More than just the tree, Berkshire had a connection to the holiday celebrations at Rockefeller Center this year | Local News

NEW YORK – At the center of one of the world’s most famous Christmas traditions this year was a delegation from the Berkshires: a musician, a family and a tree.

On Wednesday evening, thousands flocked to Rockefeller Center in New York City to witness the moment just before 10 p.m. when the city’s tallest Christmas tree lit up for the first time, heralding the holiday season.

For the second year in a row, Kelly Clarkson hosted the Christmas tree lighting on Wednesday night. She and a host of other artists, including the Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Hudson and Coco Jones, treated viewers to new songs and holiday classics in the hours leading up to the lighting. Today, anchor Hoda Kotb began the countdown just before 10 p.m. as the 74-foot-tall spruce tree lit up in the glow of 50,000 colorful lights.

This year this tree came from our Berkshire County.

Earl and Lesley Albert planted the Norway spruce in their West Stockbridge home 67 years ago.

In 2020, Rockefeller Center’s head gardener discovered the tree after staying overnight in the Berkshires in search of future Christmas trees.

“I knocked on the door and met Earl Albert. I asked if he would one day consider donating the tree to Rockefeller Center. His immediate answer was ‘Yes,'” Pauze said in an NBC News press release.

That came one day this year. The tree was cut down on November 7th and trucked to New York City, where it was erected on November 9th before a large crowd of spectators.

Earl suffered a stroke in mid-November and is still recovering. He couldn’t make the trip to Manhattan, but he watched the televised tree lighting from his home in West Stockbridge, wearing a Santa hat on his head and surrounded by get-well cards, according to his son, Michael Albert.

“The outpouring of emotion was simply outstanding. We got cards from Hawaii, Virginia, Missouri, everywhere,” Michael said. “The emotion and the feeling and the love are almost tangible.”

Michael and his wife, Shawn, who watched the tree lighting from Rockefeller Center, said the sight of the familiar tree in the heart of downtown reminded them of Lesley, who died shortly before Pauze knocked on Earl’s door in 2020.

Lesley loved Christmas and watched the televised Rockefeller tree lighting with her niece every year, Shawn said.

“This is just the tip of everything she exuded throughout her life – compassion, love, acceptance,” Michael said. “This is just the highlight of her entire life that we can give to the world.”

In the run-up to the eagerly awaited countdown, numerous musicians took the stage and delighted the audience with new songs and Christmas classics. Among them was Matt Cusson of the Berkshires.

Cusson is a singer, pianist, arranger and producer who has worked with artists such as Christina Aguilera, Stevie Wonder and James Taylor. He grew up in Pittsfield and now lives in Williamstown with his wife and four-year-old daughter.

For the tree lighting, Cusson mixed and produced two songs – “A Man with a Bag” by Kay Starr and “Hard Candy Christmas” by Dolly Parton – which he performed with actress and singer Megan Hilty.

“Christmas music might be my favorite music, that’s crazy to say. I just love it. As a musician, music is always a hectic affair,” Cusson said. “Christmas just calms me down a little. The music makes me feel like everything is going to be okay.”

On Wednesday, Cusson made his third appearance at the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting. He previously played with Javier Colon in 2011 and CeeLo Green in 2012. This year is very special, he said.

“Then it clicked. I thought, ‘Oh my God, there’s going to be two people from the Berkshires,'” Cusson said. “It’s very special to know that the tree that millions upon millions of people not only watch being lit up but visit every year is just 20 minutes away.”

The illuminated tree can be viewed daily from 5 a.m. to midnight, all day on Christmas, on New Year’s Eve from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on selected days from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m