Tracy Lawrence will fulfill a longtime dream when he releases the first holiday album of his career on October 23.
The CD, All Wrapped Up In Christmas, will feature a collection of seasonal classics, including "White Christmas," "Winter Wonderland" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," done in a blend of country, jazz and classic pop styles. In addition, the album will contain three new songs: "Something in the Air," "Cold Beer" and the title track.
"I've been dreaming of recording a Christmas CD for many, many years," Tracy says. "I've just been waiting for the timing to be right. I looked for songs that were warm as well as fun, and challenging to sing. We pulled the best from all three music traditions. I really hope this CD will put people in the spirit of the season."
Tracy says he and his family have always gotten especially excited about Christmas. "I love everything about the holidays from shopping for presents to decorating the house with my family," he says. "Christmas is huge with the Lawrence household. Before heading into the studio, I had each of my daughters select one song for the project. Skylar chose 'Here Comes Santa Claus' and Keagan selected 'Frosty The Snowman.'"
Although the project was recorded during some of the summer's hottest days, Tracy set the mood for the sessions. "It was nearly 100 degrees outside when we were recording," Tracy says. "We put up a Christmas tree in the studio, hung stockings filled with candy on all of the musicians' mic stands, strung up some twinkling lights and prepared for a make-believe snowstorm. For the moment it felt like Christmas — at least until we broke for lunch and walked outside."