| White Christmas Blue | ||||
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| Studio album by Loretta Lynn | ||||
| Released | October 7, 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 2007–2016 | |||
| Studio | Cash Cabin Studio, Hendersonville, TN | |||
| Genre | Christmas, country, Americana | |||
| Label | Sony Legacy | |||
| Producer | Patsy Lynn Russell, John Carter Cash | |||
| Loretta Lynn chronology | ||||
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| Singles from White Christmas Blue | ||||
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White Christmas Blue is the forty-fourth solo studio album and second Christmas album by American country music singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn. It was released on October 7, 2016, by Sony Legacy. The album is produced by Lynn's daughter, Patsy Lynn Russell, and John Carter Cash, the son of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.
Background
White Christmas Blue is Lynn’s first Christmas album in five decades, since her 1966 album Country Christmas. The album is part of the "Cash Cabin Recordings", an extensive library of new music, overseen by producers Patsy Lynn Russell and John Carter Cash, that has been Lynn’s primary artistic focus in recent years. Six tracks on the album - "Country Christmas", "Away in a Manger", "Blue Christmas", "To Heck with Ole Santa Claus", "Frosty the Snowman" and "White Christmas" - were previously recorded by Lynn for her first Christmas album, Country Christmas.
Critical reception
White Christmas Blue was met with generally favorable critical reception. Giving the album 7 out of 10 stars, John Paul of Pop Matters said, “There’s a warmth and intimacy to Lynn’s performances of these Christmas standards. By elegantly tapping into each, Lynn…provides fans with a collection that can be returned to time and again with the same heart-warming familiarity of faded photographs and video images of Christmases past.” American Songwriters' Hal Horowitz gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars saying that “Lynn, now in her mid-80s, is also in remarkably spry voice. You never feel she’s going through the motions, even on the most overdone classics.” Walter Tunis, writing for the Lexington Herald Ledger gave a positive review, saying that “Few artists can draw upon an esteemed artistic heritage to such as unassuming degree as Loretta Lynn does on the title track to her new White Christmas Blue album."
Commercial performance
The album debuted at No. 35 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, selling 1,800 copies in its first week. The album reached its peak position of No. 26 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated December 24, 2016, selling 4,200 copies. As of September 2017, the album has sold 29,400 copies.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "White Christmas Blue" | Loretta Lynn, Shawn Camp | 2:48 |
| 2. | "Country Christmas" | Lynn | 2:24 |
| 3. | "Winter Wonderland" | Irving Berlin, Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith | 2:25 |
| 4. | "Away in a Manger" | Traditional | 2:51 |
| 5. | "Blue Christmas" | Jay W. Johnson, Billy Hayes | 2:52 |
| 6. | "To Heck with Ole Santa Claus" | Lynn | 2:15 |
| 7. | "Frosty the Snowman" | Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins | 2:03 |
| 8. | "O Come, All Ye Faithful" | Traditional | 3:32 |
| 9. | "Jingle Bells" | Traditional | 2:47 |
| 10. | "White Christmas" | Berlin | 2:56 |
| 11. | "Silent Night" | Traditional | 3:42 |
| 12. | "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" | Traditional | 3:06 |
Personnel
- Ronnie Bowman - backing vocals
- Mike Bub - upright bass
- Shawn Camp - acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- Matt Combs - fiddle, mandolin
- Dennis Crouch - upright bass
- Paul Franklin - steel guitar
- Tony Harrell - fiddle, piano
- Jamie Hartford - baritone guitar, electric guitar, mandolin
- Doug Jernigan - steel guitar
- Rick Lonow - drums
- Suzi Ragsdale - backing vocals
- John Randall - backing vocals
- Chris Scruggs - acoustic guitar
- Randy Scruggs - acoustic guitar
- Bryan Sutton - acoustic guitar
- Laura Weber - fiddle, acoustic guitar
- Mark Winchester - bass
Charts
| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard) | 26 |
| US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard) | 2 |
References
- Betts, Stephen L. (2016-09-16). "Loretta Lynn Plans Holiday Album 'White Christmas Blue'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
- "Loretta Lynn - White Christmas Blue". Discogs.
- Dauphin, Chuck (2016-10-18). "Album Review: Loretta Lynn's "White Christmas Blue"". Sounds Like Nashville. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
- ^ Tunis, Walter (2016-11-29). ""White Christmas Blue" Album Review". Lexington Herald Leader. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
- Paul, John (2016-12-19). "Loretta LynnL "White Christmas Blue"". Pop Matters. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
- Horowitz, Hal (2016-11-22). "Loretta Lynn: "White Christmas Blue"". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
- Bjorke, Matt (2016-10-30). "Top Ten Country Albums Chart: October 31, 2016". Roughstock. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
- Bjorke, Matt (2016-12-12). "Top Ten Country Albums Chart: December 12, 2016". Roughstock. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
- Bjorke, Matt (2017-01-01). "Top Ten Country Albums Chart: January 3, 2017". Roughstock. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
- "Loretta Lynn Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
- "Loretta Lynn Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
