Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas is the first full-length Christmas album from the cast of A&E reality television series Duck Dynasty, released October 29, 2013, via UMG Nashville.
Background The announcement of the album came on June 10, 2013, in the Music City Center during the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee. It was revealed that Buddy Cannon is producing the album, and that it features the family's "special brand of Southern, down-home sense of humor." CEO of Duck Commander, Willie Robertson, was quoted as saying, "Christmas is an important holiday for us not only because of our strong faith but also our holiday family traditions. We're having a great time making this album. We hope you enjoy it."
Recording The album features a number of traditional seasonal songs as well as originals written and performed by the Robertsons. Special guests include country stars Luke Bryan, George Strait, Josh Turner and Alison Krauss.
Release Walmart released an exclusive 'ZinePak deluxe edition of Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas. The limited-edition package features the full-length album, plus one additional bonus track ("Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy"), as well as a 64-page magazine with exclusive family interviews, photos, fun facts, holiday recipes, scented Christmas ornament, and gift-tag stickers. Walmart let voters decide between the choice of three covers which one will be on the special release.
Critical reception
Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas garnered mostly positive reception from music critics. Tammy Ragusa of Country Weekly gave the album a B+ rating and states: "If you're a big fan of the Robertson family from the hit A&E reality series Duck Dynasty (i.e., you buy every piece of merch bearing Willie's or Uncle Si's photo or the expression "Happy, Happy, Happy"), then get your wallet out. You're not going to want to go through this holiday season without Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas. Writing for Roughstock, Matt Bjorke adds: "It may come off as a bit of a novelty album people who don't follow the program but that doesn't mean it's not a well-made album, which Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas most definitely is." Daryl Addison of Great American Country writes: "Duck the Halls is a friendly celebration of the season that will have fans of Duck Dynasty asking for seconds."
Commercial performance The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart and number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, selling 69,000 copies in its first week of release. The album was behind another holiday album, Kelly Clarkson's Wrapped in Red, which debuted at number three with 70,000 copies. In its second week of release, Duck the Halls remained at number one on the Top Country Albums chart, seeing a slight sales increase to 73,000 copies. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA on December 11, 2013, and it became the second best-selling Christmas album of 2013 with 745,000 copies sold in the US. As of December 2014, Duck the Halls has sold 807,000 copies in the United States. sales figures given here
Track listing Source:
Personnel Credits adapted from AllMusic
The Robertsons Robertson Kids — featured artist Jase Robertson — featured artist, arranger, primary artist Jep Robertson — featured artist Korie Robertson — arranger Missy Robertson — arranger, pre-production arranger, primary artist Phil Robertson — featured artist, primary artist Reed Robertson — primary artist Sadie Robertson — primary artist Uncle Si Robertson — featured artist, primary artist Willie Robertson — arranger, primary artist
Technical personnel Natthapol Abhigantaphard — assistant Eric Adkins — photography Daniel Baacigalupi — assistant Sorrel Brigman — assistant Jake Burns — assistant Buddy Cannon — arranger, production Tony Castle — engineer, mixing Leland Elliott — assistant Shannon Finnegan — production coordinator Tom Freitag — assistant Scott Frick — assistant Carl Gorodetzky — contractor
Adam Grover — assistant Jonathan Harter — assistant Sam Howard — assistant Andrew Mendelson — mastering Karen Naff — art direction, design Ernesto Olvera — assistant Derek Parnell — assistant John Pirkey — pre-production arranger Eberhard Ramm — copyist Pamela Sixfin — concert mistress Bergen White — string arrangements, vocal arrangement Brian Wright — A&R
Additional musicians
David Angell — strings Monisa Angell — strings Sam Bacco — percussion Wyatt Beard — background vocals Jim "Moose" Brown — piano Pat Buchanan — electric guitar Buddy Cannon — background vocals Melonie Cannon — background vocals Tony Castle — piano Jim Chapman — background vocals Janet Darnall — strings David Davidson — strings Beverly Drukker — strings Dan Dugmore — electric guitar, baritone guitar, steel guitar Conni Ellisor — violin Kevin "Swine" Grantt — bass guitar James Grosjean — strings Steve Herman — trumpet Steve Hinson — electric guitar, steel guitar Jim Horn — flute Jon Mark Ivey — background vocals Shane Keister — piano, synthesizer Elizabeth Lamb — strings Paul Leim — drums Jim Lotz — bassoon Randy McCormick — clavinet, Hammond B3, piano, synthesizer Liana Manis — background vocals Anthony La Marchina — strings Jon Mark — background vocals The Nashville String Machine — strings Daniel O'Lannerghty — bass guitar Mary Kathryn Van Osdale — strings Carole Rabinowitz — strings Mickey Raphael — harmonica John Wesley Ryles — background vocals Joe Scaife — percussion Lisa Silver — background vocals Pamela Sixfin — strings Kira Small — background vocals Denis Solee — clarinet Joe Spivey — fiddle Bobby Terry — acoustic guitar Dan Tyminski — acoustic guitar, mandolin Alan Umstead — strings Catherine Umstead — strings Bruce Wethey — strings Bergen White — piano, background vocals Kristin Wilkinson — strings John Willis — acoustic guitar, electric guitar, gut string guitar Lonnie Wilson — drums Karen Winkelmann — strings Cindy Wyatt — harp
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts Chart (2013) PeakpositionUS Top Holiday Albums (Billboard)1
Year-end charts Chart (2013)PositionUS Billboard 200124 US Top Country Albums (Billboard)31 Chart (2014)Position Canadian Albums (Billboard)28US Billboard 20018 US Top Country Albums (Billboard)6
Decade-end charts Chart (2010–2019)PositionUS Billboard 200165
Certifications
References
External links Official website Duck The Halls Facebook Page