Merry Christmas Radio

Reba McEntire will sing “Blue Christmas” with singer Andrea Bocelli on his first holiday album, My Christmas, due Nov. 3 on the Philips label. The album was produced by David Foster. Other guests include Mary J. Blige (”What Child Is This”), Natalie Cole (”The Christmas Song”), Katherine Jenkins (”I Believe”), the Muppets (”Jingle Bells”) and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (”The Lord’s Prayer”). Bocelli will launch a Christmas tour on Nov. 28 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

My Christmas, the first-ever holiday recording from the iconic Andrea Bocelli, boasts a superstar line-up of guest artist duets including MaryJ. Blige, Natalie Cole, Reba McEntire, The Muppets, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Katherine Jenkins (complete tracklisting
below).

On the heels of the highly anticipated CD, Andrea is gearing up for a special string of holiday concerts in the U.S., kicking off in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on November 28th. Additional stateside promotional activities around the release of My Christmas will also include high-profile TV appearances, as well as the stunningly beautiful Public Television special of the same name, airing nationally this holiday season.

Tour dates include:

November 28 — Bank Atlantic Center, Ft Lauderdale, FL
December 3 — Air Canada Center, Toronto, Canada
December 5 — IZOD Center, East Rutherford, NJ
December 10 — SaveMart Center, Fresno, CA
December 12 — MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV
December 13 —  Honda Center, Anaheim, CA

Andrea’s heart-warming new CD, coupled with his special live concerts are destined to make My Christmas the ultimate holiday musical event of the year. Both will feature traditional carols and favorites in English, with a few
selections also featuring Italian and German. The lush, beautiful arrangements and Andrea’s unmistakable vocals both on disc and on stage are unmatched. With one of the world’s most recognizable voices in music, Andrea Bocelli
continues to defy categorization, age barriers and labels of all kinds. A global household name, he has sold over 60 millions albums to date.

My Christmas Tracklisting:
1. WHITE CHRISTMAS/BIANCO NATALE
2. ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
3. SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN
4. THE CHRISTMAS SONG with Natalie Cole
5. THE LORD’S PRAYER with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
6. WHAT CHILD IS THIS with Mary J. Blige
7. ADESTE FIDELIS
8. TANNENBAUM
9. JINGLE BELLS featuring THE MUPPETS
10. SILENT NIGHT
11. BLUE CHRISTMAS with Reba McEntire
12. CANTIQUE DE NOEL
13. CARO GESU’ BAMBINO
14. I BELIEVE with Katherine Jenkins
15. GOD BLESS US EVERYONE

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – August 11, 2009) – ATCO/Atlantic a cappella group Straight No Chaser has announced a 50-city tour with dates beginning in September and running through the fall. The 10-member group, who claimed the top spot last December on iTunes and Amazon.com with their debut album, “HOLIDAY SPIRITS,” will kick off the fall run with a handful of dates at the end of September, starting in Bloomington, IL on September 24. The tour will get into full swing in October and will run through December 23. Tickets go on sale August 14 unless otherwise noted in the below itinerary. Additional dates to be announced soon.

In other news, Straight No Chaser has announced plans to release “CHRISTMAS CHEERS,” a new full-length holiday album this fall. The release will feature a new batch of holiday classics reworked in Straight No Chaser’s inventive and original style. Next week, the group will perform some of these new arrangements in a live concert set to air on PBS this holiday season as part of the PBS December Pledge Drive. More details on the album and PBS concert coming soon.

Straight No Chaser recently released “SIX PACK,” an EP of six non-holiday cover songs ranging from “Rehab” to a medley of “I’m Yours” and “Over The Rainbow.” The physical and digital EP can be ordered exclusively through the group’s website, www.sncmusic.com.

Taking off from the runaway success of “The 12 Days Of Christmas,” “HOLIDAY SPIRITS” saw Straight No Chaser re-energizing holiday classics such as “The Christmas Song,” “Silent Night,” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” with their captivating and powerful vocal arrangements. Fueled by appearances on “ABC World News Tonight,” “CNN Headline News,” and the “Today” show, among others, the album spent 14 days in the #1 slot on Amazon, and 5 days at the top spot overall on iTunes. The group’s now famous version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” peaked in the top 10 on the Christmas radio chart and reached the top 15 at Hot AC. On their first-ever headline tour in December 2008, Straight No Chaser sold out shows across the country.

Founded at Indiana University in the fall of 1996, Straight No Chaser’s goal was to expand the boundaries of the traditional college a cappella group. From the start, they viewed themselves more like a local band that just happened to use their voices as their instruments. As original member Randy Stine comments, “We take the music very seriously; we just don’t take ourselves too seriously.” In the process, they are reinventing the idea of a cappella on the modern pop landscape.

The 10-man group performed at campus events and sorority functions, and soon found themselves headlining their own concerts. Within two years, Straight No Chaser was touring nationally. They opened for artists like Lou Rawls, performed at Chicago Cubs and White Sox games, and blew away a sold-out Carnegie Hall crowd at the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.

In 1999, the graduating members of Straight No Chaser chose their replacements, ensuring that the new tradition they had created would continue on with successive generations of IU undergrads. Then, in 2006, the unexpected happened — Indiana University decided to host a reunion concert for the original members. In honor of the event, Randy Stine posted footage from one of their 1998 concerts online.

To the group’s surprise, Straight No Chaser’s version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” — interpolating Toto’s “Africa” — became the hottest viral video of the holiday season, eventually receiving more than 10 million views online. Among those millions of viewers was Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman, who tracked the group down and promptly signed them to the label.

The birth of Straight No Chaser’s second life is a story of talent, drive, and some very good luck. But their goal remains the same as it was back in their college days. As Stine says, “We want the audience to not miss the instruments, be surprised by what we’re doing, and in the end, appreciate the songs in a whole new way.”

For up-to-the-minute news and information, visit www.sncmusic.com, and www.myspace.com/sncmusic.

(ITINERARY BELOW)

STRAIGHT NO CHASER
ON TOUR FALL/WINTER 2009
Tickets on-sale Aug. 14 unless otherwise noted by *
Additional dates to be announced soon.

SEPTEMBER
24 Bloomington, IL Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts
25 Wabash, IN Honeywell Center
26 Elyria, OH Stocker Arts Center

OCTOBER
23 Klamath Falls, OR Ross Ragland Theater
25 Eugene, OR Hult Center for the Performing Arts
26 Vancouver, BC The Clutch
27 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
29 Medford, OR Craterion Performances
30 Napa, CA Napa Valley Opera House

NOVEMBER
5 Ridgefield, CT Ridgefield Playhouse
7 Milwaukee, WI Potawatomi Casino* (on-sale date TBD)
8 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Café
11 Toronto, ON Queen Elizabeth Theatre* (on-sale Aug. 21)
12 Belleville, ON Empire Theatre* (on-sale Aug. 21)
13 Montreal, PQ Cabaret Juste Pour Rire* (on-sale Aug. 21)
14 Schenectady, NY Proctors Theatre
15 Buffalo, NY University at Buffalo Arts Center
18 Atlanta, GA Center Stage
22 Bel Air, MD Amoss Center
27 Seattle, WA Nordstrom Recital Hall
28 San Francisco, CA Palace of Fine Arts Theatre* (on-sale Aug. 23)
29 Los Angeles, CA Wiltern Theatre* (on-sale Aug. 23)

DECEMBER
1 Canton, OH Palace Theatre
3 Louisville, KY Brown Theatre
4 Piqua, OH Edison Community College
5 Indianapolis, IN The Murat Centre
6 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music Theatre
8 Iowa City, IA University of Iowa, Hancher Auditorium
9 Arkansas City, KS Cowley College
10 Bartlesville, OK Bartlesville Community Center
11 Junction City, KS C.L. Hoover Opera House
12 Lawrence, KS Lied Center
13 Chicago, IL Park West
15 St. Louis, MO Harrah’s VooDoo Lounge
17 New York, NY Nokia Theatre Times Square
18 Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre
19 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Theatre
21 Alexandria, VA Birchmere
22 Alexandria, VA Birchmere
23 Raleigh, NC Progress Energy Performing Arts Center

Neil Diamond’s upcoming holiday collection, available in stores and online Oct. 13, will feature remastered classics, two new originals and a cover of Adam Sandler’s comedic “The Chanukah Song,” produced by DJ Ashba, according to a press release.

The album’s title cut, “A Cherry Cherry Christmas,” reportedly is filled with references to many of Diamond’s greatest hits. The song was newly written and recorded by Diamond specifically for the 2009 holiday season.
Among the album’s classic tracks will be Diamond’s take on “Amazing Grace,” as well as his renditions of holiday standards including “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “White Christmas,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Joy to the World” and a medley of “Deck The Halls/We Wish You A Merry Christmas.”

The Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who has sold more than 125 million albums worldwide, was recently named the 2009 MusiCares Person of the Year.

Now That’s What I Call A Country Christmas is set for an Oct. 6th release. The double disc offering builds on the success of NOW That’s What I Call Country Volumes 1 and 2. It includes 29 of the most beloved holiday favorites from idols like Elvis and Johnny Cash, alongside current country stars Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, and George Strait, making this the perfect holiday gift for the entire family.

Track Listing

The NOW That’s What I Call Music! series is a joint venture from EMI Music North America, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Group. To date, the NOW series has generated sales of over 200 million albums worldwide, and has sold 73 million copies in the United States.

Susan Boyle is to appear in a Christmas TV special according to reports. The Scottish singer was runner-up in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent!

Susan Boyle is to appear in a Christmas TV special according to reports. The Scottish singer was runner-up in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent.

It has been rumoured that Susan will perform in front of celebrities for a festive “An Audience with Susan Boyle”.

The 48-year-old will sing tracks from her debut album, according to the News of the World.

Susan will also talk about her life before and after winning the talent contest in an hour-long show.

The programme is being tipped as ITV’s biggest winner in the Christmas ratings battle.

A source told the newspaper: “Everyone is really excited about the show.

“With the huge worldwide appeal of Susan, the show could be screened right across the globe and potentially be one of the biggest ratings successes for ITV ever.”

Susan’s debut album is expected to go straight in at number one with the advance sales alone.

This article is powered by Well Contented Ltd

Barry Manilow has re-signed with Arista Records and launches his next release with them titled “In the Swing of Christmas” on October 13th, 2009. It features a slew of traditional favorites with a new single titled “Christmas is Just Around the Corner”. Manilow is trying whet appetites for all things Manilow in advance of his next general release in January, tentatively titled “The Greatest Love Songs of all Time”. Manilow appears to be corning the market on two holidays this year — Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

The former “American Idol”-turned-Oscar-and-Grammy winner will host the holiday music special, “Jennifer Hudson: I’ll Be Home For Christmas” in December on the network, Access Hollywood has learned.

The one-hour special, which will take place in Hudson’s hometown of Chicago, will follow the star as she “relives her childhood Christmases with musical performances shot on location at the small neighborhood church where she brought the congregation to its feet week after week; the music academy where she studied; and other Chicago sites,” ABC said in a press release.

Hudson will also visit with family and “childhood friends and others whose influences have been instrumental in her rise from humble beginnings to Hollywood stardom.”

“I am thrilled that Jennifer chose ABC to be the home for her very first holiday special,” said Vicki Dummer, senior vice president, Alternative Series, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Entertainment Group. “I can’t wait to hear her take on Christmas classics as we discover what she loves about her hometown of Chicago.”

No specific airdate or time has been announced yet for the special.