Yuletide Sounds: Kacey Musgraves and Chris Young announce upcoming Christmas music collections

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

Kacey Musgraves to release first holiday album 'A Very Kacey Christmas' featuring Leon Bridges, Willie Nelson and the Quebe Sisters on October 28, 2016

Mercury Nashville’s Kacey Musgraves will release her very first holiday album, A Very Kacey Christmas featuring Leon Bridges, Willie Nelson & The Quebe Sisters on Friday, Oct. 28. Produced by Musgraves, Misa Arriaga and Kyle Ryan, the album features four festive original tracks, co-written by Musgraves, as well as covers of eight holiday favorites. 

“Working on my first Christmas album has been one of the most enriching musical experiences I’ve ever had and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it,” said Musgraves. “I really wanted to create a whimsical throwback holiday record, one that evokes feelings of nostalgia and simpler times. I think that the fine musicians and brains that were a part of this project have helped me create a body of music that can be added to people’s classic collections.”

 To Musgraves, holiday music has always had a great combination of pop sensibilities and melodies, and when she began to work on the album, she knew she wanted to create something unique. It’s been an exciting experience for her to watch these songs come alive. "It would have been easy to simply copy old versions of these songs that have been around forever, but it was very important for us to build arrangements that are totally new and very me.”

 Inspired by Bing Crosby, the Andrew Sisters, Nat King Cole and the classic sounds of the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s, "A Very Kacey Christmas" features the Grammy Award-winner’s charming take on classic standards, as well as four original tracks to put her personal perspective on the holidays. "There can be a touch of sad feelings and memories during the holiday season for a lot of people so I knew when I went in to write I wanted to include all the emotions this time of year can bring out." It's tough to decide what the overall sound could be described as but Musgraves says it's "part Western Swing sprinkled with bits of classic pop, hazy Hawaiian moments and child-like fun, all coming to a nostalgic and melancholy end."

Track Listing:

1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
2. Let It Snow (featuring The Quebe Sisters)
3. Christmas Don’t Be Late
4. A Willie Nice Christmas (Featuring Willie Nelson and Trigger; Written by Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne)
5. Feliz Navidad
6. Christmas Makes Me Cry (Written by Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark)
7. Present Without A Bow (Featuring Leon Bridges; Written by Kacey Musgraves, Leon Bridges, Austin Jenkins and Luke Laird)
8. Mele Kalikimaka (featuring The Quebe Sisters)
9. I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas
10. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
11. Ribbons and Bows (Written by Kacey Musgraves, Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter)  
12. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?

The Texas native has earned massive critical acclaim for her first two albums, the Gold-certified debut albumSame Trailer Different Park in 2013 and Pageant Material in 2015. Musgraves has taken home the award for "New Artist of the Year" at 2013's CMA Awards and also won two Grammy Awards for Best Country Song (“Merry Go ‘Round”) and Best Country Album (Same Trailer Different Park), the ACM Award for Album of the Year (Same Trailer Different Park), and most recently the 2014 CMA Award for Song of the Year (“Follow Your Arrow”). Launched last August, The Kacey Musgraves Country & Western Rhinestone Revue has sold-out famous venues all over the world, including the famed Royal Albert Hall in London. She recently opened for George Strait’s exclusive Las Vegas shows in April, with additional performances scheduled for Sept. 9 and 10 and Dec. 2 and 3.

For additional information, please follow Kacey Musgraves on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Chris Young celebrates the holiday season with the release of his first-ever Christmas Album
 
It Must Be Christmas
set to release October 14
 
Limited edition gift packages available
to order now at ChrisYoungCountry.com

Christmas will arrive early this year for CMA Musical Event of the Year nominee Chris Young! The RCA Records Nashville artist will release his first-ever Christmas album on October 14 — It Must Be Christmas — to celebrate the holiday season.
 
“This is something I’ve wanted to do for a reallylong time,” said Young. “Christmas is one of my favorite times of year and it was hard to narrow down the list of songs for this record. I’m excited to share my own versions of many of the standards I sang as a kid every year at Christmas, plus I had the opportunity to write a couple of original songs to celebrate the season.”
 
Beginning this week, a special limited autographed copy of Chris Young’s It Must Be Christmas can be pre-ordered at Amazon  ahead of the October 14 release. In addition, limited edition gift packages are available for order at ChrisYoungCountry.com. Bundles include everything from a Christmas ornament, It Must Be Christmas long-sleeve t-shirt, a fleece lined winter blanket and more!
 
It Must Be Christmas marks the hit-maker’s sixth album in a career that has spawned eight No. 1 songs and fifteen Gold/Platinum certifications. Young and Corey Crowder, who first teamed up to produce Young’s Gold certified album I’m Comin’ Over, also joined forces to produce It Must Be Christmas. Later this month Young will embark on the second leg of his headlining “I’m Comin’ Over Tour.” Special guests joining Young in concert in September and October are Dan + Shay, with Dustin Lynch coming on board in November and December. Fellow CMA Musical Event of the Year nominee and “Think Of You” duet partner Cassadee Pope will return for all dates after providing direct support during the first leg of the tour. Tickets can be purchased at aeglive.com and ChrisYoungCountry.