Rating:
Genre: Country
Release Date: 09/30/2008

Faith Hill's holiday album Joy to the World is a proudly old-fashioned record -- almost too much so, really, as there is nothing surprising about it, from its collection of shopworn standards to the full-blown yet curiously stiff production. Basically, this is an album where if you read the title, you will know how the song will sound: "Joy to the World" gets a big, bombastic, orchestral arrangement appropriate for a concert recital, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" swings like Sinatra conducted by Billy May, "Little Drummer Boy" is prim and proper, "Holly Jolly Christmas" feels pulled from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, "Away in a Manger" is sweet and stately. Everything is business as usual, right down to Hill's performances: big, not blustery; they're immaculate theater, sometimes verging on grandstanding but often suited for the occasion. Which might not make Joy to the World a singular holiday album in any respect -- it's too pat and perfect to be memorable -- but for anybody looking for a new old-fashioned Christmas album, this suits the bill just fine.

~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

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David Combes - Choir, Chorus
Simon Davies - Tenor (Vocal)
Neil Bellingham - Bass (Vocal)
Sam Bacco - Percussion
Gordon Adams - Tenor (Vocal)
Keith Carlock - Drums
Byron Gallimore - Arranger
David Paul Campbell - Arranger
Yona Dunsford - Alto (Vocals)
Craig Nelson - Bass
Mary Carewe - Choir, Chorus
Daniel May - Soprano (Vocal)
Jennifer Kummer - French Horn
Nick Steinhardt - Design
Catherine Bott - Soprano (Vocal)
Bettie Ross - Pipe Organ
Tim Davis - Vocals (Background)
Denis Solee - Saxophone
Lowell Reynolds - Assistant Engineer
Faith Hill - Arranger
Samuel Burkey - Choir, Chorus
Jimmy Nichols - Keyboards
Bettie Ross - Supervising Copyist
Pamela Sixfin - Violin
Jeri Heiden - Design
Mark Hagen - Overdub Engineer
Chris Dunn - Trombone
Lawrence White - Bass (Vocal)
Joseph Deery - Boy's Choir
Catherine Umstead - Violin
Anne Marie Cullum - Choir, Chorus
Heather Cairncross - Choir, Chorus
Sara Lesher - Digital Editing
Heather Cairncross - Alto (Vocals)
Sarah Ryan - Choir, Chorus
Richard Bronskill - Copyist
David Bryant - Assistant Engineer
Jeri Heiden - Art Direction
Gerald Greer - Violin
Connie Ellisor - Violin
Simon Grant - Choir, Chorus
Todd Schall - Assistant Engineer
David Greig - Choir, Chorus
Lawrence Wallington - Choir, Chorus
Andrew Busher - Choir, Chorus
Helen Meyerhoff - Choir, Chorus
Alvin Chea - Vocals (Background)
Ali Helnwein - Vocal Producer
Thomas Herford - Tenor (Vocal)
Andrew Busher - Tenor (Vocal)
Laura Bursey - Choir, Chorus
Erik Lutkins - Editing
Tim Davis - Vocal Contractor
Jonathan Yudkin - Viola
Lawrence Wallington - Bass (Vocal)
Russelle James - Photography
Mary Kathryn Vanosdale - Violin
Rob Sneddon - Copyist
Julie Tanner - Cello
Petra Flannery - Stylist
Lindsay Wagstaff - Alto (Vocals)
Hellena Brooks - Choir, Chorus
Lindsay Wagstaff - Choir, Chorus
Bettie Ross - Performer
Dann Huff - Guitar
David Greig - Bass (Vocal)
Alan Umstead - Violin
Dino Hermann - Digital Editing
Simon Grant - Bass (Vocal)
Jennie O'Grady - Choir Director
Sarah Eyden - Choir, Chorus
Sari Reist - Cello
Michael Compton - Mandolin
Hellena Brooks - Alto (Vocals)
Steve Brewster - Percussion
Jon Leroy - Production Coordination
Bryan Sutton - Guitar (Acoustic)
Edward Grint - Choir, Chorus
Nashville String Machine - Strings
David Davidson - Violin
Karen Winkelmann - Violin
Felix Wareing - Boy's Choir
Barry Green - Trombone
Lee Ward & Group - Choir Master
London Oratory School Schola - Boy's Choir
Laura Bursey - Soprano (Vocal)
Beth Beeson - French Horn
Denise Baker - Violin
Polly May - Alto (Vocals)
Steve Churchyard - Engineer
Lawrence Carroll - Boy's Choir
Michael George - Choir, Chorus
David Porter Thomas - Choir, Chorus
Rosemary Forbes Butler - Soprano (Vocal)
Ashley Avignone - Assistant
Glenn Worf - Bass (Upright)
David Schnaufer - Dulcimer
Shannon Forrest - Drums
Mary Carewe - Soprano (Vocal)
Dwight Mikkelsen - Copyist
Kristin Wilkinson - Viola
Bruce Wethey - Violin
Gilbert Long - Tuba
Neil Stubenhaus - Bass (Electric)
Ali Helnwein - Music Coordinator
Michael George - Bass (Vocal)
Samantha Shaw - Choir, Chorus
Emma Brain Gabbott - Choir, Chorus
London Oratory School Schola - Performer
Simon Davies - Choir, Chorus
Erik Lutkins - Digital Editing
Lowell Reynolds - Overdub Assistant
Mike "Frog" Griffith - Production Coordination
Henry Rodriguez Broadbent - Boy's Choir
Dann Huff - Arranger
Calvin Smith - French Horn
Eric Rigler - Tin Whistle
Rosemary Forbes Butler - Choir, Chorus
Faith Hill - Producer
Craig Lawson - Boy's Choir
Claire Henry - Alto (Vocals)
William Cracknell - Boy's Choir
David Porter Thomas - Bass (Vocal)
Claire Henry - Choir, Chorus
Robbie Shankle - Saxophone
Jonathan Yudkin - Cello
Joe Bozzi - Mastering Assistant
Eric Darken - Percussion
Wesley Seidman - Overdub Assistant
Darryl Phinnessee - Vocals (Background)
David Loucks - Vocals (Background)
Gary VanOsdale - Viola
Anthony LaMarchina - Cello
Ann Callis - Production Coordination
Jeff Bailey - Trumpet
Jimmy Hoyson - Overdub Assistant
Bobby G. Taylor - Oboe
Bernie Grundman - Mastering
Kris Beligh - Bass (Vocal)
Janet Askey - Violin
Neil Bellingham - Choir, Chorus
Mike Haynes - Trumpet
Joe Martino - Mixing Assistant
Carole Rabinowitz-Neuen - Cello
Buddy Skipper - Saxophone
Emma Brain Gabbott - Soprano (Vocal)
Kris Beligh - Choir, Chorus
Francesca Tolot - Make-Up
Lee Levine - Clarinet
Pete Huttlinger - Guitar (Acoustic)
John Gilutin - Piano
Casper Barrie - Boy's Choir
Ann Richards - Flute
Ashley Avignone - Stylist
Charles Judge - Keyboards
Gerard Bentall - Tenor (Vocal)
Jerry McPherson - Guitar
Jeff Meyer - French Horn
Leslie Richter - Overdub Assistant
Ron Sorbo - Percussion
George Tidwell - Trumpet
Prentiss Hobbs - Trombone
Daniel May - Choir, Chorus
David Angell - Violin
Helen Meyerhoff - Soprano (Vocal)
Allen Sides - Overdub Engineer
Stuart Duncan - Fiddle
Lawrence White - Choir, Chorus
Edward Grint - Bass (Vocal)
Sarah Ryan - Soprano (Vocal)
Lowell Reynolds - Overdub Engineer
Phillip Conway Brown - Tenor (Vocal)
Jonathan Yudkin - Fiddle
Tom Bukovac - Guitar
Jack Jezioro - Bass
Sara Lesher - Editing
David Bryant - Overdub Assistant
Gerard Bentall - Choir, Chorus
Tom Pearce - Choir, Chorus
Sam Levine - Saxophone
Lynn Peithman - Cello
Tom Pearce - Tenor (Vocal)
David Combes - Tenor (Vocal)
Yona Dunsford - Choir, Chorus
Chris McDonald - Trombone
Dann Huff - Producer
Sarah Eyden - Soprano (Vocal)
Jim Grosjean - Viola
Beverly Drukker - Violin
Gordon Adams - Choir, Chorus
Jim Lotz - Bassoon
Jon Bailey - Engineer
Vanessa Heine - Alto (Vocals)
Anne Marie Cullum - Soprano (Vocal)
Raven Kane - Vocal Producer
Steve Churchyard - Overdub Engineer
Cate Myer - Violin
Tom Phillips - Choir, Chorus
Phillip Conway Brown - Choir, Chorus
Carl Gorodetzky - Violin
Catherine Bott - Choir, Chorus
Oliver Clark - Boy's Choir
Carl Gorodetzky - String Contractor
Jonathan Yudkin - Celtic Harp
Steve Patrick - Trumpet
Thomas Herford - Choir, Chorus
Morag MacKay - Alto (Vocals)
Nicholas Falcone - Boy's Choir
Monisa Angell - Viola
Matt Davich - Saxophone
Allen Sides - Mixing
Morag MacKay - Choir, Chorus
Samantha Shaw - Alto (Vocals)
Allen Sides - Engineer
David Paul Campbell - Conductor
Polly May - Choir, Chorus
Samuel Burkey - Tenor (Vocal)
Byron Gallimore - Producer
Aaron Walk - Overdub Engineer
Jason Mott - Assistant Engineer
Paul Bushnell - Bass
Carolyn Bailey - Violin
Tom Phillips - Tenor (Vocal)
Eric Rigler - Uillean Pipes
Kim Gueldner - Hair Stylist
Doug Moffet - Saxophone
Vanessa Heine - Choir, Chorus
Luca Barrie - Boy's Choir

Christmas, Vol. 2
    Alabama / CD / 1996
It Won't Be Christmas Without You
    Brooks & Dunn / CD / 2002
The Reason for the Season
    The Bellamy Brothers / CD / 2002
Marshmallow World and Other Holiday Favorites
    Raul Malo / CD / 2007
Perfectly Clear
    Jewel / CD / 2008
Julianne Hough
    Julianne Hough / CD / 2008
Classic Christmas
    George Strait / CD / 2008

Release Date: 09/30/2008
Genre: ctry