MOONSHINE & MISTLETOE (An Appalachian Christmas Celebration) Album Out Now

Originally conceived by DJ Salisbury and Larry Moore, Moonshine & Mistletoe (An Appalachian Christmas Celebration) features a score woven from the authentic, hauntingly beautiful music of Appalachian mountain folk. It tells a warm-hearted family story of reconciliation and Christmas Day miracles while foot stompin' joy spills forth to bring the holiday spirit alive in a uniquely American way. The show features 11 actor-musicians who portray a family coming together in rural Kentucky for the holidays during the Great Depression. Despite their hardships, a profound love of music is not only the most precious of gifts they can share, but also the path to healing. 

The holiday album arrives November 7th, 2025 on Joy Machine Records. Moonshine & Mistletoe (An Appalachian Christmas Celebration) is produced by Kevin Duda and Lynn Pinto. The album was recorded and mixed by Andros Rodriguez, and mastered by Daniel Sanint. Brent Frederick served as music director and Larry Moore provides musical arrangements for the project. Moonshine & Mistletoe (An Appalachian Christmas Celebration) debuted in 2023 at The Garden Theater in WInter Garden, Florida with direction by DJ Salisbury, and music direction by David Lutken. 

Stream now here.

The album features vocal performances from Deb Lyons, David Lutken, Janice Landry, Julie Foldesi, Scott Moss, Joshua Turchin, Delphina Belle, Nicholas Belton, Melissa Van Der Schyff, Mimi Bessette, Tim Quarter, Steve McIntyre, Caleb Damschroder, Alex Gibson, Christine DiGallonardo, Jacqueline Petroccia, Joseph Beute, and Patricia Noonan. 

DJ Salisbury has directed and choreographed over 125 shows across the USA and Off-Broadway as well as in Colombia. As a writer, he’s had 8 musicals produced including The Man Who Would Be King (composer Neil Berg), 30 Años de Navidad, Merlin’s Magicademy, Poodleful, and Moonshine & Mistletoe. His musical with collaborator Andrew Gerle, Whisper Darkly, released a concept album in 2024. His play Exhibit: Perfect European Man was selected for 3 festivals and has won Best Production, Best Actor, and Best Director awards. DJ is a member of AEA, SDC, and The Dramatists Guild. www.djsalisbury.com 

Larry Moore Since his arrival in New York in 1979, Larry Moore's work has encompassed the theatre, choral, opera, concert, and recording industries. Praised by the New York Daily News as "one of the most ingenious practitioners in his profession," his choral arrangements are published by Subito

Music and Boosey and Hawkes. As an orchestrator, his work has been heard in concert with the Philadelphia Pops and Boston Pops and theatrical productions by Goodspeed Opera, the New York State Theatre Institute, the New Amsterdam Theatre Company, Houston Grand Opera, City Center Encores!, and Broadway. His recording work includes orchestrations and arrangements for numerous soloists and supplementary appendix material for several recordings of classic musicals, including Cabaret, Sweet Charity, and Guys and Dolls. In 2024, his orchestration for the ballet Star on the Rise was performed by the Indiana University Opera and Ballet Theater, and his first novel, Annabelle & Thatch, was recently published. 

Kevin Duda and his company, Kevin Duda Productions, thrive on developing groundbreaking entertainment for Broadway, TV, Film, and live events. With expertise in producing and creative development, productions overseen by KDP have won both critical & client acclaim, with upcoming world premieres, big screen adaptations and campaign launches. Every collaboration underscores our commitment to fresh, forward-thinking projects that resonate worldwide and set the stage for the future of entertainment. In his former life, Kevin was an actor on Broadway in the original casts of The Book of Mormon and Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, after making his debut with Les Liaisons Dangereuses for Roundabout Theatre Company. 

Driven by passion, defined by craft, Joy Machine Records is a record label seeking to change the way we think about theater music. We call ourselves Joy Machine because we love making records. The music we release embraces the joy of authenticity, both in style and genre for today’s artists and audiences. Our focus on process and collaboration stems from our collective experience in the recorded music industry as well as our work on Broadway. Our hands-on approach to each project allows artists at every level to develop their own voice. Artists will be greeted with kindness and transparency as they explore the best solutions for their unique musical projects. Our services provide the ability for artists who have typically worked within the space of musical theater to explore where they fit within the recorded music industry. We are a company of theater music artists for today.