Due to the ongoing COVID crisis, like most of us this holiday season, singing siblings Mellody Reed Winfield, Michael and Francine Reed are struggling with fewer familial hugs, less face time and more FaceTime. But thanks to Phoenix pianist Nicole Pesce, singer Renee Patrick, drummer Dowell Davis and a little internet streaming technology, the remaining Reeds will continue their half-century tradition of singing together at Christmas.

On Monday night Dec. 21 at 7 pm EST, Francine, Michael and Mellody will reunite for a live stream Christmas show via Pesce’s official website.

To offer a sneak peek of what to expect, Mellody, Michael and Francine joined together on a conference call Friday with Eldredge ATL.

Monday’s date for the show was picked by Francine specifically to honor their late sister, Margo Reed, who performed many times over years with her siblings at holiday shows in Atlanta held at the Ritz-Carlton and at Libby’s a Cabaret. Margo died in 2015 at age 73.

“We would Christmas carol every year on Margo’s birthday,” recalls Francine. “That’s how we celebrated. She’s always with us in our hearts and we wanted to do this to honor her.” On Monday night, for Margo Reed’s many fans watching around the country, Michael, Mellody and Francine say their sister would specifically approve of toasts in her honor made with a nice merlot, a glass of cabernet sauvignon or a snifter of Bushmills. Adds Michael as his sisters laugh: “A sautéed pork chop would work too!’

As the Reed siblings’ unofficial musical director, Margo’s inspirations often hit late at night. Mellody remembers, “Whenever she got an idea or an arrangement, she would wake us up in the middle of the night for us to sing it.”

Adds Michael: “’There Lying in the Manger’ {from the Reed Family’s 2005 “Blood Harmony: A Cappella” seasonal album] was one of those songs she woke us up for. She wrote it, lyrics, music, everything — it was all in her head. She got us up at three o’clock in the damn morning to sing it.” All three laugh. “Go Where I Send Thee” from the disc will also be featured in the show, along with selections from Francine’s 2000 holiday EP, “Here Comes Frani Claus,” including “Grandma’s Cookin’ Christmas,” her now-seasonal standard written for Reed by musician friends Marvin and Raven Taylor.

While Michael and Francine will perform in person together with Pesce and Davis on the Phoenix-based streaming feed, Mellody will join them from her home in Southaven, Mississippi to perform “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

“I love that song because it’s the one I always perform in the family Christmas shows,” says Mellody. “Living in Mississippi and being the farthest away from the rest of the family, the song’s lyrics mean a lot to me. I’m so happy to get to be with my brother and my sister this way and to continue the tradition this year.”

While Francine promises fans tuning in from Atlanta “a few special surprises,” Michael will be using his trademark velvety baritone to perform “Silent Night” a cappella. Says Michael: “Even though you’ve heard Francine and the rest of us over the years, this is another plateau with just the three of us. I’m hoping people enjoy the creativity in it. There’s a lot of it in this concert. Get ready to clap your hands, stomp your feet, shed a tear…” Adds Mellody: “And laugh a lot!”

While this marks Francine and Michael’s second pandemic live stream with Nicole Pesce, the critically acclaimed Phoenix pianist, fans shouldn’t rule out future shows utilizing the online technology.

“We don’t know which way music is going to go after all this,” says Francine. “I’m just grateful I have these gifted musician friends here in Phoenix who dragged me into this live streaming business.”

“Dragged?” says Michael as Francine and Mellody laugh in the background. “The only dragging that ever happens is when the show is over and we’ve got to drag Francine into the car!”

Francine and Michael Reed and Mellody Reed Winfield will perform a holiday show with pianist/bassist Nicole Pesce and drummer Dowell Davis on Monday, Dec. 21 at 7 pm EST. Go to nicolepesce.com for the link to the free live stream.

Richard L. Eldredge

Richard L. Eldredge is the founder and editor in chief of Eldredge ATL. As a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Atlanta magazine, he has covered Atlanta since 1990.