the world. It’s also my favorite holiday and ‘This Christmas’ is one of my all-time favorite holiday songs.”

Just off a win for Best Contemporary Artist for the inaugural Jazz Music Awards, Whiteside was also recently nominated for her fourth Smooth Jazz Network’s Best Artist (2019 – 2022). Winners will be announced on Thursday, December 15 via the online magazine, Beats.

She continues to wow audiences during a series of summer and fall concerts in between hosting her No. 1 weekend show, “Saturday with Ragan Whiteside” on Atlanta’s NPR affiliate station, Jazz 91.9 WCLK.

Additionally, Whiteside appears on Kim Scott’s 2022 remake of Ashford & Simpson’s 1978 mega-hit, “I’m Every Woman” along with Althea Rene, which also peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart. 

Her streak of seven previous Billboard Top 10 singles included “JJ’s Strut,” “Reminiscing,” “Jam It,” “Early Arrival,” “See You At The Get Down,” and “Off the Cuff,” also featured on her current album, and her Billboard No. 1 single, “Corey’s Bop.”