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The Spirit of Christmas
Studio album by Michael W. Smith
Released	September 30, 2014 (2014-09-30)
Genre	Christmas, CCM, country
Length	47:12
Label	Capitol
Producer	Robert Deaton, David Hamilton, Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith chronology
Sovereign (2014) The Spirit of Christmas (2014) Hymns II (2016)

The Spirit of Christmas, officially titled as Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas is a duet Christmas album by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith, released on September 30, 2014, through Capitol Records. This is Smith's fourth Christmas album. His previous Christmas album, It's a Wonderful Christmas, was released in 2007. The Spirit of Christmas won 2015 Dove Award for Christmas Album of the Year.

Background

This album features duets with several country music artists, including Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Martina McBride, and Vince Gill. Other artists on it include U2 frontman Bono, Amy Grant, and Michael McDonald. Bono is featured in spoken word on the track "The Darkest Midnight."

Tour

Cracker Barrel sponsored Smith's 2014 "Spirit of Christmas Tour", which started on November 30, 2014, and finished on December 21, 2014. The tour features a full symphony and consists of 14 shows, 3 of which were co-headlined with Amy Grant.

Smith toured this album again in 2015, also with Cracker Barrel sponsoring. This time Amy Grant was featured in 8 of 13 shows. The tour began on December 4, 2015 in Kentucky, and ended on December 20, 2015 in Virginia.

Critical reception

Jeffrey Lee Puckett for The Courier Journal said the album "gets the season of holiday Christmas albums off to a big start."

Commercial performance

The album sold 4,000 copies in its first week of release, debuted at No. 80 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 16 as of December 2014. It also reached No. 13 on Top Album Sales Chart which counts traditional album sales and does not include streaming. On the Top Christian Albums Chart, the album debuted at No. 5 and peaked at No. 1. This marks Smith's third new album for 2014 to enter the Billboard 200. He previously released Sovereign, which debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, selling 16,000 copies; and Hymns, which debuted at No. 25 with 12,000 copies. As of January 2015, The Spirit of Christmas has sold 145,000 copies.

Track listing

Personnel

• Michael W. Smith – lead vocals (2-6, 8–12, 14), acoustic piano (6, 7-12, 14), arrangements (6–9), synthesizer (13)
• David Hamilton – orchestra arrangements and conductor (1-3, 5-7, 9-12, 14), synthesizer (1, 9, 12, 13), celeste (1, 6, 7), acoustic piano (2, 3, 5), backing vocals (3), Rhodes (4), arrangements (4, 5), percussion (9)
• Mark Baldwin – guitars (2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 12)
• Chris Rodriguez – guitars (2, 3, 5, 8-10, 12)
• Tom Hemby – guitars (4)
• Vince Gill – guitar solo (4), lead and harmony vocals (4)
• Craig Nelson – bass (2, 9, 12), upright bass (3, 4, 5)
• Scott Williamson – drums (2-5, 9, 12)
• Tyler Smith – percussion programming (9)
• Josephine Knight – cello solo (8)
• Skip Cleavinger – low whistle (13)
• The London Session Orchestra – orchestra (1-3, 5-7, 9-12, 14)
• Thomas Bowes – concertmaster
• Isobel Griffiths – orchestra contractor
• Susie Gillis – orchestra contractor
• Ric Domenico – music preparation
• Ken Johnson – music preparation
• Laura Cooksey – backing vocals (3)
• Stephanie Hall-Wedan – backing vocals (3)
• Mark Ivey – backing vocals (3)
• Lady Antebellum – lead and backing vocals (5)
• Audrey Smith – lead vocal (6)
• The Nashville Children's Choir – choir (6, 12), directed by Kyle Hankins
• Little Big Town – lead and backing vocals (8)
• Martina McBride – lead vocals (9)
• Becca Hamilton – backing vocals (9)
• Amy Grant – lead vocals (10)
• Carrie Underwood – lead vocals (11)
• Jennifer Nettles – lead vocals (12)
• Bono – spoken word (13)
• Michael McDonald – harmony vocals (14)

Choir on "Almost There

• Melodie Kirkpatrick – contractor
• Jason Barton, April Duren, Mike Eldred, Rod Fletcher, Shelley Jennings, Tammy Jensen, Shelly Justice, Melodie Kirkpatrick, Jamiee Paul, Michelle Swift, Gary Robinson and David Wise – singers

Production

• Robert Deaton – executive producer, producer
• Greg Ham – executive producer
• Michael W. Smith – executive producer, producer
• David Hamilton – producer, editing, BGV recording (3, 9), vocal recording (MWS vocal on 5, 8, 9, 11, 14), celeste recording (6, 7), low whistle recording (13)
• Rob Burrell – rhythm track recording, editing, mixing, mastering, vocal recording (2-6, 8, 10-14), piano recording (6, 7, 8, 14), guitar recording (10), children's choir recording (12)
• Kam Luchterhand – rhythm track recording assistant
• Richard Swor – vocal recording assistant (2-6, 8, 10-14), children's choir recording assistant (12)
• Matt Rausch – recording (Vince Gill's guitar on 4), vocal recording (Amy Grant's vocal on 10)
• Chris Barrett – piano recording (10, 11)
• Brad Pooler – vocal recording assistant (MWS vocal on 5, 8, 9, 11, 14), vocal recording (Audrey Smith's vocal on 6), guitar recording (10)
• Allen Ditto – vocal recording (Martina McBride's vocal on 9)
• David Schober – choir recording (10)
• Mark Casselman – vocal recording (Michael McDonald's vocal on 14)
• Ken Johnson – production manager
• Sarah Sung – art and design
• Cameron Powell – photography
• Christin Cook – grooming
• Tasia Treimer – wardrobe stylist
• The MWS Group – management

Studios

• Ronnie's Place Studio (Nashville, Tennessee) – rhythm track recording
• Blackbird Studios (Nashville, Tennessee) – vocal recording
• The House (Nashville, Tennessee) – guitar recording, vocal recording
• The Tracking Room (Nashville, Tennessee) – choir recording
• AIR Studios (Lyndhurst Hall, London, UK) – orchestra recording, piano recording
• Paragon Studios (Franklin, Tennessee) – vocal recording, piano recording, children's choir recording
• The Manor (Franklin, Tennessee) – vocal recording, guitar recording
• Studiowave (Brentwood, Tennessee) – BGV recording, celeste recording, guitar recording, low whistle recording
• Sound Logic (Santa Barbara, California) – vocal recording
• emotionmix studios – mixing and mastering location

Charts

References

1. "Lecrae, Lauren Daigle and Seth Mosely Win Big at Dove Awards". Billboard.com. October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
2. Horton, Carrie (August 24, 2014). "Michael W. Smith Announces Christmas Album with Lots of Country Stars". Taste of Country. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
3. Stephens, Samantha (August 19, 2014). "Carrie Underwood, Lady A Get Festive With Michael W. Smith". CMT. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
4. Paulson, Dave (August 30, 2014). "Michael W. Smith, Bono team up on Christmas album". The Tennessean. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
5. "Michael W. Smith Partners with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store for 'Spirit of Christmas Tour' [TOUR DATES]". Christian Music, Christian Music News, BREATHEcast. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
6. "Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® Partners with Michael W. Smith to Sponsor Nationwide Christmas Tour". Businesswire.com. December 2, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
7. Puckett, Jeffrey Lee (September 30, 2014). "Prince pops back with two new albums". The Courier Journal. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
8. ^ Caulfield, Keith (October 12, 2014). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Herb Alpert Returns After 27-Year Absence". Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
9. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
10. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
11. Caulfield, Keith (May 21, 2014). "The Black Keys Earn First No. 1 Album, Michael Jackson Debuts At No. 2". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
12. Caulfield, Keith (April 4, 2014). "Chart Moves: 'God's Not Dead' Sales Surge, London Grammar Gains, Karmin's Full-Length Arrives". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
13. Christman, Ed (January 9, 2015). "Music in 2014: Taylor Takes the Year, Republic Records on Top, Streaming to the Rescue". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
14. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
15. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
16. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Digital Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
17. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
18. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
19. "Michael W. Smith Album & Song Chart History – Christian Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
20. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
21. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
22. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
23. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.

• Michael W. Smith albums
• 2014 Christmas albums
• Capitol Records Christmas albums
• Christmas albums by American artists
• Country Christmas albums
• Vocal duet albums