Lyricist Clark Sterling had the idea for a new song while enjoying the holiday sights and sounds of Union Square, and he teamed with award-winning composer Nolan Gasser to create a new song for San Francisco. For the debut recording, Sterling and Gasser chose the distinctive voice and irresistible style of Tim Hockenberry, along with some of the Bay Area's finest musicians.

All three men live and work in the Bay Area and have major accomplishments in theater and music. Clark Sterling originated the character of Joel in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers on Broadway and performed 12 roles in the long-running San Francisco company of Les Miserables. He has starred in musicals throughout the country, performed as a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony, garnered three Bay Area Critics Circle Awards, and appeared on national television in "Another World," "All My Children" and "Nash Bridges." A Stanford University graduate, he started his own production company in 1992, and has been producing live entertainment for special events throughout the Bay Area and the wine country. (See sterlingperformances.com for more information).

Composer, conductor and pianist, Nolan Gasser's musical works range in style from classical to jazz to rock, and have been performed at such prestigious venues as the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and La Salle Pleyel in Paris. He performs and records regularly with marquee performers as diverse as Steve Miller, John Handy and Carol Channing. Gasser is currently an Adjunct Professor in Medieval and Renaissance Music History at Stanford University. One of his next major projects is the world premiere of his American Festivals oratorio in May 2004 with the Oakland East Bay Symphony.

"Christmas by the Bay" vocalist Tim Hockenberry began performing as a jazz and R&B singer in 1990 and has shared the stage with such acts as Robert Cray, David Sanborn, George Benson, BB King, Ben Harper, Roberta Flack, and Bonnie Raitt.