Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw Bring Winter Joy to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade With “Let It Snow”

With temperatures barely in the 40s, thousands of volunteers walked the streets of New York City for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Featuring dozens of performers, floats, and balloons, the parade not only celebrated the holidays but also its 99th anniversary. Offering stars like Lainey Wilson and Foreigner the chance to perform throughout the parade, Macy’s decided there was no better duo to help kick off the winter season than Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw singing “Let It Snow.” 

Videos by American Songwriter

Originally recorded during the 1940s, “Let It Snow” instantly became a holiday classic. The idea surrounding the song came after Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne struggled with a heatwave in Hollywood, California. Dreaming of colder weather, the two used the temperatures as inspiration for a song played around the world on Christmas. 

While covered by stars like Frank Sinatra, Vaughn Monroe, and Michael Bublé, Caillat and DeGraw added their names to the song’s legacy recently when the two teamed up for a special duet. And fans couldn’t get enough. 

Looking at what fans had to say about Caillat and DeGraw offering their take on “Let It Snow”, comments included, “This is gonna be my new ringtone for Christmas.” Another person added, “Perfect Christmas song, great duo! Happy Holidays!” 

[RELATED: 3 Songs You Didn’t Know Colbie Caillat Wrote For Other Artists]

Gavin DeGraw Went From Sports To Singing WIth Colbie Caillat

Striking a lasting friendship over the years, DeGraw and Caillat joined forces back in 2013 for the song “We Both Know.” Part of the 2013 film Safe Haven, the singers received a Grammy nomination for their contribution to the soundtrack. 

Before stepping into the studio, DeGraw focused on a career in sports. But that quickly changed when he first performed. “The first barroom I ever played in upstate New York was called the Nowhere Bar, and I used to go there when I was about 15 on school nights, playing gigs with my brother and hanging out and acting like what I felt like a man acted when I was a kid.”  

Finding his home on the stage, DeGraw insisted, “That’s when I quit sports, because I thought to myself, ‘This is way cooler than playing basketball.’”

That single decision led DeGraw to Caillat and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And as their voices rose above the parade, the longtime friends proved once more that the holidays shine brightest when shared.

(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for CMT)