Merry Christmas Radio

David Archuleta confirmed via his blog today that he will release a new Christmas CD in October 2009. He plans on a late year pop album release as well.

STING has started the Christmas countdown by announcing he’ll be releasing a festive album this year (09).The former The Police star’s new release, If On a Winter’s Night…, will feature two original Christmas tunes, as well as traditional British songs and hymns.

Sting says, “The theme of winter is rich in inspiration and material. By filtering all of these disparate styles into one album I hope we have created something refreshing and new.”

Tracks on the record, which will be released in October, include the ballad The Snow It Melts the Soonest, and a 14th century carol, Gabriel’s Message.

Punker Iggy Pop has visions of sugar plums dancing in his head.

“I am a real threat to cover ‘White Christmas’ this year,” the grizzled godfather of punk rock tells next month’s Relix magzine.

“I’m warning you now: I’m ready, cocked and loaded.” And there may be other standards coming from the 62-year-old Pop. “I’ve always wanted to beat up ‘Willow Weep for Me.’ [And] there’s ‘Only the Lonely’ — that’s the title track of my favorite Sinatra album,” he says.

The big band rockabilly sound of the Brian Setzer Orchestra will be coming for Christmas 2009. As usual, fans can expect the group to play material from the outfit’s two Christmas-themed albums, 2002’s “Boogie Woogie Christmas” and 2005’s “Dig That Crazy Christmas.” A compilation, “The Ultimate Christmas Collection,” hit stores last year. The set features 20 tracks culled from the two aforementioned albums and includes the live “Christmas Extravaganza” DVD, which documents a 2004 concert on the holiday tour.

Here is the schedule:

November 2009
20 - Detroit, MI - Motor City Casino
21 - Waukegan, IL - Genesee Theater
22 - Prior Lake, MN - Mystic Lake Casino
23 - Wausau, WI - The Grand Theater
25 - Reading, PA - Sovereign PAC
27 - North Bethesda, MD - Music Center at Strathmore
28 - Atlantic City, NJ - Taj Mahal
29 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theater
30 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom

December 2009
2 - New Brunswick, NJ - The State Theatre - Pre-sale tickets
3 - Easton, PA - State Theatre
4 - Ledyard, CT - Foxwoods Resort Casino
7 - Greenville, SC - Peace Center
9 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
11 - Tunica Resorts, MS - Bluesville Showroom
12 - Thackerville, OK - Winstar Casino - Showroom
14 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Casino Showroom
15 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theater
16 - Coachella, CA - Spotlight 29 Casino
18 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheater
20 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield
22 - Friant, CA - Table Mountain Casino
23 - Las Vegas, NV - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
26 - Santa Rosa, CA - Wells Fargo Center For the Arts
29 - Snoqualmie, WA - Snoqualmie Casino

Keith Sweat, the celebrated master of the slow jam, unwraps his first-ever holiday music collection, proving there’s no one better qualified to deliver a Yuletide disc titled A Christmas Of Love. The R&B and soul superstar’s new album of newly recorded contemporary Christmas songs will be available November 20.

The album’s nine songs spotlight the Harlem-born singer’s signature mix of smooth vocals coupled with warm, supple groove. Sweat puts his unmistakable mark on the classic “The Christmas Song,” as well as “Under The Tree,” “Once A Year” and “It’s Christmas Again”—a trio of songs Sweat cowrote. With “Point Of Christmas,” the religious artist pays tribute to the “reason for the season.”

Classic rock, Christmas orchestra? The two terms don’t usually go together. But Northern Light Orchestra is a unique project bringing together some of the biggest rock stars of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s for an incomparable celebration of the Christmas story.

Following the launch of the CD, Northern Light Orchestra kicks off it’s official annual Christmas touring season in October, establishing what many expect to quickly become a new Christmas tradition.

Ken Mary (former drummer House of Lords and Alice Cooper Band) says, “NLO takes Christmas music in a totally new direction. Although some will compare us to Transiberian Orchestra the difference in our styles and message is clear. We are band that play hard rock guitar virtuoso music that has been made famous on the multitudes of Guitar Hero games that have been sold. NLO is made up of true guitar heroes. George Lynch, Bill Levererty, Lanny Cordova Doug Aldridge, Jason Hook. There are true guitar heros that have contributed to NLO.”

Artists featured as part of the project include*:
Phil Bardowell (Beach Boy, Magdalen), Bob Carlisle (”Butterfly Kisses”), Eddie James (Gospel singer), Jon Gibson (Jon Gibson), Robin McAuley (Survivor), Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge), Rose Stone (Sly and the Family Stone), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake), Kendall Bechtel (Fifth Angel), Lanny Cordola (House Of Lords), Jason Hook (Alice Cooper, Mandy Moore), Bruce Kulick (KISS, Grandfunk Railroad), Bill Leverty (Firehouse), George Lynch (Dokken, Lynchmob), Elliot Randell (Steeley Dan), David Ellefson (Megadeth, F5), Chuck Wright (Quiet Riot, Vanilla Fudge), Ken Mary (Alice Cooper, House of Lords), Kip Winger (Winger, Alice Cooper), Dizzy Reed (Guns-n-Roses), Brian Stewart (Backstreet Boys, Poe).

With a lineup like that, Northern Light Orchestra, has lived up to it’s claim to provide “majestic, orchestrated rock music featuring soaring vocals, incredible guitar solos worthy of true ‘Guitar Hero’ status, and pounding rhythms sure to impress and invigorate the baby boomer generation that grew up on what is today classic rock.”

Dave Ellefson (former bass player founding member Megedeth) says, “I am grateful to be part of a project that requires skill determination and hard work to pull off. I am proud to be playing songs that have been well crafted with a true message concerning the Spirit of Christmas.”

Phillip Bartowell (former lead singer Beach Boys) says, “Being part of NLO after years of touring with the Beach Boys is truly a privilege. Making music with a true message of worldwide peace and love is something I have always wanted to do. NLO has stretched me like no other band I have been part of. I look forward to many successful years with this band.”

It has been a sparse year for great new Christmas music. We’ve noticed this happens every few years. On the heels of a good year in 2007 with great new releases from artists like Bette Midler and Josh Groban we have hit a dry year in 2008. They’re resurrecting Elvis again, fer crying out loud.

The one lone standout this season comes from Amy Grant.

Grant’s Christmas collection hit stores earlier this fall as kind of a “greatest hits” compilation of her Christmas work. But thrown in for good measure were four new works, including a collaboration with husband Vince Gill.

I’ve always been of fan of Amy Grants smoky voice. Her range and earthy quality has never been better showcased than on a new track titled “I Need a Silent Night” (click here to listen).

All the great Amy Grant Christmas hits of the past are here — “Grown up Christmas List”, “Tennessee Christmas”, etc. And solid traditional orchestral-backed fare are here too — “Count Your Blessings” being added with this release.

And don’t miss “Baby, It’s Christmas” — a very Vince Gill-ish (sorry) tune bound for lots of airplay this Christmas. (Click here to listen).

From Grant’s early days as a breakout Christian pop artist we have watched her blossom as she has ventured into the fringes of jazz, contemporary, rock and country. This collection shows that off nicely.

It’s clear that Harry Connick Jr. has a special place in his heart for Christmas songs — he’s done numerous holiday tours, TV specials, and even wrote a Christmas musical for kids called The Happy Elf — but even he had reservations when his record label asked him to record a new Christmas album.

“My first thought was, ‘Man, I thought I sang all the songs there were to sing,’” he recalls. “But I put a list together and found out that there’s a whole lot more.”

Connick’s song wish list led to What a Night! A Christmas Album, his third holiday disc, which hits stores Tuesday. Fans can likely expect some of its songs to show up on the Ryman stage Dec. 14, when Connick brings his Holiday Celebration tour to town.

Night applies Connick’s trademark croon and big-band panache to holiday standards such as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Holly Jolly Christmas,” but it also includes a first: a duet with his 11-year-old daughter, Kate, on “Winter Wonderland.”

“That was a really wild experience, to be in the studio with your kid,” Connick says. “It was something she really wanted to do, and she actually asked me if she could do it. I thought pretty hard about it, for lots of reasons. I have pretty high musical standards, and whether she’s my kid or not, I don’t want to put something out there that’s not worthy, you know? But she was extremely serious about it, and continues to work really hard, and she did great. I was really pleased.”

Recording songs like “Winter Wonderland” required a bit of imagination on Connick’s part, as the album was actually recorded in August.

“It’s funny, it’s like doing a scene in a movie,” Connick says. “You just kind of jump in there and imagine whatever you have to imagine.”

In audience’s imaginations, Connick’s become more and more associated with the holidays over the years, and that’s a connection Connick says he can live with.

“That’s fine with me. I’m proud of everything I do. Sometimes, people don’t even know I’m a musician. They think I’m Debra Messing’s husband on Will & Grace, and they have no idea that I’m a singer and piano player. That’s the way it is. If people think of me around Christmastime — I hear it a lot, and I’m so happy to hear it. People say, ‘We always put your Christmas album on.’ It’s just a nice feeling, and I’m honored by it.”