Christmas is the first Christmas album by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released September 10, 2002, on Warner Bros. Records. It features Walker's renditions of various Christmas songs. "Blue Christmas" and "Feliz Navidad" both charted on the Hot Country Songs charts from Christmas airplay.
Background Walker told Country France, "The Christmas album we just made should be coming out right now. The thing I like about it so much is all of the songs are standards. No written, new material. I would rather personally sing along to a standard myself. So I just put myself in other people’s place. The thing I like the most about it is that it has orchestra, strings, horns, real orchestra, its costs a lot of money to make."
Track listing
Personnel
David Angell – violin Monisa Angell – violin Janet Askey – violin Sam Bacco – chimes, cymbals, marimba, orchestra bells, percussion, sleigh bells, timpani, xylophone Eddie Bayers – drums, percussion Mike Bradley – engineer, mixing Mark Capps – production assistant Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar Lisa Cochran – choir Ernie Collins – bass trombone Travis Cottrell – choir, background vocals Jackie Cusic – choir David Davidson – violin Tim Davis – choir Mark Douthit – saxophone Connie Ellisor – violin Jane Escueta – violin Christopher Farrell – viola Kim Fleming – choir, background vocals Steve Gibson – acoustic guitar, electric guitar Carl Gorodetzky – concert master, violin Allen Green – children's voices Barry Green – trombone Jim Grosjean – viola Marshall Hall – choir, background vocals Stephanie Hall – choir Vicki Hampton – choir, background vocals Mike Haynes – flugelhorn, trumpet Aubrey Haynie – fiddle David Hoffner – keyboards, programming Jim Horn – baritone saxophone David Hungate – bass guitar Mark Ivey – choir, background vocals Jack Jezzro – bass guitar Marabeth Jordan – choir Danny Kee – production assistant Lee Larrison – violin Chris McDonald – trombone Anthony LaMarchina – cello Joey Miskulin – accordion Doug Moffitt – piccolo, saxophone Cate Myer – violin The Nashville String Machine – strings Steve Nathan – keyboards, piano Craig Nelson – bass Jim Ed Norman – producer Gary Van Osdale – viola Mary Kathryn Van Osdale – violin Steve Patrick – trumpet Linda Patterson – french horn Carole Rabinwitz-Neuen – cello Gary Robinson – choir Lisa Silver – choir Oliver Silver – children's voices Pamela Sixfin – violin Betty Small – violin Dennis Solee – clarinet Liz Stewart – bass Julie Tanner – cello Joe Tassi – production assistant Bobby G. Taylor – french horn, oboe Simon Taylor – children's voices George Tidwell – trumpet Alan Umstead – viola Catherine Umstead – violin Cindy Richardson Walker – choir Clay Walker – lead vocals Bergen White – string arrangements, string conductor Kris Wilkinson – viola Hank Williams – mastering Dennis Wilson – choir Karen Winkelmann – violin Clare Yang – viola
Critical reception
Editors at The Cincinnati Post wrote "You might not be able to pick Clay Walker out of a lineup of second-tier country singers, but don't overlook this CD. Producer Jim Ed Norman paid careful attention to instrumentation, expertly meshing oboe, harp and everything else at his disposal with Walker's toned-down twang. Highlights include a heartfelt "Mary Did You Know" and a spirited "Go Tell It on the Mountain" with hand- clapping gospel choir and funky organ."The Cincinnati Post Santa's bag is filled with Christmas CDs (12 December 2002). Editors at USA Today wrote, "Walker sounds like a cowboy on some tracks, a crooner on others -- and he also displays rarely heard R&B and Mexican influences."USA Today As is their seasonal custom, USA TODAY music critics Elysa Gardner, Edna Gundersen, Steve Jones, Brian Mansfield and Ken Barnes provide a guide to this year's new holiday music offerings. (9 December 2002) The Denver Post printed, "Simple, straightforward takes on 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 'Please Come Home for Christmas,' and 'Frosty the Snowman' stand out on a CD that also contains good versions of 'Go Tell It on the Mountain,' 'Mary Did You Know' and 'O Come All Ye Faithful.' Walker ends it with a bang- up, toe-tapping version of 'Feliz Navidad.'"The Denver Post Music 'Silent Night'? Not with all these CDs Collections mean happy holidays (13 December 2002)
Bobby Reed of The Chicago Sun Times gave the album stars out of five and wrote, "Clay Walker is an odd candidate for recording a Christmas album, given his vocal limitations. There are some inspired moments in this straightforward collection, including a mid-song recitation in "Mary Did You Know" and the bright brass riffs that enliven "Feliz Navidad." Throughout the disc, however, the harmony singers fail to seamlessly mesh with Walker's lead vocals."Reed, Bobby The Chicago Sun Times Holiday hits--and CD misses, too (15 December 2002). Editors at About.com gave the album a favorable review writing "If you're a Clay Walker fan, you'll want to pick this up. If you're looking for traditional Christmas music, you'll find it here. Not much out of the ordinary here, but an adequate album." Brian Wahlert of Country Standard Time gave the album a positive review and said, "Although he doesn't always succeed here, the highlights are gratifying, and Walker should be applauded for taking a risk."Wahlert, Brian Country Standard TimeClay Walker Christmas
Chart performance Weekly charts Chart (2002) Peakposition U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 54
References