Joy to the World (Faith Hill album) – 2008
Joy to the World is the first Christmas album by American country music singer Faith Hill. To date, it has sold 753,045 copies in the US. It features the U.S. Adult Contemporary #1 hit, “A Baby Changes Everything”. The album was certified Gold on December 4, 2008.
A couple tracks from Joy to the World have been available as free downloads as part of special promotions. In late November, for a limited period of time, “Joy to the World” (single) was available for free digital download as part of a “holiday mixtape” created by Oprah Winfrey. For a week beginning on December 9, 2008, the song “O Holy Night was available for free digital download from iTunes as their “Holiday Single of the Week”.
The album was also promoted by a concert appearance on PBS Soundstage. PBS said of the album, “Working with producers Dann Huff and Byron Gallimore, engineer Allen Sides and Grammy-winning arranger David Campbell, Faith Hill has crafted a one-of-a-kind Christmas record with Joy to the World, freshly conceived yet anchored in tradition. It is a loving tribute to both the spirit and the music of Christmas, one that pays homage to the classics.”
Two limited edition versions of the album with a bonus DVD were made available at Target and Wal Mart. The Target DVD features 40 minutes of live performance and interview from Hill’s XM Artist Confidential concert that took place in October 2007. The Wal Mart DVD was made available in 2009, a year after the album’s original release, and features 19 minutes of Soundcheck footage.
Track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. “Joy to the World” Isaac Watts 2:15
2. “What Child Is This?” William Chatterton Dix 3:37
3. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” John Frederick Coots, Haven Gillespie 2:46
4. “Little Drummer Boy” Katherine Davis, Henry Onorati, Harry Simeone 3:06
5. “O Come All Ye Faithful” John Francis Wade 3:47
6. “Holly Jolly Christmas” Johnny Marks 2:16
7. “Away in a Manger” James Murray 3:15
8. “O Holy Night” Adolphe Adam, Placide Cappeau 4:59
9. “Winter Wonderland” Felix Bernard, Richard Smith 2:39
10. “Silent Night” Franz Gruber 3:11
11. “A Baby Changes Everything” Craig Wiseman, Tim Nichols 4:52
Total length: 36:48
Personnel
Sam Bacco – percussion
Jeff Bailey – trumpet
Beth Beeson – french horn
Steve Brewster – percussion
Tom Bukovac – electric guitar
Paul Bushnell – bass guitar
David Campbell – string arrangements, conductor
Keith Carlock – drums
Alvin Chea – background vocals
Michael Compton – mandolin
Eric Darken – percussion
Matt Davich – saxophone
Tim Davis – vocal contractor, background vocals
Stuart Duncan – fiddle
Chris Dunn – trombone
Shannon Forrest – drums
John Gilutin – piano
Carl Gorodetzky – string contractor
Barry Green – trombone
Mike Haynes – trumpet
Faith Hill – lead vocals
Prentiss Hobbs – trombone
Dann Huff – electric guitar
Pete Huttlinger – acoustic guitar
Jack Jezzro – bass guitar
Charlie Judge – keyboards
Jennifer Kummer – french horn
Lee Levine – clarinet
Sam Levine – saxophone
London Oratory School Schola – boys choir
Gilbert Long – tuba
Jim Lotz – bassoon
David Loucks – background vocals
Chris McDonald – trombone
Jerry McPherson – electric guitar
Richard Madenfort – 12-string acoustic guitar
Metro Voices – choir
Jeff Meyer – french horn
Doug Moffet – saxophone
The Nashville String Machine – strings
Craig Nelson – bass guitar
Jimmy Nichols – keyboards
Jenny O’Grady – choir director
Steve Patrick – trumpet
Darryl Phinnessee – background vocals
Ann Richards – flute
Eric Rigler – tin whistle, Uillean pipes
Bettie Ross – pipe organ
David Schnaufer – dulcimer
Robbie Shankle – saxophone
Buddy Skipper – saxophone
Calvin Smith – french horn
Denis Solee – saxophone
Ron Sorbo – percussion
Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar
Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar
Bobby G. Taylor – oboe
George Tidwell – trumpet
Glenn Worf – upright bass
Jonathan Yudkin – cello, celtic harp, fiddle, viola