NASHVILLE, TN—September 13, 2024—Anticipation is the greatest gift of Christmas—imagining the surprises you’ll give and receive, and relishing the renewal of traditions you’ve created over the years to make the holiday particularly your own. Into this festive setting now comes When I Think Of Christmas, a treasury of seasonal songs from Vince Gill and Amy Grant, that captures the spirit of their much-loved “Christmas at the Ryman” concerts. Available today on MCA Nashville, the album contains remastered versions of nine of the duo’s Yuletide favorites, plus two new recordings. One of the most successful residencies in the history of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium (famous former home of the Grand Ole Opry), Gill and Grant’s “Christmas at the Ryman” has presented over 100 shows in front of nearly a quarter-million people. This year’s series will run from November 29 through December 21. Tickets are now on sale. LISTEN TO WHEN I THINK OF CHRISTMAS | HERE. In addition to the digital and CD availability of When I Think Of Christmas, the album is available in green vinyl. A limited edition red vinyl will be sold exclusively at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and the Official Artist Store.
Although it’s difficult to limit the number of treasured Christmas songs Grant and Gill are legendary for, they have selected nine previously released tracks including Grant’s “Tennessee Christmas” and “Breath of Heaven,” which was originally recorded on her Home for Christmas ranked in Billboard’s Top 25 greatest holiday albums of all time, and Gill’s “O Holy Night” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Additionally, there are two new recordings, including Grant’s version of the album’s title track and “Til the Season Comes Round Again,” a Grant/Gill duet.
“Christmas Music is a portal to wonder and awe, to nostalgia and ‘remember when,’ to hope and how-we-wish-it-could-be,” says Grant. “And because we return to the same playlists year after year, those songs have become the backdrop for our collective memories of gathering, of family, of gift giving, of celebration and solitude. I’ve recorded a lot of Christmas music over the years, and I’m excited to add two new songs to this collection, especially the song Vince and I close our Christmas concerts with, ‘‘Til The Season Comes Round Again.’ I hope these new songs find a place on playlists, whether it’s during the holiday season or all year ‘round.”
Gill adds to his wife’s reflections, “There’s nothing in the world that I love more than watching my girl shine, and she might shine the brightest when she does Christmas music. We have shared stages together for over 30 years and I’ve loved every note of it. I hope everyone enjoys this collection of songs, and hearing Amy shine.”
Both Grant and Gill have sold millions of copies of their respective Christmas albums, and have performed some of the season’s most beloved classics from the stage of the Ryman. When I Think Of Christmas embraces 11 of those songs.
Track list:
Side A
1. When I Think Of Christmas – Amy Grant (NEW)
2. The Christmas Song – Vince Gill
3. Winter Wonderland – Amy Grant
4. I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Vince Gill
5. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year – Amy Grant
6. Do You Hear What I Hear – Vince Gill
Side B
7. Tennessee Christmas – Amy Grant
8. O Come All Ye Faithful – Vince Gill
9. Breath Of Heaven (Mary’s Song) – Amy Grant
10. O Holy Night – Vince Gill
11. ‘Til The Season Comes Round Again – Amy Grant & Vince Gill (NEW)
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ABOUT AMY GRANT
Amy Grant’s career spans more than 40 years and stretches from her roots in gospel into becoming an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality and philanthropist. With three multi-platinum albums, six platinum albums and four gold albums, her total career album sales have exceeded 30 million and over 1 billion global streams. Grant’s chart success has been consistent throughout her career with six No. 1 hits, 10 Top 40 pop singles, 17 Top 40 Adult Contemporary tracks and multiple Contemporary Christian chart-toppers. In addition to her six GRAMMY® Awards, Grant has earned 26 GMA Dove Awards (including four Artist of the Year Awards) and has been awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as well as the Music City Walk of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Conventional wisdom has it that Grant put Contemporary Christian Music on the map becoming the first Contemporary Christian artist to have a platinum record, the first to hit No. 1 on the Pop charts and the first to perform at the GRAMMY® Awards. With that, her legacy as one of the most influential artists of the past four decades is assured. In 2020, the T.J. Martell Foundation – the music industry’s leading nonprofit to fund innovative medical research focused on treatments and cures for cancer – honored Grant with the Tony Martell Outstanding Entertainment Achievement Award at their annual Honors Gala. Most recently, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts included Grant as one of their five distinguished Honorees to receive the 45th Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements. In 2023, Grant toured in 70 cities across the country and released her first new music in a decade, starting with the single “Trees We’ll Never See,” (March) and “What You Heard” (April). Grant released “Lead Me On Live 1989” in October 2023 which is a full-concert documentation from the 1988-1989 Lead Me On Tour. Grant finished the year with two Christmas Tours including dates with Michael W. Smith as well as the annual Christmas At The Ryman residency with Vince Gill which celebrated over 100 headline shows at the Ryman, the first co-headliners to mark this incredible milestone.
In 2024, Grant toured the country playing 33 shows in the spring, including two headlining shows at the Ryman Auditorium over Mother’s Day weekend. She released the long-sought after “Songs From The Loft” album, (originally released in 1993), for the first time on digital formats. Later this fall, Grant will embark on a 20+ show headlining tour and will finish the year with the annual “Christmas At The Ryman” residency with Vince Gill. Grant is also writing songs for her next musical project to release in 2025
ABOUT VINCE GILL
One of the most popular artists in modern country music, Vince Gill is famous for his top-notch songwriting, world-class guitar playing and warm, soaring tenor, all wrapped up in a quick and easy wit. Gill achieved his big breakthrough in 1990 with “When I Call Your Name,” which won both the Country Music Association’s (CMA) Single and Song of the Year awards as well as a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male. In total, Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, 22 Grammy Awards, and 8 Academy of Country Music Awards. In 1991, Gill was invited to become a member of The Grand Ole Opry, and in 2007 was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2012 he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A gifted songwriter, Gill’s compositions earned him entry into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and was awarded the prestigious BMI Icon award in 2014. Throughout his career he has released 21 albums, sold over 30 million albums, and charted 45 singles. In 2022, Gill was inducted into the Musician’s Hall of Fame. Always considering himself a musician above all else, Gill has over the years been a part of some iconic bands including Pure Prairie League, The Notorious Cherry Bombs, and The Time Jumpers. In 2017 Gill was asked to join the Eagles on the road and continues to be a part of that historic band’s tour.