A Very Special Acoustic Christmas, featuring such artists as Willie Nelson, Alan Jackson, Wynonna Judd, Reba McEntire and many more, will be released on 21 October 2003.
The sixth album in this popular series features holiday songs by stellar country and bluegrass artists and is being released on Lost Highway Records, the Grammy-award winning label that released the multi-platinum soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou?
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Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski of Union Station, both of whom will appear on A Very Special Acoustic Christmas. [Photo by Andrew MacNaughtan, courtesy http://www.rounder.com/]
Krauss earned her initial acclaim as an instrumentalist, but soon it was her voice that captivated everyone's attention; she has won 10 Grammy awards. Tyminski's name gained wider recognition recently when he providing the singing voice for actor George Clooney's character in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, earning particular acclaim for his lead vocals on "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow."
A Very Special Acoustic Christmas joins the other popular CDs in the series and will be released on 21October; all can be found at Borders Books and Music and other retail stores or on Amazon.com.
< Performers and Song Lists for the first fiveCDs in the series > |
"In previous years, we have been fortunate to have artists such as Frank Sinatra, Madonna, U2 and Bruce Springsteen record traditional and new holiday songs for the A Very Special Christmas collection," said Timothy Shriver, Special Olympics Chairman. "I am very pleased that the next edition will deliver the same high-class talent that many have become accustomed to."
The lengendary country and bluegrass artists performing on A Very Special Acoustic Christmas include: Sam Bush, Alan Jackson, Wynonna Judd, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Reba McEntire, Tift Merrit, Willie Nelson, Kim Richey, Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, Marty Stuart, Dan Tyminski, and Rhonda Vincent.
"We are excited about the artists that have come together to create such a great collection of music, and we, of course, are similarly enthused about the potential for new programmatic successes this new album will create for our global movement," said Shriver.
As the holiday season approaches, Shriver hopes that A Very Special Acoustic Christmas (and the rest of the series) will be considered for gifts to friends and family. "'A Very Special Christmas' is a fitting way to spread holiday cheer," said Shriver, "but more importantly, this gift will help bring the joy of the Special Olympics Movement to many more children and adults with intellectual disabilities and providing them the chance of a new life —a life of participation, pride, teamwork, friendship, and joy!"
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USA Today recently featured A Very Special Acoustic Christmas as a "Coming Attraction," letting readers know they can look forward to Reba McEntire singing Silent Night and a Willie Nelson rendition of Please Come Home for Christmas. [Image courtesy USA Today] |
For the last eight years, the revenue from the holiday music collection has been the largest donor to the Special Olympics movement through the Special Olympics Christmas Record Grant Program, which disburses album proceeds as grants for worthwhile and innovative training initiatives that encourage growth, enhance services, or provide creative new ways to advance the Special Olympics movement around the world.
"Raising over US$75 million dollars, the A Very Special Christmas series has enabled us to implement programs in countries like Russia, China, Uganda, and Brazil," said Shriver. "These funds have enabled us to reach more athletes in rural areas, inner city schools, and minority populations within the United States, contributing to our successful growth of over 200,000 athletes since 2000. The growth that we have experienced is due in large part to the collective energy of the record companies, producers and artists that have contributed to the albums.
"For this effort Special Olympics, the global Movement to change the world simply by including in all aspects of life those among us with intellectual disabilities, is deeply grateful." (Learn more about the impact of A Very Special Christmas album sales.)
To learn more about A Very Special Christmas, contact Danielle Virgin, Event Marketing Manager, dvirgin@specialolympics.org. |
