Finally, New Music From Jamey Johnson, But …. {Sleigh Bells}
(This article has been updated)
When you navigate to jameyjohnson.com, it darn near takes the home page 15 seconds to load because the above banner proclaiming new music on the way is so damn big. Jamey’s fans aren’t complaining though. They’ve been waiting so long for new, original music from the songwriter, they’ll take any sign as a good one. After a protracted legal battle, it’s about time the creative reigns on one of country music’s most successful modern day traditionalists were loosened.
A Christmas album though? That may not be exactly what many Jamey Johnson fans were hoping to find under their country music Christmas tree. But others will find a treat in the new release nonetheless, and this does not mean a new album of non Holiday-oriented music still isn’t on the way.
Jamey Johnson’s The Christmas Song, a 5-song “genre-defying” Christmas album will arrive on store shelves December 9th. It includes Jamey’s take on four Christmas standards, collaborations with The Secret Sisters and Lily Meola, and an original Johnson-penned Christmas tune—the first original Jamey Johnson song released in over 4 years. The Christmas Song is being released through Jamey Johnson’s own record label Big Gassed Records.
The album is described as, “four timeless holiday standards and a much-anticipated new Christmas song. The genre-defying collection could be describe as Trains, Trailers and Tikis, because it features traditional and jazz-inspired Christmas sounds reminiscent of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, an uplifting Hawaiian holiday feel and powerful country songs. Johnson is joined by The Secret Sisters on ‘Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian Christmas Song)’, while singer Lily Meola shares the microphone on ‘Baby, It s Cold Outside.’ In addition, Johnson offers his interpretation of ‘The Christmas Song’ and Willie Nelson’s ‘Pretty Paper.’ The award-winning songwriter was inspired to write a new song, ‘South Alabam Christmas,’ which ends with a lullaby to soothe anxious children to sleep on Christmas Eve.”
February of 2013 is when Johnson first let on that a contract dispute was the reason for his lack of creative output, telling Rolling Stone, “Financially speaking, they treat me worse than they ever did the Dixie Chicks. I feel pretty used by the music industry, in that my contracts are written in such a way that I don’t get paid … I wish I could tell you that I am writing. I’m not. I wish I could tell you I’m gonna go home next week and record another album. It’s not likely to happen.” It then came out that Jamey’s issue was not with his label, Mercury Records, but with his publisher. The Christmas Song may tide thirsty fans over until a new full-length is ready to release.
Pre-Order Jamey Johnson’s The Christmas Song
TRACK LIST:
- Baby It’s Cold Outside
- Mele Kalikimaka
- South Alabam Christmas
- Pretty Paper
- The Christmas Song
November 18, 2014 @ 10:52 am
Honestly, after attempting to listen to Sam Hunts album I would take Jamey Johnson singing nursery rhymes at this point.
November 18, 2014 @ 11:17 am
Does this mean that Thirty Tigers is his new label? That would be the best case scenario.
November 18, 2014 @ 12:39 pm
I don’t know that we can assume this. I think it makes the chances of him working with Thirty Tigers in the future much more likely, but he also could see this as a small release so he just wants to go with an independent label that is easy to work with. So far I’ve seen nothing from Jamey or Thirty Tiger indicating they are working together long term.
November 18, 2014 @ 11:26 am
Bollocks! I joked about it being a Christmas release and it sodding is! Still, should be an interesting listen, especially “Mele Kalikimaka”, always liked ol Bing doing that one!
November 18, 2014 @ 12:14 pm
He does an amazing Silent Night at his shows around Christmas time. Surprised that isn’t on here.
November 18, 2014 @ 3:01 pm
Not interested. I’ll keep waiting on some new originals.
November 18, 2014 @ 4:46 pm
Nothing wrong with a christmas album. Probably bring him in a nice bit of money too, which is good, but
I’m Looking forward to hearing a non christmas album soon from this guy.
November 18, 2014 @ 8:37 pm
i hate christmas music. yes, hate.
November 18, 2014 @ 9:22 pm
Sigh Balls! I hate Christmas music.
November 18, 2014 @ 10:01 pm
Before reading beyond the headline, I scoured the tags for the “fake news” denotation. No dice..
November 19, 2014 @ 3:49 pm
Every year I make a wish that there is a ban placed on any new Christmas albums and that includes any of my favorite all time artists.
November 20, 2014 @ 8:37 am
quite a few people like christmas songs
“White Christmas” is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. According to the Guinness World Records, the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.”
Nothing wrong with doing a christmas album.
November 20, 2014 @ 9:20 am
Man several weeks ago when the news was out the Johnson was making music again, i was joking about a christmas album on this site…
November 21, 2014 @ 2:21 pm
Don’t really like Christmas songs. No, I take that back. I dislike Christmas songs. However, good to see my Jamey relevant again.
November 22, 2014 @ 4:03 pm
If y’all are looking for some non-Christmas Jamey Johnson music you might not have heard before, there’s a copy of “They Call Me Country” on ebay right now with a minimum bid of $595.95 (but shipping is free!) Yikes! “Old Faded Diamond” might be my favorite JJ tune, so let’s hope at least some of the songs on this album eventually get re-released or re-recorded.
November 23, 2014 @ 2:22 pm
I will NEVER hear Mele Kilikimaka without thinking of Christmas Vacation.
“Get ya something nice Clark.”
“Sh!tters full!”
November 23, 2014 @ 2:49 pm
Not all Christmas songs are similar-sounding. Here’s one from Taylor Swift’s Christmas EP a few years ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeUwh4gn9Yg
November 25, 2014 @ 11:16 am
I finally downloaded it today and I’m currently listening to Jamey sing Mele Kalikimaka. I can’t stop smiling… all I can think of is Chevy Chase day dreaming about his pool in Christmas Vacation with the hot babe on the diving board when I hear this song. haha
I still can’t wait for original tunes from Jamey, but he sounds fantastic on these songs. 🙂