First Published in Country Music International – December 1998

Over the years it seems that every major country act, from veterans like Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and Merle Haggard through modern superstars such as Reba McEntire, Alabama and Randy Travis to the New Country stars of the 1990s like Vince Gill, Travis Tritt and that Garth guy, have made the obligatory Christmas album, With a new rash of Yuletide CDs hitting the shelves each year, Alan Cackett reports on this year’s state of play … 

Nashville, like the rest of America, takes Christmas seriously. It's more than just a religious festival—it's all to do with money. Traditionally, December is the biggest month of the year for record sales, and if you haven't got a Greatest Hits set sitting on the shelf waiting to be gobbled up, then the next best thing is a selection of seasonal goodies.

Some acts even go out on the road with special Christmas shows, and on the various Stateside television channels, at any time throughout December, you are likely to stumble upon Christmas specials with Nashville acts crooning such seasonal country favourites as Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire, Jingle Bells and, of course, White Christmas.

This year, Vince Gill has released BREATH OF HEAVEN, his second Christmas album in five years. With arrangements featuring Patrick Willams and his Orchestra, this set has a warm, lushly-produced feeling that characterises seasonal offerings. The choice of songs is typical, ranging from sweet renditions of Silver Bells and Winter Wonderland to reverent carols like O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Holy Night and O Come All Ye Faithful.

The idea to record this second seasonal album was formulated by Gill two years ago when he embarked upon one of the most ambitious Christmas tours ever. For several years he had hosted a Christmas Show at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville and decided to take a similar show on the road. Though some artists opt to play smaller venues for Christmas tours, Gill's holiday outing was booked in arenas because ticket sales warranted it.

“We came in not knowing how we'd like it,” says Gill. “Whether it would be fun and whether people would enjoy it. It was pretty much beyond all of our expectations. Ticket sales were way better than we expected because it had been a tough year touring-wise. It was pretty cool.”

Most of the dates were sold out and the tour helped to boost sales of his LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH album, one of only a handful of multi-platinum Christmas albums. In the first half of the show, Gill performed some of his best-known hits with his band. “I was my own opening act” he quips. “It was pretty much a total reversal of a normal show, because usually we'd come out with all guns blazing and going pretty hard. I started the show acoustically; with eight or nine songs everybody's heard.”

Following the intermission, Gill returned to perform his LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH Christmas album in its entirety with a symphony orchestra, conducted by songwriter/producer Micheal Omartian. “I felt like Bing Crosby, Johnny Marthis or Nat King Cole, instead of a country singer, standing up there, singing in front of an orchestra,” Gill recalls.

Alongside his two Christmas albums, Gill also has a video, Christmas With Vince Gill, so there's little doubt that the festive season means a lot to him. “Yeah, I just love Christmas”' he says. “I guess I'm like a little boy and the Christmas shows have been some of my favourites out of all the concerts I've ever played”

Martina McBride is another singer who loves Christmas. The mother of two young children, she says that the Christmas holiday is her favourite time of the year. “We love to be together, and we've made that a priority, especially at Christmas,” she says. “I really have to be disciplined. I had no idea how little time I'd have for myself and family. A music career really can fill up every inch of life if you let it.”

Her seasonal offering, WHITE CHRISTMAS, like Gill's, is full of lush orchestral arrangements surrounding old favourites including Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Silent Night and Away In A Manger. “I wanted a nostalgic Christmas album,” she says. “The kind that you can put on year after year and inspire memories old and new.”

McBride says that today's country consumers are very sophisticated, and with her fashion-model look accentuating her petite, slim figure, she typifies the new image of modern country music. “In their 10-disc changer they might have five country records, two pop records, and a couple of rock records, and so they're really listening to a lot of kinds of music. It's important that our production stands up next to an album by Celine Dion or Bryan Adams,” she says. “I really think this will.”

Kenny Rogers is appearing at the Beacon Theatre, New York City from November 18 through to January 3 in a special holiday celebration, Christmas From The Heart. This breaks new ground for a country music act and demonstrates the kind of pulling power that Rogers still has, even though he has been shut out by country radio and hasn't charted in more than seven years.

Many of the songs from the show are featured on his new album, CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART, which is released on his own Dreamcatcher Records. Over the years Rogers has released several seasonal albums, the best known being ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, taken from an American television special with Dolly Parton. First released in 1984, this million-selling album has now been reissued on CD.

Dolly Parton is also a big fan of the Christmas season. At Dollywood, her theme park in the Smoky Mountains, Christmas gets under way in mid-November. Traditional country Christmas foods are served and entertainment includes The Mistle Tones, gospel music, a nativity display and Santa's Giant Workshop. The whole town of nearby Pigeon Forge dresses for Christmas.

Dolly's most recent seasonal album was HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, recorded with her Mighty Fine Band and member of the New Salem Methodist Church Congregation and the Christ Church Pentecostal Choir. Several of the songs such as We Three Kings, Jingle Bells and O Little Town Of Bethlehem feature simple acoustic arrangements using mandolins, fiddle, Dobro and hammered dulcimer.

Another seasonal collection that takes the acoustic approach is THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM by the Nitty Gritty Band. Released last year on the now defunct Rising Tide label, this set blends traditional favourites like The Little Drummer Boy with little-known oldies such as Tennessee Ernie Ford's Christmas Dinner and Dirt Band originals.

One of the tunes, Colorado Christmas, was specially written for the group by the late Steve Goodman 15 years ago. Featuring harmony vocals by Alison Krauss and John McEuen's banjo, it typifies the album's simple acoustic take on the festive season as the band eschews grand arrangements and huge choruses for something more intimate.

“It's very unnatural for the Dirt Band to do anything orchestrated,” admits keyboard player Bob Carpenter. “It was one of the stumbling blocks on the way to making this record, because there is no clear vision of how you can make a Christmas record without all those things you expect.”

“It's amazing, but we managed to make a Christmas record without one sleigh bell or string section on it,” he adds. “It was sort of strange working on something like this in July. We all thought: ‘Just think: if it sounds this good now, when the eggnogs poured and Christmas spirit is all around, it'll really sound great!’”

Asleep At The Wheel, one of the most successful western swing bands of the modern era, serve up MERRY TEXAS CHRISTMAS Y'ALL, an infectious party record. This features the band in top swing gear with special guests Tish Hinojosa, Willie Nelson and Don Walser on old favourites like Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Silent Night and Silver Bells, plus a few rarer tunes such as Gene Autry’s here Comes Santa Claus and the toe-tapping Swingin' Drummer Boy.

HILL COUNTRY CHRISTMAS, another release from last year, was the first new Willie Nelson Christmas album since the late 1970s. Recorded at his own studios in Pedernales. Texas, this features simple, but effective renditions of his own Pretty Paper alongside such carols as Away In A Manger, Deck The Halls and Joy To The World. The late Gene Autry duets with Nelson on Here Comes Santa Claus, possibly the singing cowboy's last recording.

Another Veteran singer, Eddy Arnold, also recorded a new seasonal collection with last year's CHRISTMAS TIME, which features old chestnuts such as I'll Be Home For Christmas, Joy To The World and, along with some lesser-known gems like Christmas Can't Be Far Away and the beautiful One Christmas Eve Long Ago.

Last year, LeAnn Rimes released YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE, a collection of inspirational songs that became one of America's biggest selling albums over the Christmas period, and it can only be a few short years before this young and prolific singer releases her first Christmas album. 

Time has proved that Christmas and country go together, just like turkey and stuffing, tinsel and Christmas trees and carols and choirs. Christmas records sell, and even vintage seasonal recordings by such veteran acts as the Louvin Brothers, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, Jim Reeves and Marty Robbins are dusted off for new fans to enjoy.