Minnesota Music Award-winning artist Billy McLaughlin and Minnesota Music Female Vocalist of the Year Karen Paurus are bringing the holidays to Albert Lea Friday.

The two are bringing their ensemble, SimpleGifts, to the Lighthouse Event Center, 638 Marshall St., for a 7 p.m. show.

Tickets are $17 in advance and are available at Tone Music in Albert Lea, at Coffee House on Main in Austin or on-line at www.simplegiftsmusic.net. Tickets will be $20 at the door.

Started in 2002 as a quartet, SimpleGifts is now a quintet featuring McLaughlin, Paurus, Heather Garborg (voice and fiddle), Jeni-Lyn Starr (Celtic whistle and piano) and Billy O. (percussion). The group has recorded two holiday CDs and maintains a busy performing schedule every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The concert will include highlights from the group’s latest release, “Of Shepherds and Angels.” From “Angels We Have Heard On High” to “Christmas in Killarney” to a ballad approach to “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” the group plays with an old-world touch and a modern flair. There will also be favorites like “O Holy Night,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “I Saw Three Ships,” “O Come Emmanuel,” “Breath of Heaven,” “Birthday of a King,” “What Child Is This,” “Mary Did You Know,” “Silent Night” and a few surprises.

McLaughlin played guitar with pianist Lorie Line on her Christmas tours for many years. In 1997, after a hand injury, he began to struggle with playing solo guitar. His fingers would suddenly curl, causing his music to veer out of control. His solo career ground to a halt.

Doctors diagnosed focal dystonia. It is similar to Parkinson’s disease in that the body can no longer relax naturally when it should. Practiced movements become unpredictable.

Some dystonias affect the whole body, but McLaughlin’s is called focal because it is limited to one area of his body — his left forearm, hand and fingers. He is told he is at risk of developing additional dystonia, but it might not spread at all. At this time, there is no cure, but research continues.

McLaughlin, a single father of two sons, is playing music again because he found a way around it — he taught himself to play guitar with the other hand. “I was forced to have to re-learn it,” he said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “I will be playing both left-handed and right-handed in the show. I’m still battling this, and I have to do whatever’s required.”

A documentary about McLaughlin has been in the works for three years and was just recently completed. He hopes to re-launch his national career after the documentary is aired.

“I am hoping PBS will embrace it,” he said. “I’ve really been waiting for it to get out there. A lot of people are wondering what happened to Billy.”