Bluegrass and White Snow: A Mountain Christmas

Personnel includes: Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood, Rebeccca Lynn Howard, Jim Horn, Rob Ickes, Stuart Duncan.
Audio Mixer: Justin Niebank.
Recording information: Hounds Ear, Franklin, TN; The Sound Kitchen, Franklin, TN.
Photographer: Russ Harrington.
Having returned to her childhood musical roots with 2001's MOUNTAIN SOUL, Patty Loveless continues in that vein and gives this journey a holiday twist with the warm embrace of BLUEGRASS & WHITE SNOW: A MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS. Infused with plenty of trilling mandolin, fiddle, and dobro, with nary a drum or electric guitar in sight, this is the kind of collection that's tailor-made for an evening in front of the fireplace trimming the tree. Aided by producer/hubby Emory Gordy Jr., Loveless tucks into a mix of covers and originals steeped more in the religious aspects of the holidays.
Among the more familiar songs featured are a stripped-down "Silent Night," a virtually a capella duet of "Joy To The World" with Jon Randall, and a Celtic-flavored "Little Drummer Boy" (with Rebecca Lynn Howard). Other highlights include a chiming instrumental "Carol of the Bells" spearheaded by the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble and the folksy "Christmas Time's A Comin'" ringing with the background vocals of Carmella Ramsey and Tim Hensley. Serving as a perfect complement to this Tex Logan chestnut are Loveless's own chugging twangfest "Christmas Day At My House" and the rich title track gilded by the puzzle-piece harmonies of Ricky Skaggs and Dolly Parton.