Reviewed by Tony Cummings

There's a telling note from Amy on this CD booklet. "I first recorded [the song] 'Tennessee Christmas' in the summer of 1983 at Caribou Ranch. I was 22 years old. My two grandmothers were included in a family photo on the record's foldout jacket. 33 years later I'm still singing this song. And guess who's got a grandchild now?" Amy's original rendition of "Tennessee Christmas" on 'A Christmas Album' was the best holiday song of the year to my ears and a rarity - a sentimental reflection on the choices of family and friends at Christmas which, though it had no mention of the birth of Christ, managed to work as a celebration of the season. Amy's re-recording of the song here with producer Mac McNally is pretty good too. Elsewhere though this album has problems. "To Be Together", co-written by Amy and Chris Eaton, is Christocentric ("We are not alone/'cos love has put his arms around the world") and a very slow version of "Joy To The World", produced by Ed Cash, is appealing, but elsewhere we are left with tepid renditions of "White Christmas" and bizarrely the non-Christmas standards "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside, the latter with husband Vince Gill providing the male voice interjections. (If you've never heard the Ray Charles and Betty Carter version of the standard you might enjoy Amy and Vince though in truth this is pretty poor.) In view of Amy's huge popularity in the Christmas music marketplace there is no doubting 'Tennessee Christmas' will sell in big numbers. Unfortunately though, this is a mediocre set from a singer we all know can do far, far better.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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