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Dave Murray has recorded a song which urges people to celebrate the birth of Christ.

It’s a message which also heralds the excitement of children at Christmas and the memories of listening to ‘carol singers knocking on every door’.

Dave, who hosts fortnightly open mic nights at the Steels Club, has shared his own latest track.

Christmas Morn is about colder nights looming, snow on the way, and the wonder of welcoming a new child into the world with church bells ringing and choirs singing.

Dave said “Christmas to me, as a child and an adult, is still about the birth of a child Jesus. The excitement, anticipation, happiness along with the joyful sound of carol singers knocking on every door and the Salvation Army brass band blasting out all our favourite hymns and songs as they march street to street rattling their collection boxes.”

The first open mic night at the Steels club in Peacock Street West was held in September and Dave said: “It is going well. There is always a good mixture of talent with a good age range.

"We are on our sixth show now and usually have around 10 to 15 artists turn up to play, sing, tell jokes or poetry stories, or do an instrumental number.”

Dave pictured outside Steels Social Club where the open mic nights are held.

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The next is on Thursday, December 8, at the Steels Club from 8pm until 11pm and Dave urged people to ‘come along to a varied night of fun and laughter. If you have got a talent you want to show off, come along to a community night of free entertainment.

"And if you just want to be in the audience, that's great too.”

Dave is no stranger to the Sunderland Echo and has previously written numerous songs, including one about going to the Mecca nightclub and to Genevieves.

Dave in the music room which he created during the pandemic.

His other songs over the years have included Merry Christmas 1966, River Wear Bairns, and Fish and Chips.

More recently, he released the folk album Pallion Lad with songs named Rag Man, Pyrex, and Bookie’s Runner.

He was also in the news during the pandemic when he created a music room filled with tributes to Elvis.

Sunderland folk singer's festive message and memories of childhood Christmases