This is the Imperials 2nd Christmas album. While their first one was very very popular, this one, not so much. In part it is because they self released it so it probably only sold through their mail order program. This was a period that the Imperials were struggling with record labels. The album is traditional Christmas songs done in a very traditional quartet style. It’s not even in the same ballpark as their first album but I don’t think they wanted it to be.
Tracklist 1 – Sleigh Ride 2 – White Christmas 3 – Silent Night 4 – O Come, O Come Emmanuel 5 – I Have Seen The Light 6 – The Christmas Song 7 – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 8 – Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee 9 – What Child Is This 10 – Hark The Herald Angels Sing
This album probably contains the biggest CCM Christmas song ever. The title track was written by Andrew Culverwell and suited Evie’s vocals perfectly. The album also received a nominated for Grammy Award for best Contemporary Gospel performance. The album is mainly traditional material but Lennart Sjöholm did many of the arrangements. The album has a country feel and is one of the most loved CCM Christmas albums still to this day.
Tracklist 1 – Come On, Ring Those Bells – 3:02 2 – Away In A Manger – 2:37 3 – No Room/Have You Any Room For Jesus? – 3:42 4 – Mary’s Boy Child – 2:45 5 – Silent Night – 3:34 6 – O Holy Night – 3:45 7 – What Child Is This? – 3:35 8 – Some Children See Him – 1:43 9 – One Small Child – 3:04 10 – A Thousand Candles – 2:39
Credits Backing Vocals – Janie Fricke Singers Bass – Jack Williams Drums – Bill Harris, Jerry Carrigan Guitar – Billy Sanford, Jerry Shook, Pete Bordinella Harmonica – Charlie McCoy Keyboards – Lennart Sjöholm, Randy Goodrum Oboe – Bob Taylor Percussion – Farrell Morris Recorder, Clarinet – Billy Puett Steel Guitar – Weldon Myrick Strings – Shelly Kurland Strings
Companies, etc. Recorded At – The Sound Lab, Nashville Remixed At – Europa Film
This is Russ’s only Christmas album and I don’t have much to say about it. It is a collection of traditional Christmas carols with very traditional arrangements. Often these albums they lay down the music track with studio musicians then the singer comes in and does the vocals and it’s off to the stores. But credit to Russ here, he used his band for the album and the engineering/production group is his usual team. That makes me respect this album a little more though it’s still not my style. This one is for people looking for traditional songs with traditional arrangements and stand out vocals.
Tracklist 1 – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – 4:34 2 – Angels We Have Heard On High – 2:57 3 – The Christmas Song – 2:19 4 – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – 4:01 5 – I’ll Be Home For Christmas – 4:01 6 – Let It Snow, Let It Snow – 2:39 7 – White Christmas – 3:51 8 – What Child Is This? – 2:41 9 – It Came Upon A Midnight Clear – 4:07 10 – What A Wonderful World – 2:27
Credits Bass – Byron House Conductor [Strings Conducted By] – John Darnall Drums, Bells [Sleigh Bells] – John Hammond Executive-Producer – John Huie Mastered By – Hank Williams Piano, Vibraphone [Vibes] – Matt Rollings Producer, Arranged By, Guitar, Backing Vocals, Recorded By, Mixed By – James Hollihan, Jr. Recorded By [Strings Recorded By] – Lynn Fuston Saxophone – Mark Douthit Strings – The Nashville String Machine Trumpet – Mike Haynes
If you do not own this album, you are truly missing out on not only one of the great Christmas albums of all time (Christian or secular) but on one of the great albums. This album was initially listed in the Top 100 before the decision to remove the seasonal albums. Years before “City of a Hill,” short lived Via Records released this brilliant acoustic collection of original and classical holiday favorites. Artists include Derri Daugherty (The Choir), Michael Pritzl (The Violet Burning), Jerry Chamberlain (DA), Kevin Smith (DC Talk), Jenny Gullen (Hoi Polloi), Brent Bourgeois, Riki Michelle (Adam Again), Julie Miller and more. Simply brilliant from first to last and years ahead of the time.
Contributor David Lowman – https://legacyccmsgreatestalbums.wordpress.com
Tracklist 1 – Derri Daugherty & Riki Michelle & Steve Hindalong – Babe In The Straw – 3:32 2 – Michael Pritzl & Jenny Gullen – Silent Night – 3:36 3 – Jerry Chamberlain & Sharon McCall & Riki Michelle & Derri Daugherty – I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day – 2:57 4 – Kevin Smith – In The Bleak Mid-Winter – 3:15 5 – Jenny Gullen & Derri Daugherty – Bring A Torch Jeannette, Isabella – 2:52 6 – Stephen & Jenny Gullen – O Holy Night – 4:26 7 – Brian Whitman – Carol Of The Birds – 3:00 8 – Brent Bourgeois & Carolyn Arends & Derri Daugherty – What Child Is This? – 4:30 9 – Riki Michelle & Jerry Chamberlain & Sharon McCall – O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – 2:53 10 – Buddy & Julie Miller – Away In A Manger – 2:57 11 – Carolyn Arends & Stephen Murray & Jenny Gullen – Angels We Have Heard On High – 4:43
This is Jeff’s first Christmas album. He has actually done several Christmas albums over the years. This one is spoken word of poetry by Keith Patman with a musical score written by Jeff. I’m not usually a fan of spoken poetry but I quite enjoyed this album. Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age or maybe it’s just that good. The poetry is pretty good and as usual with Jeff the music score is fantastic. This might be one you may want to add to your Christmas rotation.
Tracklist 1 – O Come, O Come Immanuel – 1:18 2 – Another Mystery I Pose – 0:48 3 – A Gallery Carol – 3:00 4 – The Bondage Of Corruption – 1:40 5 – While Shepherds Watched – 5:10 6 – Snow – 3:54 7 – Lord Of Green And Red – 1:43 8 – Judah’s Lion / Carol Of The Bells – 3:43 9 – Centerpoint – 2:04 10 – Oregon Carol – 2:14 11 – Inversion – 2:52 12 – The Heavens Declare / Wexford Carol – 3:08
Credits Acoustic Guitar – Paul Chasman Artwork By, Photography By – Kathy Hastings Bass [Fretless] – Rick Crittenden Flute – Brian Dunning Percussion, Sound Designer [Ambience] – Roger Hadley Producer, Keyboards, Music By, Arranged By, Recorded By, Mixed By – Jeff Johnson Read By – Dallas McKennon Written-By [Poetry By] – Keith Patman
Usually I bash Chris Harris and Mark Heimermann and their Prism projects but not this time. As I’ve been processing CCM artist’s Christmas albums this week more and more of them sounded like the record company recorded a bunch of Christmas carol arrangements and then invited a CCM artist in to sing them. None of these albums had a feel of the artist and quite frankly the arrangements sound like any album I could buy at Walmart for 99¢ in December. But not this album. Chris and Mark actually sat down and wrote some excellent arrangements for these tracks and did some great vocals. I have no idea who else was involved with this project but it is great as far as Christmas albums go. Many of these tracks will go on my Christmas playlist this year.
1 – Joy To The World – 3:41 2 – O Holy Night – 4:05 3 – Snowdrift / Silent Night – 5:09 4 – White Christmas – 4:22 5 – It Came Upon A Midnight Clear – 2:01 6 – Away In A Manager – 4:33 7 – O Come All Ye Faithful – 4:52 8 – The First Noel – 3:25 9 – Angels We Have Heard On High – 3:16 10 – Only Love (Will Last Forever) – 4:09
Here’s a collection of Christmas tracks that the record company put together for Steve Green to sing. I say this because this is about the 3rd CCM artist Christmas album I’ve listened to that had nothing contemporary about it and doesn’t seem to have that touch from the artist. That said it’s an okay album but it won’t go on my Christmas playlist.
Tracklist 1 – Joy To The World – 2:25 2 – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Angels We Have Heard On High – 2:41 3 – Angels From The Realms Of Glory / O Come, All Ye Faithful – 3:06 4 – Silent Night, Holy Night – 3:19 5 – The Birthday Of A King / O Holy Night – 4:24 6 – Jesus Is Born – 3:24 7 – Messiah Medley – 3:16 8 – Rest – 4:09 9 – Adorar Al Niño (Go And Worship Jesus) – 2:08 10 – O Come, O Come Emmanuel / Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne – 4:21
Credits Arranged By [Percussion Arrangement] – Don Hart Arranged By [Rhythm Arrangements] – Greg Nelson, Phil Naish Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Don Hart Arranged By [String and Vocal Arrangements] – Alan Moore Arranged By [Vocal Arrangement] – Don Hart Arranged By [Vocal Arrangement], Conductor – David T. Clydesdale Arranged By, Orchestrated By, Conductor – David T. Clydesdale Art Direction – Barbara Catanzaro-Hearn Bass – Craig Nelson Contractor [Background Vocalists] – Beverly Darnall Contractor [Orchestra] – Carl Gorodetzky, The Nashville String Machine Design – Jackson Design Drums – Mark Hammond Engineer – Brent King Engineer [Assistant] – Bill Whittington, David Murphy Engineer, Mixed By – Bob Clark Guitar – Jon Goin, Mark Casstevens Keyboards – Phil Naish Percussion – Farrell Morris Photography By – Steven A. Heller Piano [Acoustic], Harpsichord – David Huntsinger Producer – Greg Nelson Sleeve Notes – Steve Green
Okay just right off the bat I’m going to clarify that this album is in no way contemporary. It is 100% classical or whatever you want to call this genre. If you like Michael’s piano playing you MIGHT like this album but quite frankly it doesn’t fit in as CCM music in any way shape or form. It is Michael W. Smith so we thought we would upload it anyway but I can guarantee that after the work needed to upload this album I will likely never listen to it again.
Tracklist 1 – Overture/O Come All Ye Faithful – 5:38 2 – Lux Venit – 3:28 3 – Anthem For Christmas – 3:11 4 – First Snowfall – 2:44 5 – Christ The Messiah – 3:59 6 – No Eye Had Seen – 2:53 7 – All Is Well – 4:08 8 – Memoirs: A Trilogy – 4:28 9 – Gloria – 5:03 10 – Silent Night – 1:33
Credits Arranged By [Choral Arangements] – Ronn Huff Arranged By [Orchestra], Conductor [Orchestra] – Ronn Huff Engineer [Additional Engineering] – Brent King, Danny Garcia, Scott Macminn Engineer [Assistant] – Bryan Lenox, Joe Kraus, Steve Charles Engineer, Mixed By – Billy Whittington Executive Producer – Michael Blanton, Terry Hemmings Featuring – The Nashville Festival Orchestra, Nashville String Machine Mastered By – Ron Lewter Producer – Michael W. Smith, Ronn Huff Producer [Orchestra & Choir] – Mark Laycock Recorded By [Orchestra] – Brent King
A very very expanded version of Truth plays some Christmas tracks in medley and full length versions. They included some non traditional songs whch gives the album a very rounded appeal for a Chrsitmas album.
Tracklist 1 – Celebration Of Joy – 3:35 2 – Caroler’s Song – 3:29 3 – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas / We Wish You A Merry Christmas – 4:26 4 – Your Heart Is Where Christmas Is Found – 4:00 5 – O Come, All Ye Faithful – 5:03 6 – Silver Bells / Carol Of The Bells – 3:55 7 – The Way He Came – 4:16 8 – Sleigh Ride – 3:08 9 – Carol Medley – 4:11 10 – O Come, O Come Emmanuel / Emmanuel – 4:51
Credits Arranged By – David Maddux, David Clydesdale, Don Hart, Steven V. Taylor Art Direction – Katherine DeVault Design Bass – Gary Lunn Directed By [Director] – Roger Breland Drums – Mark Hammond Executive-Producer – Dan Cleary Guitar – Jon Goin Keyboards – David Huntsinger Orchestra – Nashville String Machine Performer [TRUTH Is] – Alicia Williamson, Amy Thomas, Andy Chrisman, Brian Smith, Christi Bovee, Cynthia Snelling, Dana Cappillino, Ellen Schoppert, Gina Walker, Glen George, Roger Breland*, Kevin Rizzo, Kirk Sullivan, Lanny Cox, Mark Bovee, Mark Childers, Mark Harris, Marty Magehee, Mike Cole, Mike Thomas, Mike Walker, Sharon Childers, Steve Schoppert, Tim Ranson Photography By – Jim DeVault Photography Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Steven V. Taylor Recorded By, Mixed By – Mike Psanos
A selection of Christmas songs from First Call featuring David Maddux done in A Cappella. Nothing outstanding here except for the fact that it was done A Cappella.
Tracklist 1 – An Evening In December – 4:53 2 – Christmas Medley – 4:15 3 – Starlight – 3:06 4 – How Great Our Joy! – 1:45 5 – O Come, O Come Emmanuel – 3:05 6 – The First Noel – 2:33 7 – One Small Child – 3:02 8 – When Jesus Was A Tiny Baby – 3:07 9 – Lo! How A Rose E’re Blooming – 1:16 10 – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – 3:43 11 – The New Twelve Days Of Christmas/We Wish You A Merry Christmas – 5:02
Credits Arranged By – D. Maddux Art Direction, Illustration – McConnell Graphics Co-producer – David Maddux Engineer [Sound] – Lynn Fuston, Tom Harding Engineer, Mixed By – Ed Seay Executive-Producer – Don Cason, Neal Joseph Mastered By – Hank Williams Performer – David Maddux, First Call Performer [First Call Is] – Bonnie Keen, Marty McCall, Melodie Tunney Producer – Steven V. Taylor
