Augustus 31, 2015

Publication title: prnewswire.com, vol. -, Iss. -, pg. –
Place: New York
Writer: Unknown

Legacy Recordings Celebrates the 2015 Yuletide Season with New Titles in The Classic Christmas Album Series–Seasonal Showcases featuring Earth, Wind & Fire, Sarah McLachlan, Celtic Thunder–and The Classic Christmas ’80s Album, an All-Star Anthology

NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is ringing in the 2015 holiday season with the release of four indispensable Yuletide album titles–The Classic Christmas Album by Celtic Thunder, The Classic Christmas Album by Earth, Wind & Fire, The Classic Christmas Album by Sarah McLachlan and The Classic Christmas ’80s Album–available Friday, October 2, 2015.

The Classic Christmas ’80s Album, one of this year’s additions to Legacy Recordings’ Classic Christmas Album series, is a 15 track all-star anthology of timeless seasonal songs from the worlds of pop, rock, rap and soul proving that the spirit of Christmas moves through a variety of musical genres. Seminal 80’s artists on The Classic Christmas ’80s Album include: The Waitresses (“Christmas Wrapping”), Wham! (“Last Christmas”), The Bangles (“Hazy Shade of Winter”), Run-D.M.C. (“Christmas in Hollis”), Daryl Hall & John Oates (“Jingle Bell Rock”), Whitney Houston (“Do You Hear What I Hear?”), Billy Squier (“Christmas Is The Time To Say ‘I Love You'” [Single Version]), Dave Edmunds (“Run Rudolph Run”), Buster Poindexter and His Banshees Of Blue (“Zat You Santa Claus”), The Pointer Sisters (“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”), Ray Parker Jr. (“Christmas Time Is Here”), Bob & Doug McKenzie (“Twelve Days Of Christmas” [Single Version]), New Kids On The Block (“This One’s for the Children”), Fishbone (“Slick Nick, You Devil You”) and The Hooters (“Silent Night”).

Singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan and pop/soul legends Earth, Wind & Fire also have new holiday collections being offered in the Legacy Recordings’ Classic Christmas Album series. Each of the new collections brings together remastered holiday tracks spanning the careers of the individual artists.
The Classic Christmas Album by Earth, Wind & Fire includes 13 tracks from Holiday (the EW&F seasonal album released in 2014) with five additional cuts culled from the group’s multi-decade career.
The Classic Christmas Album by Earth, Wind & Fire is a soul and spirit filled celebration of the Christmas season, bringing together beloved carols (“Joy to the World,” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” “What Child Is This?,” “Away in a Manger,” “The First Noël”), holiday perennials (“Winter Wonderland,” “The Little Drummer Boy,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Jingle Bell Rock”), a traditional Japanese winter song (“Snow”) and future Earth, Wind & Fire classics: “Happy Seasons” (based on “Happy Feelin’), “Every Day Is Like Christmas” and “December” (based on EWF’s iconic “September”).

Additional tracks on The Classic Christmas Album by Earth, Wind & Fire include “Gather Round” (from 2005); “Get Your Hump On This Christmas” (featuring Cleveland Brown, from Twentieth Century Fox Television’s “A Cleveland Brown Christmas,” airdate: December 13, 2009); “I Asked For A Miracle (God Gave Me You)” (Philip Bailey with Full Force, produced by Full Force, recorded May 26, 1991); “Open Your Heard to Love” and “One World” (1990).

The Classic Christmas Album by Sarah McLachlan, an Arista/Legacy release, compiles the tracks “Wintersong” (2006); “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (2006); “What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)” (2006); “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (2006); “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings” (performed by Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan); “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” (the John Lennon/Yoko Ono classic performed by Sarah McLachlan featuring The Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach Children’s Choir and Youth Choir, 2006); “Prayer of St. Francis” (Sarah McLachlan featuring The Sarah McLachlan School of Music Choir, charity single, November 2013); “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” (2006); “Space On the Couch for Two” (Sarah McLachlan featuring students from The Sarah McLachlan School of Music Choir, charity single, November 2011); “Find Your Voice” (Sarah McLachlan with The Sarah McLachlan School of Music Choir, charity single, November 2012); “River” (a Joni Mitchell cover, 2006); “Silent Night” (2006); “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (2006); “The First Noel”/”Mary Mary” (medley, 2006); “Song for a Winter’s Night” (a Gordon Lightfoot cover, arranged by Sarah McLachlan, 1994); “In a Bleak Mid Winter” (traditional, arranged by Sarah McLachlan, 2006) and “Christmas Time is Here” (performed by Sarah McLachlan featuring Diana Krall, written by Vince Guaraldi/Lee Mendelson, 2006).

Legacy Recordings celebrates the 2015 Yuletide with The Classic Christmas Album by Celtic Thunder, an uplifting collection of traditional carols and Christmas songs performed by the international singing sensation Celtic Thunder.

The Classic Christmas Album by Celtic Thunder showcases an eclectic selection of Christmas standards from around the world, wrapped in Celtic Thunder’s signature big production sound. Six Celtic Thunder male soloists perform solo and ensemble numbers on the album, backed by a 90-piece Orchestra.
Tracks on The Classic Christmas Album by Celtic Thunder range from traditional carols to contemporary pop classics. The album moves from slow and pensive numbers to larger ensemble pieces and includes an exquisitely paced Christmas Medley.

Recorded in Ireland, The Classic Christmas Album by Celtic Thunder is a brilliant collection of seasonal music from Celtic Thunder creator Sharon Browne and Musical Director David Munro.

The Classic Christmas Album by Celtic Thunder comes from the renowned Irish theatrical singing ensemble who first appeared on Public Television in 2008. Since its first airing, Celtic Thunder’s PBS performance has consistently remained one of the most popular musical shows for stations throughout the country. Hailed three times as BILLBOARD’s Top World Music Artist and Top World Imprint (2008, 2009 and 2011), Celtic Thunder has achieved sales of over 2 million copies to date.

The Classic Christmas Album by Celtic Thunder features the group performing “Carol of the Bells,” “Gaudete,” “Mary Did You Know?,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “In the Bleak Mid-Winter,” “Gabriel’s Message,” “Christmas Medley: Sleigh Ride/Here Comes Santa Claus/The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers/Santa Claus is Coming to Town/I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” “Away in a Manger,” “Comfort Ye,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire),” “Oh Holy Night,” “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Fairytale Of New York.”