We hope youâve been good boys and girls this year, because three country artists have announced upcoming holiday albums that will make the perfect stocking stuffers. Hereâs what you need to know about the new Christmas albums from Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, Terri Clark, Maddie & Tae, and Runaway June.
Carrie Underwood
Album: My Gift
Release Date: Sept. 25
What You Need to Know: The holiday offering will feature a combination of beloved traditional favorites and original material that celebrate Carrieâs faith and the spiritual nature of Christmas. My Gift was produced by Greg Wells and mixed by Serban Ghenea. The album features a world-class orchestra led by conductor David Campbell.
What Carrie Says: âItâs really hard naming a Christmas album I tried to think about the songs that are in it, so I started thinking about individual songs and one of my favorites is âLittle Drummer Boyâ . . . I love music. I love singing. That is my personal gift that I have that I get to do, that Iâm so blessed to do, and I want to use that gift and I want to give it back to Jesus. Thatâs kind of why I landed on My Gift as an album title.â
Track Listing:
- âJoyful, Joyful, We Adore Theeâ
- âO Come All Ye Faithfulâ
- âLet There Be Peaceâ
- âLittle Drummer Boyâ feat. Isaiah Fisher
- âSweet Baby Jesusâ
- âHallelujahâ with John Legend
- âO Holy Nightâ
- âMary, Did You Know?â
- âHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmasâ
- âAway in a Mangerâ
- âSilent Nightâ
Terri Clark
Album: Itâs ChristmasâŠCheers!
Release Date: Sept. 25
What You Need to Know: Produced by Terri, the 10-song collection includes a host of holiday standards. A number of guest artists are featured on the project, including Dierks Bentley, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, The Oak Ridge Boys, Pam Tillis, Suzy Bogguss and The Time Jumpers.
What Terri Says: âI resisted making and releasing a Christmas album for many years, even though Iâm a big Christmas person and love the music of the season. Itâs been done by the best in so many amazing ways and I wanted to wait until I felt I could make it special, be excited about it, and do it justice in my own way. Having The Time Jumpers to collaborate with and the wonderful guest artists featuredâit did just that. I am eager for everyone to hear the record that was almost two years in the making but took 25 years to get around to.â
Track Listing:
- âWinter Wonderlandâ
- âJingle Bellsâ
- âThe Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)â
- âIâll Be Home For Christmasâ
- âCowboy Christmasâ feat. Ricky Skaggs
- âLet It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!â with Dierks Bentley
- âSilent Nightâ feat. Vince Gill
- âUp On The Housetopâ
- âSilver Bellsâ feat. The Oak Ridge Boys
- âAway In A Managerâ with Pam Tillis & Suzy Bogguss
Dolly Parton
Album: A Holly Dolly Christmas
Release Date: Oct. 2
What You Need to Know: The 12-song collection features several holiday standards, as well as six original tunes that Dolly penned. The album also features duets with some of Dollyâs friends, including Michael BublĂ©, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon and Willie Nelson, plus a special song with her brother, Randy Parton. The new release will be Dollyâs first holiday album since 1990âs Home for Christmas.
What Dolly Says: âI figured since everybody probably wouldnât get to celebrate Christmas as usual this year, I wanted to be creative instead of sitting around at the house this summer. So I put on my mask, gloves and practiced social distancing, as well as all of the wonderful musicians and singers, and we proceeded to put together what I think is some of the best work that Iâve ever done. Kent Wells produced the album. As you know, Kent has been my friend, band leader and producer for many years. Heâs outdone himself on this one. Iâm just hoping that youâre gonna love it as much as we loved putting it together.â
Track Listing:
- âHolly Jolly Christmasâ
- âChristmas Isâ feat. Miley Cyrus
- âCuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmasâ with Michael BublĂ©
- âChristmas On The Squareâ
- âCircle Of Loveâ
- âAll I Want For Christmas Is Youâ with Jimmy Fallon
- âCominâ Home For Christmasâ
- âChristmas Where We Areâ feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
- âPretty Paperâ with Willie Nelson
- âI Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clausâ
- âYou Are My Christmasâ feat. Randy Parton
- âMary, Did You Know?â
Maddie & Tae
Album: We Need Christmas
Release Date: Oct. 23
What You Need to Know: The six-song project includes two original tunes, âMerry Married Christmasâ and the title track, as well as four holiday standards: âThis Christmas,â âHolly Jolly Christmas,â âO Come All Ye Faithful,â and âChristmas (Baby Please Come Home).â
What Maddie & Tae Say: âWe are so proud of this project and loved recreating some of our favorite Christmas classics, as well as write some of our own. Making We Need Christmas was such a bright spot for us this year and we hope this project brings a little joy and peace to our fans during this difficult year.â
Track Listing:
- âThis Christmasâ (Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor)
- âHolly Jolly Christmasâ (Johnny Marks)
- âO Come All Ye Faithfulâ (Traditional)
- âMerry Married Christmasâ (Maddie Font, Taylor Kerr, Josh Kerr)
- âChristmasâ (Baby Please Come Home) (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector)
- âWe Need Christmasâ (Maddie Font, Taylor Kerr, Matthew West, AJ Pruis)
Runaway June
Album: When I Think About Christmas
Release Date: Oct. 16
What You Need to Know: The five-song EP features three holiday standards, âSleigh Ride,â âO Holy Nightâ and âLet It Snow,â as well as two original tunes, âChristmas on the Radioâ and the title track.
What Runaway June Says: âOur new Christmas EP, When I Think About Christmas, has all of these beautiful mountain Appalachian sounds. So we put our own little spin on Christmas music, and weâve got some fiddle, so why not.â
Track Listing:
- âChristmas on the Radioâ (Sam Hollander, Martin Johnson)
- âSleigh Rideâ (Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish)
- âO Holy Nightâ (traditional)
- âWhen I Think About Christmasâ (Jennifer Wayne, Josh Matheny, Tiffany Goss)
- âLet It Snowâ (Julie Styn, Sammy Cahn)
photo by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com