The Spirit of Christmas (Michael W. Smith album)

The Spirit of Christmas, officially titled as Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas is a duet Christmas album by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith, released on September 30, 2014, through Capitol Records. This is Smith's fourth Christmas album. His previous Christmas album, It's a Wonderful Christmas, was released in 2007. The Spirit of Christmas won 2015 Dove Award for Christmas Album of the Year.[1]

The Spirit of Christmas
Studio album by
Michael W. Smith
ReleasedSeptember 30, 2014 (2014-09-30)
GenreHoliday, CCM, country
Length47:12
LabelCapitol
ProducerRobert Deaton, David Hamilton, Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith chronology
Sovereign
(2014)		 The Spirit of Christmas
(2014)		 Hymns II
(2016)

Background

This album features duets with several country music artists, including Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Martina McBride, and Vince Gill.[2] Other artists on it include U2 frontman Bono, Amy Grant, and Michael McDonald.[3] Bono is featured in spoken word on the track "The Darkest Midnight."[4]

Tour

Cracker Barrel sponsored Smith's 2014 "Spirit of Christmas Tour",[5] which started on November 30, 2014, and finished on December 21, 2014. The tour features a full symphony and consists of 14 shows, 3 of which were co-headlined with Amy Grant.

Smith toured this album again in 2015, also with Cracker Barrel sponsoring.[6] This time Amy Grant was featured in 8 of 13 shows. The tour began on December 4, 2015 in Kentucky, and ended on December 20, 2015 in Virginia.

Critical reception

Jeffrey Lee Puckett for The Courier Journal said the album "gets the season of holiday Christmas albums off to a big start."[7]

Commercial performance

The album sold 4,000 copies in its first week of release, debuted at No. 80 on the Billboard 200[8] and peaked at No. 16 as of December 2014.[9] It also reached No. 13 on Top Album Sales Chart which counts traditional album sales and does not include streaming.[10] On the Top Christian Albums Chart, the album debuted at No. 5 and peaked at No. 1.[8] This marks Smith's third new album for 2014 to enter the Billboard 200. He previously released Sovereign, which debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, selling 16,000 copies;[11] and Hymns, which debuted at No. 25 with 12,000 copies.[12] As of January 2015, The Spirit of Christmas has sold 145,000 copies.[13]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Miracle of Christmas"Michael W. Smith1:43
2."It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"Edward Pola, George Wyle2:38
3."Happy Holiday / Holiday Season"Irving Berlin, Kay Thompson3:06
4."Christmas Time Is Here" (featuring Vince Gill)Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson3:00
5."White Christmas" (featuring Lady Antebellum)Berlin3:49
6."Somewhere in My Memory" (featuring Audrey Smith and the Nashville Children's Choir)John Williams, Leslie Bricusse3:21
7."The Spirit of Christmas" (medley: Deck the Halls/Good King Wenceslas/O Little Town of Bethlehem/Feels Like Christmas/O Come All Ye Faithful)Traditional; arr. by Smith5:21
8."Silent Night" (featuring Little Big Town)Traditional4:18
9."What Child Is This?" (featuring Martina McBride)Traditional4:20
10."Almost There" (featuring Amy Grant)Smith, Amy Grant, Wes King3:38
11."All Is Well" (featuring Carrie Underwood)Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick3:55
12."Christmas Day" (featuring Jennifer Nettles and the Nashville Children's Choir)Smith, King, Cindy Morgan3:13
13."The Darkest Midnight" (with spoken word by Bono)Traditional; arr. by Smith1:39
14."Peace" (featuring Michael McDonald)Beth Nielsen Chapman, McDonald3:11

Personnel
  • Michael W. Smith – lead vocals (2–6, 8–12, 14), piano (6, 7–12, 14), arrangements (6–9), synth (13)
  • David Hamilton – orchestra arrangements and conductor (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9–12, 14), synth (1, 9, 12, 13), celeste (1, 6, 7), piano (2, 3, 5), Rhodes (4), arrangements (4, 5), percussion (9)
  • Chris Rodriguez – guitars (2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12)
  • Mark Baldwin – guitars (2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 12)
  • Tom Hemby – guitars (4)
  • Vince Gill – guitar solo (4), vocals (4)
  • Craig Nelson – bass (2, 9, 12), upright bass (3, 4, 5)
  • Scott Williamson – drums (2–5, 9, 12)
  • Josephine Knight – cello solo (8)
  • Tyler Smith – percussion programming (9)
  • Skip Cleavinger – low whistle (13)
  • The London Session Orchestra – orchestra (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9–12, 14)
  • Thomas Bowes – concertmaster
  • Backing vocals (3) – Laura Cooksey, Stephanie Hall-Wedan, Mark Ivey and David Hamilton
  • Lady Antebellum – vocals (5)
  • Audrey Smith – vocals (6)
  • The Nashville Children's Choir – choir (6, 12), directed by Kyle Hankins.
  • Little Big Town – vocals (8)
  • Martina McBride – vocals (9)
  • Becca Hamilton – backing vocals (9)
  • Amy Grant – vocals (10)
  • Choir (10) – Melodie Kirkpatrick (also contractor), April Duren, Shelley Jennings, Shelly Justice, Michelle Swift, Tammy Jensen, Jamiee Paul, Jason Barton, Mike Eldred, David Wise, Rod Fletcher and Gary Robinson.
  • Carrie Underwood – vocals (11)
  • Jennifer Nettles – vocals (12)
  • Bono – spoken word (13)
  • Michael McDonald – vocals (14)

Charts
Chart performance for The Spirit of Christmas
Chart (2014) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[14] 16
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[15] 1
US Digital Albums (Billboard)[16] 13
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[17] 13
US Top Catalog Albums (Billboard)[18] 41
US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard)[19] 1
Songs
Year Song US peak chart positions
Christian
[20]		 Christian
Airplay[21]		 Christian
Digital[22]		 Christian
AC[23]		 Christian
Soft AC[24]
2014 "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" 38 24 – 13 –
"Happy Holiday / Holiday Season" 39 22 – – –
"White Christmas" (featuring Lady Antebellum) 39 – – – –
"Silent Night" (featuring Little Big Town) 48 – – – –
"Almost There" (featuring Amy Grant) 27 35 – – 19
"All Is Well" (featuring Carrie Underwood) 6 22 3 30 –
"Christmas Day" (featuring Jennifer Nettles) 49 – – – –

References
  1. "Lecrae, Lauren Daigle and Seth Mosely Win Big at Dove Awards". Billboard.com. October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  2. Horton, Carrie (August 24, 2014). "Michael W. Smith Announces Christmas Album with Lots of Country Stars". Taste of Country. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  3. Stephens, Samantha (August 19, 2014). "Carrie Underwood, Lady A Get Festive With Michael W. Smith". CMT. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  4. Paulson, Dave (August 30, 2014). "Michael W. Smith, Bono team up on Christmas album". The Tennessean. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  5. "Michael W. Smith Partners with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store for 'Spirit of Christmas Tour' [TOUR DATES]". Christian Music, Christian Music News, BREATHEcast. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  6. "Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® Partners with Michael W. Smith to Sponsor Nationwide Christmas Tour". Businesswire.com. December 2, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  7. Puckett, Jeffrey Lee (September 30, 2014). "Prince pops back with two new albums". The Courier Journal. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  8. Caulfield, Keith (October 12, 2014). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Herb Alpert Returns After 27-Year Absence". Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  9. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  10. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  11. Caulfield, Keith (May 21, 2014). "The Black Keys Earn First No. 1 Album, Michael Jackson Debuts At No. 2". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  12. Caulfield, Keith (April 4, 2014). "Chart Moves: 'God's Not Dead' Sales Surge, London Grammar Gains, Karmin's Full-Length Arrives". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  13. Christman, Ed (January 9, 2015). "Music in 2014: Taylor Takes the Year, Republic Records on Top, Streaming to the Rescue". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  14. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  15. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  16. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Digital Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  17. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  18. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  19. "Michael W Smith Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  20. "Michael W. Smith Album & Song Chart History – Christian Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  21. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  22. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  23. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  24. "Michael W. Smith – Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
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