Billy Gilman - Classic Christmas

The prepubescent country-singing wonder did his homework for his first Christmas CD. Covering a handful of classics from "White Christmas" and "The Christmas Song" to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Jingle Bell Rock," young Mr. Gilman also sets out to make "Warm & Fuzzy" and "There's a New Kid in Town" holiday standards, too. The former is as muslin-soft and sugarcane-sweet as Christmas sentiment can get, while the latter is one of the better-written country Christmas songs of late, and Billy does them up with all the emotion and emoting he can. Producers Don Cook and Blake Chancey manage to keep the big-production sound toned down a bit in order to showcase the kid's pipes, and when he joins classical soul mate Charlotte Church for a go at "Sleigh Ride," you get to hear two prodigies whose voices are as crisp, clear, and clean as a chilly night far north of Nashville. --Martin Keller Amazon.com

The Only Christmas CD You Should Own

No regrets buying this CD. It will surely be played in our house for many holidays to come. Billy Gilman did a perfect job interpreting these classic Christmas songs. The "Warm and Fuzzy" song is very enjoyable. Good luck to him in 2008! January 28, 2008

pretty good

I had his CD "One Voice" and loved it. Since it was Christmas, I decided to buy this CD. It's pretty good. His music tends to be the kind that you need to listen to, it's not background music. January 4, 2007

One of the Three Best Christmas Albums Ever

I realize this title makes a bold statement...and is one that is very subjective in nature; However, for me, it's the honest truth. There are only three I ever listen to: Mariah Carey's Christmas Album, Barbra Streisand's early Christmas Album...and this one. Wait...I take that back. I also have Anne Murray's on stand-by. Still, it doesn't make my Top Three.

This Christams CD is aptly named: Classic Christmas. The musical production on each track is meticulously and wonderfully crafted and, listening to it, you truly wish you were in front of a crackling log fire with your family and friends...or sipping a spicy, hot mug of steamy cider, while snow collects on your window sill. If you love Christmas, you'll love these sounds that are so carefully situated behind Billy's ethereal vocals.

Billy has always amazed me with his records. How an eleven or twelve year old could possess this much vocal skill, I'll never know. It's completely crazy how he could have possessed the vocal expertise that he displayed at that time. He has the phrasing perfection of Streisand and the vocal craft and control of any of the greats you can name. If you put on a pair of headphones, turn up the volume to a moderate level...and then truly listen with a critical ear...you can truly appreciate the instrument that is this kid's voice. He ever only breathes in just the proper places and he's never a prisoner to his own vibrato, which is sometimes rapid and staccato like contemporary Streisand, and sometimes slow and measured like Leanne Rhymes or Aaron Neville. Make no mistake: This boy's voice is pure gold...and he was in complete control of how he used it.

Young male singers just don't get any better than this. And I have some experience behind that opinion, being the parent of a fledgling young singer myself, Joey Pearson...who began by imitating and covering Billy's early hits.

When I look for an artist, I always look first at the vocals. That's just me. Yes, good music is wonderful...but if you have vocal excellence, it can effectively cover a lot of the sins of bad production, should any exist. None of that exists here. On this collection, we have an expert combination of both perfect musical production and vocal perfection. When Billy sings "There's A New Kid in Town"...you can feel the emotion that went into the writing of that lyric. That is the measure of a true vocalist: Delivering the lyric in the spirit in which it was written. He delivers it perfectly and with just the right combination of both melancholy and nuance. And by album's end, when he hits that last soaring, unbelievably high note on "Oh Holy Night"...you fully understand why Billy Gilman made it as big as he did...and why that one voice will be the reason why this Christmas album will stand the test of time. (Er...did I say..."One Voice"?)

Two other stand-out numbers: Away In A Manger...delivered perfectly with just the right measure of gentleness...and Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree. If this version of that classic number doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit...well then, I suggest checking your name tag. It's likely that it reads "Scrooge" or maybe even "Grinch".

Others may disagree with me, but I fully believe that the duet between Billy and Charlotte Church was misconceived. Both were prodigies at that time, true...but I don't think they were matched well for a duet. You can actually hear the different treatments the producers applied to each voice. Charlotte was drowning in reverb while Billy soared on his vocal part, easily navigating the song, completely in the epitome of his element. Charlotte's is a grand voice...but she was ill-suited for this number, in my opinion. You can hear it most at the end when they each had a solo line...Billy sings, "It's lovely weather..." and Charlotte completes with, "....for a sleigh ride together". The extra reverb they gave her is so apparent and completely takes you out of the song. At least that's my experience. I even doubt that they were together in the same studio.

Billy is now 18 years old, so I know this review is late...but it's still relevant since the album is a classic. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves wonderful Christmas music...or is a fan of Billy Gilman. You won't be disappointed. December 13, 2006

Warm as Toast & Cool as Music can be!

Simply stated, this CD is completely heart-warming ... and impressive!
Now, I--the reviewer--have sung in some of the finest choral ensembles, and this CD excels in 2 distinct ways :

a) Billy Gilman is allowed to be under few constraints, and is thus permitted to SOAR in his own rich, smoooooth style. He handles these famous Christmas tunes as readily as Sinatra or Nat Cole. Some people need a "free rein" in order to excell, and in this case, Billy is in the stratosphere!

b) The arrangements could not be better. Sinatra would have wanted these orchestrations due to their rich tapestries of notes and the schmaltzy way they cater to the singer. Add to this, Billy Gilman is in love with singing, and it comes over the microphones and console board. Billy Gilman was at his show-stopping BEST in this Fall 2000 recording.

As a final comment, I am still FLOORED by how WELL Billy sings and his style, breath control, and articulation are at the same level as a seasoned professional such as some of the aforementioned names.
Who would have ever thought that a kid could sing like this! WOW!! September 22, 2006

Absolutely beautiful.

Yes, I know I am writing this review 6 years later then when it was released, but oh well.

This album is definitely the one that showcases his talent best. Everything about this album is flawless. The arrangements are beautiful. If you don't have this album yet, you should go out and buy it! Believe me, you wont be dissapointed.

The a cappella intro of "Angel's We Have Heard On High" is all you need to hear to experience how angelic Billy's voice is. He holds the notes while singing "Glo-o-o-o-o-o-ria" unbelievably strong, but soft at the same time.
"Away In A Manger," "There's A New Kid In Town," and "White Christmas" are absolutely amazing.
This is definitely my favorite Christmas album of all time.
Good job Billy. August 5, 2006

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