Maps of Music

Christmas (1981)

Where the lyrics of Christmas take you, and where it was really made.

Kenny Rogers' first Christmas album is also where his first holiday single came from: 'Kentucky Home Made Christmas.'

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Christmas is the twelfth studio album by Kenny Rogers and his first Christmas album
Released in 1981
Includes several songs already well known at the time, such as "White Christmas," "When A Child is Born," "Carol of the Bells" and "My Favorite Things"
Also includes several original Christmas songs that have become well-known through this album
Kenny's first holiday single, "Kentucky Home Made Christmas," originated from this album

Producer: Kenny Rogers
Assistant producer: Brenda Harvey-Richie
Engineers: Reginald Dozier on tracks 1, 3–6, 8 and 9; Al Schmitt on tracks 2 and 7; John Arrias on track 10
Second engineer on track 10: Stephen Schmitt; mixing by Reggie Dozier
Kenny Rogers sang lead vocals and handled vocal arrangements, with Gene Page on arrangements
Core players include Paul Jackson Jr. and Ira Newborn on guitar, Nathan East and David Hungate on bass guitar, and Leon "Ndugu" Chancler on drums

1	Christmas Everyday	3:44
2	Kentucky Homemade Christmas	4:15
3	Carol of the Bells	2:44
4	Kids	2:43
5	Sweet Little Jesus Boy	3:04
6	Christmas Is My Favorite Time of the Year	2:43
7	White Christmas (1981 version)	2:49
8	My Favorite Things	3:02
9	O Holy Night	4:39
10	When a Child Is Born	3:51

Kenneth Donald Ray Rogers was born on August 21, 1938, in Houston, Texas, and began his recording career in the late 1950s with the Houston group the Scholars.
He was an American country singer-songwriter who moved from teenage rock and roll through psychedelic rock to become a country-pop crossover artist of the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1967 he co-founded the First Edition with former New Christy Minstrels members, later renamed Kenny Rogers and the First Edition.

The First Edition's members included Mike Settle, Terry Williams, Thelma Camacho, and Kin Vassy.
Rogers's backing band Bloodline has toured with him since 1976.

The First Edition scored hits including "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" before the group disbanded in 1976.
As a solo artist he charted more than 60 top-40 singles, including the number-one hits "Lady" and "Islands in the Stream".
He recorded duets with Dottie West, Dolly Parton, and Sheena Easton, and partnered with Lionel Richie as songwriter.
His signature song "The Gambler" won a Grammy in 1980 and was selected for the National Recording Registry in 2018.
He sold more than 100 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013.
He retired from touring in 2017 and died on March 20, 2020, at age 81.

Several original Christmas songs on the album have since become well-known through it
Kenny's first holiday single, "Kentucky Home Made Christmas," originated on this album
Among the tracks, "White Christmas" and "My Favorite Things" were already well known before the album appeared

U.S. Country charts: peak at number 10
U.S. overall charts: peak at number 34
Kentucky Homemade Christmas: origin of Kenny's first holiday single
1995 reissue with an alternate track list
Reissue title changed to Christmas Wishes from Kenny Rogers in some regions, including the United Kingdom and United States
In other countries the title stayed Christmas
The alternate track list has ten songs, with "Kids" and "My Favorite Things" marked as CD only

Kentucky Homemade Christmas came from this album and became Kenny's first holiday single.
The 1995 reissue used a different track list of ten songs, including "O Holy Night" and "Christmas Everyday."
Some regions, including the United Kingdom and United States, changed the 1995 reissue title to Christmas Wishes from Kenny Rogers.
Several original songs on the album have become well-known through the album itself.