Kathie Baillie "A Baillie Family Christmas -- Come Celebrate The Season" (Aspiron Records, 2006)
A 5-song EP from 1980's Back Forty singer Kathie Bailey... Mostly standards, all heartfelt.

Jim Baker "A Steel Guitar Christmas" (Power Pak Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Hill & Scotty Moore)
Alabama-born steel player Jim G. Baker (1933-2008) was a prolific Nashville session player who also performed in the house band at The Grand Ole Opry, as well as touring with Mel Tillis & The Statesiders during their early 'Seventies glory years. Notably, he was married to Music City studio singer Sudie Calloway and as a consequence was also Top Forty songwriter Matraca Berg's uncle. This appears to have been Jim Baker's only album, although billing was shared with fellow guitarist Dale Sellars... Not sure if they're playing together, or each contributed separate tracks.

Moe Bandy "A Cowboy Christmas" (Intersound Records, 1996)

Bobby Bare "I Love An Old-Fashioned Christmas" (G&R Records, 1995)

Mandy Barnett "Winter Wonderland" (Crackerbarrel Records, 2010)

The Bellamy Brothers "A Tropical Christmas" (Intersound Records, 1996)
(Produced by Claus Braunlein, Randy Hiebert & Ralph Siegal)
The Bellamys were getting kind of long in the tooth, but they kinda leaned into it, purposefully projecting a cheerfully pot-bellied, Jimmy Buffett-esque, dad-rock kinda vibe, notably on songs like "Old Hippie Christmas," which promotes middle-aged mellowness as a holiday virtue. "We All Get Crazy At Christmas" is another track than takes kind of a roll-with-the-flow attitude towards life. I wouldn't characterize this as the world's greatest holiday album, but it's certainly not the worst. In fact, some of it's kind of sweet, if a bit sleepy. Worth a spin, if you're into it. Overall, it's pretty heartfelt and the Bellamys are masters of the cheesy production style that folks who like commercial Christmas music seem to love so much.

The Bellamy Brothers "The Reason For The Season" (Curb Records, 2002)
(Produced by Claus Braunlein, Randy Hiebert & Ralph Siegal)
This was basically a reissue of their Tropical Christmas album, with a few new tracks to pep things up. If you missed "We All Get Crazy At Christmas" and "Old Hippie Christmas" the first time around, they still held up about the same six years later; "Tropical Christmas," too. The real draw if their 9/11 song, "God Bless America This Christmas This Year," a patriotic holiday song written in the wake of the September 11th World Trade Center attacks, which asks listeners to send their prayers out to the troops in Afghanistan, and extols the virtues of American life. Also bookending the album is their "reggae holiday mix" of their old, old hit, "Let Your Love Flow," if you really want to be feelin' irie, mon. Obviously, this kind of thing is an easy target for the hipster police, but more forgiving listeners might find some of this entertaining, or at least easy on the ears. It's admittedly lethargic, but not entirely awful.

John Berry -- see artist profile

Clint Black "Looking For Christmas" (RCA Records, 1995)
(Produced by Clint Black & James Stroud)
Aw, what a bummer... Clint plays it corny on this glossy pop-orchestral outing. There are a few tunes -- "The Coolest Pair," " 'Til Santa's Gone," "Slow At Christmas" -- that show a little twang, but for the most part this is a sadly drippy, bombastic holiday album, packed with cheesy orchestral arrangements and ole Clint crooning away like a real cornball. If you're a diehard fan, or don't actually like country music that much, this might be an album you'll like... But otherwise, it just ain't that much fun. Skippable.

Clint Black "Christmas With You" (Equity Records, 2004)
(Produced by Clint Black & James Stroud)
Hmmm... well , maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, but here's a revised opinion of the album above (which has been reissued here, with two new tracks...) Although I'm not really that into the modern, ornate Nashville pop arrangements, I'd still say this is a superior country Christmas record. For one thing, it's not another set of cheesy standards -- Black wrote or cowrote all the songs on here, and anyone who adds some new songs to the Christmas canon gets extra points straight out the gate, as far as I'm concerned. Also, his heart really seems in it here: Clint sings with conviction and warmth, and his lyrics are generally about the more spiritual, human side of the holiday. For him, the season is about companionship, family and inner warmth, not fancy gifts and getting drunk. The songs are willfully sentimental and gooey, but Black has the sincerity to pull it off... If you're looking for a nice new holiday disc to trim the tree to, this one's a mighty fine option.

Suzy Bogguss "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" (Compadre Records, 2003)
(Produced by Suzy Bogguss, Bobby Bradley & Dale Crider)
With a career spent skipping across the boundaries between commercial country and Americana, it's only natural that Suzy Bogguss would have a slightly different take on the whole country Christmas album thing. Adding a jazzy twist, she glides through a bunch of standards ("Sleigh Ride," "Winter Wonderland," "Rudolph," etc.) and a few new tunes that are off the beaten track, like "Two-Step 'Round The Christmas Tree" and "Mr. Santa" (a take-off on the old Chordettes hit, "Mr. Sandman"). Generally speaking, this somewhat sedate album isn't as twangy as some of her fans might have hoped, but -- as ever -- Bogguss has a lovely, lovely voice that helps place these recordings a notch above the rest. Worth checking out; I'd take this over an Amy Grant album any day.

The Boxmasters "Christmas Cheer" (Saw Mill Records, 2008)

Terry Bradshaw "Sings Christmas Songs For The Whole World" (Dove Records, 1996)
At the height of his fame as quarterback of the 1970's Pittsburgh Steelers, football dude Terry Bradshaw also tried his hand at country music. His first album yielded a modest hit with a cover of an old Hank Williams song, but that success was never quite replicated on his later records, and he went back full-time to the gridiron. In the 1990s, Bradshaw returned to the studios to record this holiday record, and a gospel album for the same label...

Paul Brandt "A Paul Brandt Christmas: Shall I Play For You?" (Reprise Records, 1999)

Brooks & Dunn "It Won't Be Christmas Without You" (Arista Records, 2002)
(Produced by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn & Greg Droman)
Yeah, pretty much what ya'd expect. Some total corn, a couple of fun tunes, and several disastrous ones with a '50s-rock sheen. If you're into Xmas music, this has some nice moments, and by comparison to other contemporary Nashville holiday albums, it's positively rootsy and rollicking. Worth checking out, particularly if you're a fan of the band. Their version of "Hangin' Round The Mistletoe" is really enjoyable.

Garth Brooks "Beyond The Season" (Capitol Records, 1992)
(Produced by Allen Reynolds)

Garth Brooks "The Magic Of Christmas" (Capitol Records, 1999)
(Produced by Allen Reynolds)

Alison Brown Quartet "Evergreen" (Compass Records, 2008)
(Produced by The Alison Brown Quartet & Joe Craven)
A playful holiday offering from banjo picker Alison Brown, with fleet-footed accompaniment from fiddler Joe Craven and a few of their pals. Brown plucks out a few standards -- "Silver Bells," "Sleigh Ride" -- as well as some quirky choices such as Gene Autry's "Two Santas" and "Christmas Time Is Here," from the TV adaptation of Dr. Seuss's "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," as well as a couple of Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts-related yuletide gems. Some nice, joyful, inventive performances -- perfect to have in the background as you prepare that big, yummy holiday dinner!

Jimmy Buffett "Christmas Island" (MCA Records, 1996)
(Produced by Rob Eaton, Russ Kunkel & Michael Utley)
I honestly can't decide: would actually spending Christmas with Jimmy Buffett have been really kinda cool, or really kinda sad? Probably some good stories to tell, either way. Rest in peace, big fella.

The Burns Sisters "Tradition: Holiday Songs Old & New" (Rounder/Philo Records, 1996)
(Produced by The Burns Sisters & Tim Reppert)
Sugary-sweet harmonies and gentle acoustic accompaniment by the bluegrass-ish Burns Sisters, Annie, Jeannie and Marie, who sing an interesting mix of religious material, ranging from Christmas songs they wrote themselves (and well-chosen traditional tunes) to Jewish melodies and even an adaptation of a poem by Sufi Muslim mystic, Rumi. Rob Ickes adds some nice sweet dobro licks, and fiddler Glen Duncan adds a 'grassy touch here and there as well. Musically, it's too drippy for me, but folks in search of something a little different and perhaps more reflective for the holidays will find this a rather rich and rewarding album.

---

Hick Music Index

---