Classic Country Christmas [Time Life]

Performer: Various Artists
Producer: Joe Sasfy (Compilation)
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Includes liner notes by Charles McCardell. This is part of Time Life's "Classic Country" series. Liner Note Author: Charles McCardell. Director: Suzanne Manlove. Arrangers: D.F. Potter; Big Joe Maher. 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. This collection easily lives up to its name by featuring a stellar lineup of musicians performing time-honored holiday songs. Tammy Wynette sets the mood with a gorgeous rendition of "White Christmas," followed by Elvis Presley's signature take on "Blue Christmas." Dolly Parton sings achingly of a "Hard Candy Christmas," while Willie Nelson contributes his own classic tune, "Pretty Paper." Willie's dear friend Johnny Cash lends his unmistakable baritone voice to an excellent 1959 version of "The Little Drummer Boy," in which the Man in Black leaves the "a-rum-pa-pa-pum" refrain to his back-up singers. Elsewhere, Emmylou Harris saunters through "Christmas Time's A-Comin'," and Buck Owens offers up his humorous "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy." Although many of these recordings were made before 1980, country of the late '80s and early '90s is represented by artists such as Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, and the Judds.

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