Bluegrass and White Snow: A Mountain Christmas (CD - 2002)

Personnel includes: Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood, Rebeccca Lynn Howard, Jim Horn, Rob Ickes, Stuart Duncan.

Personnel: Patty Loveless (sleigh bell); Biff Watson (guitar, baritone guitar); Steve Gibson (guitar, banjo, bouzouki, mandola, percussion); Emory Gordy, Gene Ford (guitar); Butch Lee (dobro, bass drum, glass, percussion, bells, wind chime); Rob Ickes (dobro); Blake Williams, Alan O'Bryant (banjo); Stuart Duncan (mandocello, mandolin, fiddle); John Hedgecoth (mandocello); Charlie Derrington (mandola); Deanie Richardson (mandolin, fiddle); Jon Randall, Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Tim Hensley (mandolin, background vocals); Bruce Sweetman, Rob Haines, Todd Cerney, Van Manakas, Stephan Dudash, Butch Baldassari (mandolin); Carmella Ramsey (fiddle, background vocals); Jim Horn (recorder); Claire Lynch, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Amy Grant, Trisha Yearwood (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Justin Niebank.

Recording information: Hounds Ear, Franklin, TN; The Sound Kitchen, Franklin, TN.

Photographer: Russ Harrington.

Arrangers: Emory Gordy; Paul Zonn; Nashville Mandolin Ensemble.

Having returned to her childhood musical roots with 2001's MOUNTAIN SOUL, Patty Loveless continues in that vein and gives this journey a holiday twist with the warm embrace of BLUEGRASS & WHITE SNOW: A MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS. Infused with plenty of trilling mandolin, fiddle, and dobro, with nary a drum or electric guitar in sight, this is the kind of collection that's tailor-made for an evening in front of the fireplace trimming the tree. Aided by producer/hubby Emory Gordy Jr., Loveless tucks into a mix of covers and originals steeped more in the religious aspects of the holidays.

Among the more familiar songs featured are a stripped-down "Silent Night," a virtually a capella duet of "Joy To The World" with Jon Randall, and a Celtic-flavored "Little Drummer Boy" (with Rebecca Lynn Howard). Other highlights include a chiming instrumental "Carol of the Bells" spearheaded by the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble and the folksy "Christmas Time's A Comin'" ringing with the background vocals of Carmella Ramsey and Tim Hensley. Serving as a perfect complement to this Tex Logan chestnut are Loveless's own chugging twangfest "Christmas Day At My House" and the rich title track gilded by the puzzle-piece harmonies of Ricky Skaggs and Dolly Parton. minimize