New York, NY (Top40 Charts / UMe) With their shared love of storytelling and tradition, Christmas and country music have gone hand in hand since the genre's beginnings. Dating back to the late 1920's some of the earliest country singers recorded songs about Christmas. In 1949, country Christmas music became mainstream when singing cowboy
Gene Autry topped the charts with "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and Ernest Tubb popularized "
Blue Christmas" several years before Elvis made it the classic it is today. Ever since, the genre has been the perfect vehicle for the range of emotions that the holiday season can bring.
Whereas country and Christmas go together as great as a partridge in a pear tree, there's no better way to listen to these seasonal sounds than on vinyl. From the 30 anniversary reissue of Reba McEntire's first Christmas album to and
Darius Rucker's beloved collections getting their first-ever release on vinyl, UMe has several country Christmas records to put under the tree or on the turntable to make your holiday gatherings even brighter.
REBA MCENTIRE - MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU (MCA NASHVILLE/UMe)
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of country icon Reba McEntire's timeless double-platinum album Merry Christmas To You, the long out-of-print record has been reissued on vinyl for the first time since its original 1987 release. Pressed on standard black vinyl and featuring the '90s cover image from the CD version, the album that first celebrated McEntire's love of Christmas includes her beautiful and joyous takes on traditional Christmas tunes like "Away In A Manger," "
O Holy Night" and "
Silent Night" and seasonal standards like "White Christmas," "
I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)."
McEntire recently debuted as host for the eighth annual "CMA Country Christmas" to record high ratings. The two-hour holiday music event, which aired November 27, will re-air on ABC on Saturday, December 23 at 8/7 PM and will feature performances by McEntire, Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan, Trisha Yearwood,
Alan Jackson and more of today's best country stars sharing their favorite sounds of the season.
LADY ANTEBELLUM - ON THIS WINTER'S NIGHT (CAPITOL NASHVILLE/UMe)
Originally released in 2012, Lady Antebellum's On This Winter's Night is making its vinyl debut just in time for the holidays and the album's five-year anniversary. The 12-track collection on standard black vinyl sees
Lady A put their unique spin on an eclectic mix of holiday favorites including "A Holly Jolly Christmas," "All I Want For Christmas Is You," "Have Yourself A Merry
Little Christmas" and "
Blue Christmas" and features the gorgeous original title track, written by the band. The Gold-selling album offers a variety of musical styles and sounds, from gentle acoustic guitar and strings to fiddle to sleigh bells and swinging horns, with the trio's unmistakable harmonies front and center. As All
Music exclaimed, "This is a Christmas album for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, a soundtrack for days of shopping, present wrapping, and parties filled with good cheer."
Make sure to check out
Lady Antebellum perform album tracks "
This Christmas" and "Silver Bells" on "CMA Country Christmas" on Saturday, December 23 on ABC.
Order On This Winter's Night: https://UMe.lnk.to/LadyAOTWN
DARIUS RUCKER - HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (CAPITOL NASHVILLE/UMe)
On
Darius Rucker's Home For The Holidays, the acclaimed singer mixes up country, soul, swing and R&B for an album that has something for everyone in the family. The dozen songs combine holiday chestnuts like "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow," "
Winter Wonderland" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" with two Rucker originals "What God Wants For Christmas" and "Candy Cane Christmas." Rucker is joined by friend
Sheryl Crow on the time-honored duet "
Baby, It's Cold Outside" and has some childhood fun on the Dr. Seuss classic "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch. Produced by Frank Rogers, the album is available on standard black vinyl for the first time.
Rucker will perform "
Winter Wonderland" on ABC's "The Disney Parks' Magical Christmas Celebration" on Christmas morning.
Order Home For The Holidays: https://UMe.lnk.to/DariusRuckerHFTH
COUNTRY CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST
For even more holiday music this season, head over to the Country Christmas playlist on Spotify for a wide-ranging blend of festive favorites from
Gwen Stefani &
Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Brenda Lee, Kacey Musgraves, Toby Keith,
Little Big Town, Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood,
Amy Grant and Vince Gill. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/user/digster.fm/playlist/6mIRMg8kpuok7eS3o7uUx7
REBA MCENTIRE - MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TRACK LISTING
SIDE A
Away In A Manger
On This Day
O Holy Night
The Christmas Guest
Silent Night
SIDE B
Happy Birthday Jesus (I'll Open This One Just For You)
White Christmas
I'll Be Home For Christmas
A Christmas Letter
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
LADY ANTEBELLUM - ON THIS WINTER'S NIGHT TRACK LISTING
SIDE A
A Holly Jolly Christmas
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
All I Want For Christmas Is You
I'll Be Home For Christmas
This Christmas
The First Noel
SIDE B
On This Winter's Night
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Have Yourself A Merry
Little Christmas
Silent Night (Lord Of My Life)
Blue Christmas
Silver Bells
DARIUS RUCKER - HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS TRACK LISTING:
SIDE A
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Have Yourself A Merry
Little Christmas
What God Wants For Christmas
You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Baby, It's Cold Outside
I'll Be Home For Christmas
SIDE B
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Winter Wonderland
Please Come Home For Christmas
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
White Christmas
