Nicholas David: St. Paul's hat-wearing, soul-loving piano man of NBC's "The Voice" fame offers his annual St. Nick's celebration in partnership with the Minnesota Association of Children's Mental Health. He's also celebrating the release of his new project "Yesterday's Gone," a delectable Southern soul excursion cut in New Orleans with producer Samantha Fish and featuring the tasty guitar of Duane Betts and lots of David's organ and piano passages. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Fri., Dakota, Mpls., $30-$45)
Katie McMahon: The former "Riverdance" vocalist who wed a Minnesotan presents her annual Celtic Christmas show, which happens to fall on St. Nicholas Day. The crystalline soprano will be joined by vocalists Tim Jay and Everett Vass, the Corda Mor Irish Dancers and the Minnesota Boychoir. (7 p.m. Fri., the O'Shaughnessy, St. Paul, $28)
Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith: A holiday pairing that dates back almost as long as frankincense and myrrh, these contemporary Christian singers are reuniting for another Christmas tour after taking last year off. The longtime friends will once again be accompanied by a symphony, and Christian rocker Marc Martel will open. Grant then heads home to Nashville for her usual December residency at the Ryman Auditorium with husband Vince Gill. (7:30 p.m. Fri., Target Center, Mpls., $33-$78)
Lorie Line: There was a time when the Twin Cities piano queen performed more than a dozen holiday concerts at a downtown Minneapolis theater in December. For her 30th annual Christmas tour, she's taken to playing one-night stands at smaller hometown venues as well as in burgs like Detroit Lakes, Red Wing and Waconia, still wrapping her pageant with a big bow. (7:30 p.m. Fri., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; 3 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., Ames Center, 12600 Nicollet Av. S., Burnsville; 3 p.m. Sun., Rogers High School, 21000 141st Av. N., Rogers. $60. lorieline.com)
Church of Cash: Minneapolis' full-time Johnny Cash tribute band, led by baritone twanger Jay Ernest, is putting on a special performance of the "At Folsom Prison" album. (8 p.m. Fri., Turf Club, St. Paul, $12-$25.)
Bobby Lyle: He's already celebrated his 75th birthday this year in the Twin Cities, where he grew up. Now the gifted keyboardist — a jazz star who also toured with Bette Midler and Anita Baker — celebrates the holiday season on three different instruments: grand piano, electric keyboard and B-3 organ. (Solo show 7:30 p.m. Fri.; trio shows 6 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., Crooners, Fridley, $20-$30)
Martina McBride: One of Nashville's most enduringly gorgeous female voices, this Kansas-reared country star brings her ninth annual Joy of Christmas Tour. She'll feature selections from her two yule albums, 1998's "White Christmas" and last year's "It's the Holiday Season," as well as her classic songs such as "Independence Day." Maybe she'll even discuss a holiday recipe from one of her cookbooks or her Food Network show "Martina's Table." (8 p.m. Sat., Mystic Lake, sold out)
Sunny Sweeney: For more than a dozen years now, this Texan has been a fresh voice in country music, delivering old-school honky-tonk with a sharp and twangy tongue. Her song titles pretty much tell the story: "Staying's Worse Than Leaving," "Drink Myself Single" and "From a Table Away." However, at this time of year, it's all about her fourth annual Dysfunctional Family Christmas Tour, with Brennen Leigh and Alex Williams, and selections like "One More Christmas Beer." (8 p.m. Sat., Cabooze, Mpls., $20-$100)