The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of My Sister’s Voice

Changing it up today! Because it’s Christmas and I’m feeling naughty.

Bev and Barbara, early '80s

Remember back in August when we drove to Arkansas to see new houses and to celebrate my birthday and to eat stinky cheeses and drink rosé on blankets outside and hug necks of my friends and fam?

This photo is from that trip! JK.

One evening we went over to my sister Barbara’s house to eat pulled pork, and out of nowhere, her husband JFK Junior quietly disappears into their little recording room and presses play. And the room falls to a hush. And throats tighten. And tears pool in the bottom of eyelids. And I refilled my rosé and posted tiny clips to InstaStories.

See, many people feel that The Sound of Music is a holiday movie. I CONSTANTLY hear from followers and blog readers that their favorite movie to watch at Christmas is The Sound of Music. To me, it’s an all-the-time movie. An everything movie. It’s not even a movie. It’s a lifestyle.

Guys, Barbara sings this song so perfectly and so hauntingly pure that it stills my soul.  

She has an unreal gift, completely unparalleled to anything I’ve ever heard. I remember the very first time I knew Bar had singing talent. I found a tape she recorded at the Hobbs, New Mexico mall (!!!) of her singing an old Shania Twain song and I COMPLETELY FLIPPED OUT. It was beyond good. And she was like, eight years old. Not fair, you guys. I’m still not over it.

So here’s the song for you at Christmas. I added a few harmonies here and there, because blood. But it’s 100% Barbara that brings this song to the most transcending, tranquil, stop-you-in-your-tracks place. Get ready to not be able to breathe for two minutes and 22 seconds.

The Hills Are Alive.

Merry Christmas! Hope you don’t get coal.

See you next Friday. xx.

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63 Responses to The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of My Sister’s Voice

  1. Sarah December 21, 2018 at 6:59 am #
    This is so beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing. Gah, I’m a puddle.
  2. Kristin December 21, 2018 at 7:24 am #
    Oh my, that was beautiful! Thank you so much. I won't complain if you share more....lots more.
  3. Anonymous December 21, 2018 at 7:33 am #
    ❤️
  4. Becca December 21, 2018 at 7:34 am #
    Wow. Thanks for sharing. What a gift she (and you) has. ❤️
  5. Anonymous December 21, 2018 at 7:53 am #
    So amazing ??
    • Courtney December 30, 2021 at 3:51 pm #
      Sooooooo beautiful!!!!
  6. Katie December 21, 2018 at 7:54 am #
    Can you please create bevsings.com! ??
  7. Dee December 21, 2018 at 8:02 am #
    You're right! Your sister has a beautiful voice. And the harmony was lovely, too.
  8. Shannon December 21, 2018 at 8:03 am #
    Gorgeous!!!!
  9. Susan December 21, 2018 at 8:14 am #
    Beautiful .....loooooove the haircut, the velour shirt, the rolled-up jeans.....Merry Christmas, Bev !!!
  10. Andrea Davidson December 21, 2018 at 8:18 am #
    ?? such a flood of memories. My own memories that are tied to that movie and song plus memories of your family’s touch on my life by showing me we all have music and lyrics to add to the world’s song. Thank you for such a beautiful Christmas gift.
  11. Debbie T. December 21, 2018 at 8:23 am #
    Simply beautiful.
  12. Danielle December 21, 2018 at 8:28 am #
    So lovely! Thank you for sharing ??
  13. Carol Robertson December 21, 2018 at 9:09 am #
    Best gift ever - thank you so much for sharing!! I've been waiting (patiently) for one of you to post some recordings. So proud of you beautiful, talented, funny girls!
  14. Trudy December 21, 2018 at 9:27 am #
    Simply beautiful. Her voice is incredible. Does she record? Would love to have an album so I could listen to her.
  15. Reagan December 21, 2018 at 10:27 am #
    As someone who can't carry a note, I am always in awe of anyone that can sing. That was beautiful and thank you for sharing. Have the happiest of holidays!
  16. Amber December 21, 2018 at 11:02 am #
    Holy shiitake mushrooms I think I just had an out of body experience. Can you and your sister please make an acoustic Christmas album cause that's all I want to listen to until I DIE
  17. Tammy December 21, 2018 at 11:04 am #
    Beautiful!!!
  18. Alexandria December 21, 2018 at 11:10 am #
    GORGEOUS!! Okay so I had a similar experience when my little sister was about 14 and she entered a singing competition where my mom worked. She got up and started singing Kelly Clarkson and I legit started crying in the group of people watching her and they were like, “what is WRONG with you?!” BUT SHE IS JUST SO GOOD. Your sister has such a pure voice. Make an album??? Isn’t is fun to have a little sister ☺️☺️☺️
  19. Andrea December 21, 2018 at 11:12 am #
    Amazing, gave me chills!!! Thanks so much for sharing it. Happy holidays!
  20. Stephanie December 21, 2018 at 11:13 am #
    So good!
  21. Chelsea December 21, 2018 at 11:33 am #
    OH MY GAAAAAHHH your sister is an angel. *listens to this on repeat for the rest of forever*
  22. S. Hoover December 21, 2018 at 11:35 am #
    Wow, wow, wow Thanks for sharing
  23. Emily December 21, 2018 at 12:07 pm #
    Absolutely lovely!! She has a very calming voice. And I love hearing siblings harmonize because they blend so well. You have a beautiful voice too. We need to hear more! Were you playing the guitar? That was a treat. Encore!
  24. Toni December 21, 2018 at 1:09 pm #
    GOOSEBUMPS ALL OVER!
  25. Christi December 21, 2018 at 1:17 pm #
    Just lovely!
  26. Anonymous December 21, 2018 at 1:23 pm #
    That’s amazing!
  27. Robin December 21, 2018 at 2:17 pm #
    You two are so talented and also sound so much alike
  28. Shannon December 21, 2018 at 2:43 pm #
    Soooooooo gooooood!!!! ? She sounds just like you!
  29. Anonymous December 21, 2018 at 3:29 pm #
    Absolutely Gorgeous singing!! And the harmony is perfectly heavenly!! Made me cry...what a gift God has given to the "Blann" sisters.
  30. Stephanie December 21, 2018 at 3:30 pm #
    Beautiful!! Thanks for sharing, Merry Christmas Bev!
  31. Anonymous December 21, 2018 at 4:02 pm #
    Beautiful
  32. JC December 21, 2018 at 4:10 pm #
    Wow-so tranquil and pure.
  33. Nancy December 21, 2018 at 4:36 pm #
    This is awesome! Thanks for sharing her (and your) beautiful voices! Merry Christmas!
  34. Jennifer C. December 21, 2018 at 4:50 pm #
    Oh my goodness! That picture looks like Natalie in a few years!
  35. Amanda December 21, 2018 at 5:58 pm #
    Simply beautiful! Thank you for sharing!! :)
  36. Jessica December 21, 2018 at 7:08 pm #
    A.Mazing!! What a gift! Thanks for sharing!
  37. Robin December 21, 2018 at 7:35 pm #
    This is incredible. It gives me chills!
  38. Deb December 21, 2018 at 8:42 pm #
    Absolutely beautiful....want to listen to it over and over.... Thanks for sharing!
  39. Kelly December 21, 2018 at 9:19 pm #
    Absolutely beautiful. Thank you.
  40. EM December 22, 2018 at 12:40 am #
    ????
  41. Revati Upadhya December 22, 2018 at 2:28 am #
    OMG. Totally choked up.
  42. lisatberry December 22, 2018 at 7:45 am #
    GOOSE BUMPS!!!! So beautiful...I love the Sound of Music and hope to make it to Salzburg to retrace Maria's steps one day.
    • Debbie Crownover December 18, 2019 at 9:44 pm #
      OMGoodness!!! Absolutely, elegantly beautiful!!!
  43. Leslie December 23, 2018 at 12:50 pm #
    I have only listened to this 20 times (?) or so and I have cried every time. Love the sister harmonies and beautiful guitar. This song brings back so many memories for me, too. We always watched it at my grandma’s house. Thank you for sharing it!
  44. Diane December 26, 2018 at 12:47 pm #
    That was the perfect way to de-stress after Christmas. Thank you for sharing! Also I had that blue velvet shirt!! I'm not sentimental about clothes, but I hung on to that shirt for some reason and my daughter thought it was cool enough to wear twenty years later :)
  45. Shelley December 26, 2018 at 4:39 pm #
    I didn’t want this to end. So beautiful.. Plus Sound if Music is my favorite of all time.
  46. Jenn December 26, 2018 at 5:14 pm #
    Oh my goodness! What a voice! This gave me chills!! Beautiful! Beautiful!
  47. Brittany December 26, 2018 at 5:36 pm #
    How interesting, completely agree that The Sound of Music is also a holiday movie, withfor me it's Easter instead of Christmas! I think it has to do with it airing on tv Easter weekend every year most of my childhood, opposite The Ten Commandments. So the girls in my fam would huddle around one tv in one room with The Sound of Music, while the guys watched The Ten Commandments in another room lol..all that to say, your sister has a beautiful voice. Please repost in a few months when I'll be watching the movie so I can listen again ;)
  48. Kristi December 26, 2018 at 7:03 pm #
    Uhhhh does she have a recording contract and if not why the heck not?
  49. Danielle December 26, 2018 at 7:04 pm #
    So beautiful! Thank you for sharing! You and your sister should totally make a Chrismas acoustic album. I’d be one of the first in line to buy it! ❤️
  50. Jess Lin December 26, 2018 at 9:58 pm #
    So beautiful!! ??
  51. Mimi January 4, 2019 at 7:27 pm #
    Soooooooooo beautiful!!!!!! So glad you shared it.
  52. Aline Santos June 5, 2019 at 10:10 pm #
    The content of your web site is fantastic
  53. Depressão June 5, 2019 at 10:11 pm #
    Oh my goodness! What a voice! This gave me chills!! Beautiful! Beautiful!
  54. Sarah Copeland December 19, 2019 at 8:57 am #
    I LOVE that we talked about this at cheese camp and now here I am listening to this angel voice for myself. It’s too much. Absolutely love. Now when can I get this on an album???
  55. lisa June 20, 2020 at 11:30 am #
    You are amazing and so courageous! How I wish I had your spirit. I am proud to call you family.
  56. lisa October 24, 2020 at 4:26 am #
    That looks almost exactly like one I did. $2.00 was a great price for that frame. And it seems like the gaudier the better (I'm making up words, here.) You should link that to Furniture Feature Friday this week. That definitely falls under "home furnishings." Gorgeous job!Gem Music Producer DJ
  57. lisa November 15, 2020 at 3:03 am #
    I am listening to this angel voice for myself. It’s too much. Absolutely love. Now when can I get this on an album???same game for childrens
  58. lisa December 8, 2020 at 3:26 am #
    So beautiful! Thank you for sharing! You and your sister should totally make a Chrismas acoustic album. I’d be one of the first in line to buy it! ❤️Ska band
  59. lisa January 8, 2021 at 11:22 am #
    Always go for a mini metal lathe that will best suit your need. As we come to a conclusion, you should keep in mind that quality is often the critical aspect you should assess when choosing a product, and mini metal lathe is not any different.bedroom pop type beat
  60. Suellen December 30, 2021 at 8:40 am #
    Beautiful!!! We love SOM too, and always watch it at Christmas (plus any other time). You should release this, everyone should be able to listen!

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Monthly Mixtape: Fresh Rhythm and Crisp Sheets | Bev Cooks - January 3, 2019 […] year I left you with music, and this year, I’m welcoming you back with music! It’s the only way. That and, I got […]

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