CBID - Run, Rudolph, Run, Run, Run

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: This year there’s been a hell of a lot of Run Rudolph Run versions.

In a TV series from 2020 titled “Manhunt: Deadly Games”, Caroline McMohan sings “Run Rudolph Run” which is NOT the Berry classic.

Most of the new versions of Run Rudolph Run are digital-only. I have included some in the main list, but here is a survey of what I have come across:
The Brothers Young (USA), The Class Of ’58 (UK), Alyssa Marie Coon (USA), Morgan Gruber (USA), Hunter Hayes (USA), Kim Hoang Huy (Japan), James Johnston (USA), Jamie Kent (USA), John Lipari (USA), Mayoma Jazz Trio (Sweden), Reba McEnitre (USA), Frank MacKay (Nova Scotia), Metrolpolis (Germany?), Frank Muriel (USA), George Nooks (Jamaica), Åsa Orbison, Roy Orbison 3 & Roy Orbison Jr. (USA), Pentatonix (USA) as "Moody Rudy", RaeLynn (USA), The Rockhouse Brothers (UK), Jay Rylan (USA), Tanner Usrey (USA), Vindaloo Singh [!] (India), Jake Vaadeland (Canada), April Varner (USA), Eric Slim Zahl & Bart Szopinski (Norway/Poland) …

ALYSSA MARIE COON (USA)

Country singer, songwriter, guitarist, actually a multi-instrumentalist, from West Palm Beach, Florida. She’s also a self-sufficient producer, and engineer. She’s now based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Run Rudolph Run (2:37) 2025

Digital single: AMC Records ● USA, 2025

Good rockin’ country version. Except for the bass she played all the other instruments. I like this one, and she has a strong voice. You can check her out on You Tube. Or all the other streaming sites.

DELTAS (UK)

Rockabilly band (trio) from London, founded in 1980. The original lineup was Steve Bongo (vocals, drums), Captain Pat Marvel (guitar) and Little John (bass). However, on the album below they had a couple of additional musicians.

Around And Around ( : ) 1995

LP: From Fleetville To Vegas [Migraine Records MR-LP-004] ● Germany, 2025

Re-release of the original 10 track album from 1995. Contains some additional songs, including the Berry cover which was previously unissued.

ELECTRIC MAYHEM BAND (USA)

The house-band on the Muppet Show. Actually this is on a Christmas album by The Muppets featuring characters like Miss Piggy, Swedish Chef, Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo etc.
The above is also called Dr. Teeth & The Electric Mayhem Band.

Run Rudolph Run (3:08) 2006

CD: A Green And Red Christmas [Walt Disney Records 61635-7] ● USA, 2006

It’s a rockin’ version all right but the concept with the band is a little difficult for me to swallow. The album has been reissued in 2011 and 2025.

FUZILLIS (UK)

Rock band (quartet) from London formed in late 2014. Dani Martini (guitar), Spencer Evoy (tenor-saxophone), Frankie Fuzilli (bass) and Toby “Two Beers” Ungless (drums).

Dear Dad (1:46) 2023

7” EP: Pizza Sure Is Good [Folc Records FOLC-201] ● Spain, 2023

3 tracks. Straight ahead Berry cover (copy).

HUNTER HAYES (USA)

Hunter Easton Hayes is a country singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Born 1991 in Breaux Bridge, Lousiana. In 2008 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee. His first record came out in 2011. He’s had bestselling albums and hit singles and written songs for several other artists. Also many Award nominations and won a few. Three of his singles have sold over a million each.

Run Rudolph Run (4:37) 2025

Digital single ● USA, 2025

This starts off pretty slow but after 20 seconds rocks to a very great version (country) and performed a little different. You can hear and watch a visualizer on You Tube.

JAMES JOHNSTON (Australia)

Country singer from Wingham, New South Wales. Born 1990. In 2009 he placed third in the seventh season of Australian Idol. In July 2021 he released his first single, “Raised Like That”.
It became the first single by an Australian country artist to reach 1 million streams. It was certified Gold in Australia by mid 2022. His first album, “Raised Like That”, came out in September 2023 which was nominated for Best Country Album in 2024.

Run Rudolph Run (3:22) 2025

Digital: You Tube audio [Warner Music Australia ] ● Australia, 2025

Pretty good uptempo ‘90s sounding country version with fiddle and rockin’ guitar.

VALERIE JUNE (USA)

She’s an acclaimed singer-songwriter. She was born 1982 as Valerie June Hockett in Jackson, Tennessee. Grammy-nominated, multi-instrumentalist and author. Her music is as varying from folk, indie rock, Appalachian, bluegrass, to country-soul, symphonic pop and blues. That should give you an idea(?) She’s signed to Concord Music Group. She also has a very special colorful way to dress and arrange her hair. Her first single came in 2012, “Working Woman Blues” and she has released several albums since 2013. The latest from 2025 titled “Owls, Omens, And Oracles”.

Maybellene (3:14) 2025

Digital: Maybellene [Concord Records ] ● USA, 2025

Far from “Johnny B.” so to speak, but still a very unusual version, reimagined, as they proclaim, of Berry’s pioneering 1955 hit to mark the song’s 70th Anniversary. This is so special I just love it. Produced by Lawrence Rothman.

JESSICA LYNN (USA)

Country artist from New York. Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (guitar, piano, harmonica, and drums). She had her first album out in 2013. But before that she collaborated with Freddy Montanez in 2003 and Carlos Sanchez in 2007 on a couple of 12” EPs. She has several albums and singles out as a solo artist and the Xmas EP below was a huge success. I didn’t know there was actually something called Digital Country Charts but there is, and also the Download Charts. She’s been very successful on both. It’s quite a new world out there.

Run Rudolph Run (4:10) 2023 (live)

Digital EP: A Very Merry Classic Christmas [Jessica Lynn] ● USA, 2024

She’s been doing Christmas shows for several years but I trust that this version of Rudolph is from 2023. All sales of this 4 track live EP will be donated to Toys for Tots. And it’s a good rockin’ version.

LOS VAMPIROS (Spain)

Four piece rock’n’roll/rockabilly group from Aragon.

Thirty Days [as “Forty Days”] (2:33) 2024

10” LP: Los Vampiros [Snap Records FUN-10015] ● Spain, 2025

Album recorded at Válvula Studios in Zaragoza early 2024. Mini LP with 6 tracks. I know that Ronnie Hawkins had a hit with this (1959) but in 2024 you should do Berry the honor to record the original title.

MAYOMA JAZZ TRIO (Sweden)

Jazz trio with guitar, sax,and bass. They have 4 Xmas albums out as digital. No more info available.

Run Rudolph Run (3:34) 2025 (instr)

Digital album: Merry Jazz: Snowflake Swing [Cupol (Sony) G0100055491971] ● Sweden, 2025

Pretty unusual, but more bluesy than just jazz.

REBA McENTIRE (USA)

A country lady who’s been around since the ‘70s and still doing her thing. She’s had over 100 hits since her first in 1976. She’s among the Top 10 country artists of all time.
She was born 1955 in McAlester, Oklahoma. She has competed in rodeo and horseback barrel rides. She has acted in movies and starred on Broadway. A very versatile woman with a distinctive voice. Nowadays you might call her The Queen of Country because no one with her status today in country music has a longer history and still being on top.

Run Rudolph Run (3:04) 2025

Digital Audio video ● USA. 2025

Finally having Reba on this cover list makes me happy. But it took Rudolph a long time to reach her. It’s a good rockin’ version, however, she doesn’t have a voice for rock and roll. But who cares?

MUPPETS (USA)

See Electric Mayhem Band

GEORGE NOOKS (Jamaica)

Reggae artist born in Kingston 1958. He’s had a lot of albums and many, many singles since the late ‘70s.

Run Rudolph Run (3:09) 2025

CD: God Is Standing By [Cleopatra Records 65466 68182 0] ● USA, 2025

Not actually a Christmas album. It contains some re-recordings but Rudolph is new and a good reggae version.

PENTATONIX (USA)

A cappella group out of Arlington, Texas with a focus in pop, hip hop, and R&B. They had their first record out in 2012. Have won 2 Grammys and an album debuting at #1 on the US Billboard 200. Would you believe, the CD below is their 8th Christmas album.

Run Rudolph Run (2:42) 2025 as “Moody Rudy”

CD: Christmas In The City [Republic Records 6024786137] ● USA, 2025

This is actually a special version where they use Glenn Miller’s «In The Mood» riff singing style. But the main lyrics are Berry’s. As Discogs put it: …a mashup of Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run” with Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood.” Pretty unusual. Listen on You Tube.

RAELYNN (USA)

Racheal Lynn Woodward was born 1994 and raised in Daytown, Texas. She eventually chose the stage name RaeLynn. She competed in the second season (2012) of The Voice.
Her debut single in 2014 to country radio was “God Made Girls” that became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and a Top 20 hit on the Billboard Country Airplay charts, and was certified Gold by RIAA. And folks, that’ll tell you something of how ratings and such have changed since the good old days.

Run Rudolph Run (2:41) 2025

Digital audio Single and official Video ● USA, 2025

This is a little different from other female versions in later years. Not straight ahead and I’m not sure how much I like it(?) Listen on You Tube.

SWON BROTHERS (USA)

Brothers Zach and Colton Swon are a country duo from Muskogee, Oklahoma. They grew up with a mother and father who had their own singing gospel group. They learned early on that writing and singing songs were something they wanna do. They released a couple of CDs on their own in 2008 and 2010. They participated on the Voice in 2013 (coming in third place). Thanks for this they ended up getting a contract with Arista Nashville (Sony Music) and released an album in 2014.

Run Rudolph Run (2:52) 2014

Digital single: Arista Nashville Records ● USA, 2014

They even “made” an art sleeve for this.

JAKE VAADELAND (Canada)

22 year old Bluegrass singer, songwriter, guitarist from Cut Knife, Saskatchewan. According to his own site, he’s a 2025 Juno Award winner, a 2025 CCMA Award winner, and making history as the youngest artist to achieve ‘Road Gold’ Certification by selling 25,000 tickets in 12 months across Canada. On top of that, in 2024, the self-taught multi-instrumentalist garnered his first Western Canadian Music Award, showcasing his distinctive fusion of traditional country, ‘50s Rockabilly, and Bluegrass. He has released 5 albums on his own so far.

Run Rudolph Run (1:57) 2025 (live)

Digital album: Goodness Gracious, It’s Christmas [Jake Vaadeland 2025] ● USA, 2025

Nice bluegrass rendition. This has been popular on several digital sites like Spotify, iTunes, You Tube, Apple etc.

VARIOUS ARTISTS (Canada)

Featuring: Atilla Fias (piano), Kenny Vehkavaara (guitar), Rouly Antonopoulos (guitar), Steve Wingfield (saxophone, organ), Rich Levesque (bass), and Paul Antonio (drums). Arranged by Steve Wingfield, produced by Brad Rogers.

Run Rudolph Run (4:45) 2001 (instr)

CD: A 50s Christmas [Avalon 21193] ● Canada, 2001

Kinda interesting to have this as an instrumental. Pretty good too!

APRIL VARNER (USA)

NYC based jazz vocalist. Born 1999. In 2022 she graduated with a master’s degree in Jazz Voice Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. In 2023 she was awarded Winner of the International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition. She has also released a tribute album (CD + digital) to the famous lady of Jazz.

Run Rudolph Run (3:20) 2025

Digital: Winter Songs Vol. 2 [April Varner ] ● USA, 21 November 2025

Very modern jazz arrangement. Quite different from anything else I have heard in that genre. Recorded 15 May 2025 at Sear Sound, and produced by Ulysses Owens Jr.

STEVE WINGFIELD (Canada)

See Various Artists under V.

BRIAN WILSON (USA)

Co-founder of The Beach Boys (See Volume 3, pages 1062-1063 for biographical info). Brian Douglas Wilson was born in 1942 and died in 2025. He was 82. Singer, songwriter, producer. Recognized as one of the most innovative and significant figures in the history of popular music. The album below when it came out in 2000 was his first ever live solo album.

Johnny B. Goode (3:02) 2000 (live) (previously unissued)

2-CD: Live At The Roxy Theatre [Oglio Records OGL-82100-2] ● USA, 7 November 2025

Recorded live 7-8 April 2000. This is a remastered expanded reissue to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the concerts. You have to buy the CD set to get Johnny B. It is not included on the 3-LP set. You also get the Berry soundalike Fun, Fun, Fun. The original album from 2000 didn’t include Johnny B. or Fun, Fun, Fun. Strange though that he didn’t perform Surfin’ U.S.A.