Rating:
Genre:
Holiday
Release Date: 09/23/2003
New
holiday songs come and go, but a rugged few stick around and earn classic status.
Time-Life has collected a few of these
standards and a few future hopefuls on
Classic Country Christmas. The first strong point of this compilation is its deep roots, reaching back to
Elvis' take on
"Blue Christmas" and
Jim Reeves'
"Silent Night." Other oldies include guitarist
Chet Atkins' impeccable version of
"Jingle Bells" and
Buck Owens' still entertaining
"Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy." There are also a few surprises, like
Johnny Cash's fresh take on
"The Little Drummer Boy" and
George Jones' peaceful
"O Come All Ye Faithful." Weaved in between these favorites are more contemporary fare, including
Dolly Parton's sentimental
"Hard Candy Christmas," Vince Gill' jaunty
"Santa Clause Is Coming to Town," and
the Judds' soulful
"What Child Is This." The eclectic material is the other element that makes this collection so interesting and enjoyable. Although it's technically a "
country" collection, there's plenty of
pop/rock crossover. What
holiday season, after all, would be the same without
Brenda Lee's
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and
Bobby Helms'
"Jingle Bell Rock?" Classic Country Christmas lives up to its billing, delivering an hour's worth of fine
holiday fare that will put a smile on even the most hardened cynic's face.
~Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
;)
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