'Christmas Time's A-Coming'

It sure is, and this is another one of my favorite Christmas albums! What a treat, I thought I'd be listening to Emmylou Harris, not betting on Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton to boot! Their harmonies are just plain glorious! I love all the songs on this, especially "The Little Drummer Boy" and the title track, "Light of the Stable"! Recommended!!!

Beautiful Star, Sing On!

This is one of my favorite Christmas CD's, one I must hear each year. All the ten songs are fine, but my favorite is "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem." It was a song we always sang in church when I was a child in East Tennessee. I have never heard it sung anywhere else. Harris does a fantastic job of this country/bluegrass carol. If you don't know it already, you will come to love it. "Little Drummer Boy" is another great one as well. I find myself humming these songs and others all day long after hearing this CD, a sure sign that I'm sold on it.

Ms. Harris is joined by Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Doly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Sharon Hicks, Cheryl Warren and Ricky Skags who sing backup vocals on the various songs. Brian Bowers, probably the reigning autoharp virtuoso, plays on some selections too.

This CD is a reissue from an earlier LP. Ms. Harris was photographed for that album in a getup that apparently was meant to make her look like the Virgin Mary. On this CD somebody had the good taste to abandon that look. She is photographed wearing a red evening gown and looking every bit as elegant as Kathleen Battle. A wondrous improvement!

Listening to this CD is one of the true joys of Christmas.

Familiar songs sung in a timeless way

I have all these songs on a variety of other Christmas albums, including ones from Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys, the Chieftains, Andy Williams, etc. The song selection here isn't risky. But it doesn't have to be. Emmylou Harris' voice is so gorgeous (the word "ethereal" comes to mind) that these familiar songs have new life and depth in them. BUY IT! THIS WILL QUICKLY BECOME A CHERISHED PART OF YOUR HOLIDAY TRADITION.