Rating:
Genre: Country
Release Date: 09/30/2008

Faith Hill's holiday album Joy to the World is a proudly old-fashioned record -- almost too much so, really, as there is nothing surprising about it, from its collection of shopworn standards to the full-blown yet curiously stiff production. Basically, this is an album where if you read the title, you will know how the song will sound: "Joy to the World" gets a big, bombastic, orchestral arrangement appropriate for a concert recital, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" swings like Sinatra conducted by Billy May, "Little Drummer Boy" is prim and proper, "Holly Jolly Christmas" feels pulled from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, "Away in a Manger" is sweet and stately. Everything is business as usual, right down to Hill's performances: big, not blustery; they're immaculate theater, sometimes verging on grandstanding but often suited for the occasion. Which might not make Joy to the World a singular holiday album in any respect -- it's too pat and perfect to be memorable -- but for anybody looking for a new old-fashioned Christmas album, this suits the bill just fine.

~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

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David Schnaufer - Dulcimer
Eric Darken - Percussion
Faith Hill - Arranger
Faith Hill - Producer
David Angell - Violin
Sam Bacco - Percussion
Jeff Bailey - Trumpet
Catherine Bott - Choir, Chorus
Catherine Bott - Soprano (Vocal)
Steve Brewster - Percussion
Hellena Brooks - Choir, Chorus
Hellena Brooks - Alto (Vocals)
Andrew Busher - Choir, Chorus
Andrew Busher - Tenor (Vocal)
Paul Bushnell - Bass
Heather Cairncross - Choir, Chorus
Heather Cairncross - Alto (Vocals)
Alvin Chea - Vocals (Background)
Steve Churchyard - Engineer
Steve Churchyard - Overdub Engineer
Matt Davich - Saxophone
David Davidson - Violin
Simon Davies - Choir, Chorus
Simon Davies - Tenor (Vocal)
Stuart Duncan - Fiddle
Chris Dunn - Trombone
Yona Dunsford - Choir, Chorus
Yona Dunsford - Alto (Vocals)
Connie Ellisor - Violin
Shannon Forrest - Drums
Byron Gallimore - Arranger
Byron Gallimore - Producer
John Gilutin - Piano
Carl Gorodetzky - Violin
Carl Gorodetzky - String Contractor
Simon Grant - Bass (Vocal)
Simon Grant - Choir, Chorus
Barry Green - Trombone
Jim Grosjean - Viola
Bernie Grundman - Mastering
Mark Hagen - Overdub Engineer
Claire Henry - Choir, Chorus
Claire Henry - Alto (Vocals)
Jimmy Hoyson - Overdub Assistant
Dann Huff - Guitar
Dann Huff - Arranger
Dann Huff - Producer
Charles Judge - Keyboards
Raven Kane - Vocal Producer
Anthony LaMarchina - Cello
Sam Levine - Saxophone
Joe Martino - Mixing Assistant
Chris McDonald - Trombone
Jerry McPherson - Guitar
Doug Moffet - Saxophone
Nashville String Machine - Strings
Steve Patrick - Trumpet
Darryl Phinnessee - Vocals (Background)
Bettie Ross - Performer
Bettie Ross - Pipe Organ
Bettie Ross - Supervising Copyist
Allen Sides - Engineer
Allen Sides - Mixing
Allen Sides - Overdub Engineer
Pamela Sixfin - Violin
Buddy Skipper - Saxophone
Denis Solee - Saxophone
Neil Stubenhaus - Bass (Electric)
Bobby G. Taylor - Oboe
David Porter Thomas - Bass (Vocal)
David Porter Thomas - Choir, Chorus
George Tidwell - Trumpet
Alan Umstead - Violin
Catherine Umstead - Violin
Gary VanOsdale - Viola
Mary Kathryn Vanosdale - Violin
Lawrence White - Bass (Vocal)
Lawrence White - Choir, Chorus
Kristin Wilkinson - Viola
Glenn Worf - Bass (Upright)
Jonathan Yudkin - Fiddle
Jonathan Yudkin - Cello
Jonathan Yudkin - Viola
Jonathan Yudkin - Celtic Harp
Eric Rigler - Uillean Pipes
Eric Rigler - Tin Whistle
Dwight Mikkelsen - Copyist
Jimmy Nichols - Keyboards
Calvin Smith - French Horn
Michael George - Bass (Vocal)
Michael George - Choir, Chorus
Jennie O'Grady - Choir Director
Mary Carewe - Choir, Chorus
Mary Carewe - Soprano (Vocal)
Ron Sorbo - Percussion
Jeri Heiden - Art Direction
Jeri Heiden - Design
Richard Bronskill - Copyist
Pete Huttlinger - Guitar (Acoustic)
Jack Jezioro - Bass
David Loucks - Vocals (Background)
Lawrence Wallington - Bass (Vocal)
Lawrence Wallington - Choir, Chorus
Bruce Wethey - Violin
Monisa Angell - Viola
Karen Winkelmann - Violin
Bryan Sutton - Guitar (Acoustic)
Julie Tanner - Cello
Francesca Tolot - Make-Up
Dino Hermann - Digital Editing
Lee Levine - Clarinet
Keith Carlock - Drums
Jon Bailey - Engineer
Daniel May - Choir, Chorus
Daniel May - Soprano (Vocal)
Gordon Adams - Choir, Chorus
Gordon Adams - Tenor (Vocal)
Ann Callis - Production Coordination
Cate Myer - Violin
Erik Lutkins - Digital Editing
Erik Lutkins - Editing
Gerald Greer - Violin
Janet Askey - Violin
Tom Bukovac - Guitar
Ann Richards - Flute
Mike "Frog" Griffith - Production Coordination
Carole Rabinowitz-Neuen - Cello
Jennifer Kummer - French Horn
Denise Baker - Violin
Lynn Peithman - Cello
Sarah Eyden - Choir, Chorus
Sarah Eyden - Soprano (Vocal)
Beverly Drukker - Violin
Carolyn Bailey - Violin
Prentiss Hobbs - Trombone
Mike Haynes - Trumpet
Beth Beeson - French Horn
Polly May - Choir, Chorus
Polly May - Alto (Vocals)
Tom Pearce - Choir, Chorus
Tom Pearce - Tenor (Vocal)
Lindsay Wagstaff - Choir, Chorus
Lindsay Wagstaff - Alto (Vocals)
Aaron Walk - Overdub Engineer
Leslie Richter - Overdub Assistant
London Oratory School Scholars - Performer
London Oratory School Scholars - Boy's Choir
Gerard Bentall - Choir, Chorus
Gerard Bentall - Tenor (Vocal)
Phillip Conway Brown - Choir, Chorus
Phillip Conway Brown - Tenor (Vocal)
Joe Bozzi - Mastering Assistant
Jim Lotz - Bassoon
Jason Mott - Assistant Engineer
David Combes - Choir, Chorus
David Combes - Tenor (Vocal)
Neil Bellingham - Bass (Vocal)
Neil Bellingham - Choir, Chorus
Lowell Reynolds - Assistant Engineer
Lowell Reynolds - Overdub Engineer
Lowell Reynolds - Overdub Assistant
Sari Reist - Cello
Sara Lesher - Digital Editing
Sara Lesher - Editing
Emma Brain Gabbott - Choir, Chorus
Emma Brain Gabbott - Soprano (Vocal)
Samantha Shaw - Choir, Chorus
Samantha Shaw - Alto (Vocals)
Todd Schall - Assistant Engineer
Gilbert Long - Tuba
David Bryant - Assistant Engineer
David Bryant - Overdub Assistant
Michael Compton - Mandolin
Tim Davis - Vocals (Background)
Tim Davis - Vocal Contractor
Anne Marie Cullum - Choir, Chorus
Anne Marie Cullum - Soprano (Vocal)
Edward Grint - Bass (Vocal)
Edward Grint - Choir, Chorus
Ali Helnwein - Music Coordinator
Ali Helnwein - Vocal Producer
Rosemary Forbes Butler - Choir, Chorus
Rosemary Forbes Butler - Soprano (Vocal)
Wesley Seidman - Overdub Assistant
Lee Ward & Group - Choir Master
Craig Nelson - Bass
Samuel Burkey - Choir, Chorus
Samuel Burkey - Tenor (Vocal)
Russelle James - Photography
Rob Sneddon - Copyist
Morag MacKay - Choir, Chorus
Morag MacKay - Alto (Vocals)
Helen Meyerhoff - Choir, Chorus
Helen Meyerhoff - Soprano (Vocal)
Sarah Ryan - Choir, Chorus
Sarah Ryan - Soprano (Vocal)
Robbie Shankle - Saxophone
Nick Steinhardt - Design
David Paul Campbell - Arranger
David Paul Campbell - Conductor
Ashley Avignone - Assistant
Ashley Avignone - Stylist
Casper Barrie - Boy's Choir
Luca Barrie - Boy's Choir
Kris Beligh - Bass (Vocal)
Kris Beligh - Choir, Chorus
Laura Bursey - Choir, Chorus
Laura Bursey - Soprano (Vocal)
Lawrence Carroll - Boy's Choir
Oliver Clark - Boy's Choir
William Cracknell - Boy's Choir
Joseph Deery - Boy's Choir
Nicholas Falcone - Boy's Choir
Petra Flannery - Stylist
David Greig - Bass (Vocal)
David Greig - Choir, Chorus
Kim Gueldner - Hair Stylist
Vanessa Heine - Choir, Chorus
Vanessa Heine - Alto (Vocals)
Thomas Herford - Choir, Chorus
Thomas Herford - Tenor (Vocal)
Craig Lawson - Boy's Choir
Jon Leroy - Production Coordination
Jeff Meyer - French Horn
Tom Phillips - Choir, Chorus
Tom Phillips - Tenor (Vocal)
Henry Rodriguez Broadbent - Boy's Choir
Felix Wareing - Boy's Choir

Christmas, Vol. 2
    Alabama / CD / 1996
It Won't Be Christmas Without You
    Brooks & Dunn / CD / 2002
The Reason for the Season
    The Bellamy Brothers / CD / 2002
Marshmallow World and Other Holiday Favorites
    Raul Malo / CD / 2007

Release Date: 09/30/2008
Genre: ctry