Each year I like to feature a new Christmas album or two, and when I heard about Chapel Hart's Hartfelt Family Christmas album, I knew it was the one I wanted to cover.
As people who follow Chapel Hart know, Danica, Devynn, and Trea come from a huge family in Poplarville, Mississippi.
Trea explained, "Christmas is the one time of year that all the Harts from far and wide all come together and squee-e-e-e-e-ze into one house, and in the yard, and the garage, and wherever else we'll fit. With this record, we wanted to give you guys just a little glimpse into that Hart family Christmas party."
Hartfelt Family Christmas was produced by Danica Hart and JT3D and mixed and mastered by Billy Dawson at Dawson Studios in Nashville. It consists of four original songs and eight covers.
The first song released to the public was an original tune, "Come On Santa, (Ready For Christmas)" that we heard in October. They couldn't wait until after Halloween because "We loveeeeeee this song so much from the Hartfelt Family Christmas album that we couldn't wait to release it!!" It is sure to be a favorite of kids and adults alike.
The record starts with a duet of "Silver Bells" featuring country's finest tenor, Vince Gill. "He has a voice like butter," Danica gushed.
Another duet comes when Darius Rucker accompanies them on their original song, "That Time Of Year." With Darius's memorable voice, when you hear the tune, you'll think that it has been around for decades, not new for 2024. The song was a favorite of their Christmas in July concerts.
It is brave when anyone covers an Elvis song because no one can sing like the King, but Chapel Hart's spin on "Blue Christmas" is contagious. The song suits Danica's voice perfectly.
"We wanted to do our Mississippi shout-outs and kind of go to find the place on the record that goes back to our roots that drive back to our hometown or home state," Danica confirmed.
Like me, Chapel Hart are a big fan of Gretchen Wilson, so I was thrilled when they included her on the title track "Hartfelt Family Christmas." Devynn is singing lead and doing a duet with Wilson, which was a dream come true. You feel like you are part of the Hart family when you hear the song. It's a Hartfelt family Christmas/ There won't be no silent night/ They'll be laughin' and lovin' and kissin' and cussin'/ and maybe a couple of fights. I love the honesty of the festive song. With her sass, they couldn't have picked a better duet partner than my girl, Gretchen Wilson.
I was unfamiliar with the song "Spirit Of Christmas," which was initially performed by Ray Charles. Covering Ray Charles is a big job for anyone to fill. Chapel Hart expertly chose Jason Crabb, who has the perfect combination of gritty and gospel to flesh out the song.
Danica confirmed, "When we listened to the finished version, like exactly what you said, I don't think anybody else could have quite pulled it off the way he does."
People up north don't often realize that the cold and snow mentioned in many holiday songs is not the reality for 2/3 of the country. Because of that, the Alabama song "Christmas in Dixie" has always been a favorite. The pedal steel is prominent as Spotlight artist T. Graham Brown proudly sings with the girls.
Trea agreed, "I feel like you can't really have Christmas in the South without hearing that song. And it's like as soon as the guitar comes in, it instantly transports you back. And I feel like it really doesn't matter where in the world we are. If I hear that song, I will feel a little warmer on the inside, a little more relaxed, and a little closer to home."
"Mary Did You Know" is a perennial favorite for those of us who celebrate the birth of our savior. Chapel Hart's three-part harmony is perfect for the song. However, the original "Christmas Day" takes Mary's family's perspective and goes where many would go when a young girl becomes pregnant while unmarried.
Danica wrote the song alongside Mark Carson. "It just hit me like a ton of bricks. Can you imagine being 14 and pregnant? As good humans, nobody was going to believe this girl. She boldly and courageously said, 'Look, I don't care what you say. I've got a baby to deliver.'"
The song asked, Mama said tell the truth girl, what did you do/ Do you know what you're gonna put this family through / How could we ever outlive the shame/ Everybody's gonna laugh when they hear your name. I think this is the most important song on the record and needs to be shared and played everywhere this holiday season. Having The Isaacs accompany them is just icing on the cake.
Another challenging song to cover is "O Holy Night," which is often performed by a mezzo-soprano. But the girls did it their way, and when Trea and Devynn join Danica on the chorus, you know their version also needs to be out in the world this Christmas season.
Queen Risi Palmer joins Chapel Hart on their take on "White Christmas." Hold on while listening because the song quickly turns from the Irving Berlin/Bing Crosby version to the Brian Setzer Orchestra arrangement.
After their last original song, "Come On Santa" (see above), the record concludes with an acapella arrangement of "O Come All Ye Faithful." If there are doubts regarding their magnificent harmony, this song will quash that. The cover is exquisite.
The girls have finished up their overseas tour with Armed Forces Entertainment. They kicked off their holiday tour at the Nashville City Winery on November 19th.
Chapel Hart will be playing their new holiday music in venues throughout the United States until December 23rd. Check here for tour dates/locations.