2008 Aretha Franklin – This Christmas
This Christmas is the first Christmas album and thirty-sixth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was originally released on October 14, 2008, as a Borders Bookstore exclusive. The album was reissued in 2009 on DMI Records.
Having failed to launch her own Detroit-based label, Aretha’s Records, she chose to release this album on DMI Records. The album peaked at #102 on the Billboard album chart.
Tracks
1 Angels We Have Heard On High (James Chadwick) 05:25
2 This Christmas (Donny Hathaway; Nadine McKinnor) 05:22
3 My Grown-Up Christmas List (David Foster; Linda Thompson) 05:14
4 The Lord Will Make A Way (Traditional) 05:43
5 Silent Night (Franz Gruber; Joseph Mohr) 05:06
6 Ave Maria (Johann Sebastian Bach; Charles Gounod) 04:56
7 Christmas Ain’t Christmas (Without The One You Love) (Kenneth Gamble; Leon Huff) 03:52
8 14 Angels (Engelbert Humperdinck) 02:08
9 One Night With The King (Jeannie Tenney) 06:08
10 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Charles Wesley; Felix Mendelssohn) 05:24
11 Twas The Night Before Christmas (Clement Moore) 01:51
Biography
Musicians
1 Angels We Have Heard On High
Bass | Nathan East |
Drums | Ricky Lawson |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | Tim Heintz |
Background Vocals | The Fire Choir |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
2 This Christmas
Bass | Nathan East |
Drums | Ricky Lawson |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | James Wright |
Percussion | Luis Conte |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
3 My Grown-Up Christmas List
Bass | Nathan East |
Drums | Ricky Lawson |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | James Wright |
Percussion | Luis Conte |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
4 The Lord Will Make A Way
Bass | Charles Craig |
Drums | Arthur Marbury |
Guitar | Matt Dahlgren |
Organ | Darryl Houston |
Piano | Richard Gibbs |
Background Vocals | Fonzi Thornton |
Background Vocals | Tawatha Agee |
Background Vocals | Brenda White |
Background Vocals | Shellyn Ponder |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
6 Ave Maria
Bass | Nathan East |
Drums | Ricky Lawson |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | Tim Heintz |
Background Vocals | The Fire Choir |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
7 Christmas Ain’t Christmas (Without The One You Love)
Bass | Nathan East |
Drums | Ricky Lawson |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | James Wright |
Sax | Brandon Fields |
Percussion | Luis Conte |
Percussion | Michito Sanchez |
Background Vocals | Fonzi Thornton |
Background Vocals | Lisa Fischer |
Background Vocals | Brenda White |
Background Vocals | Vaneese Thomas |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
8 14 Angels
Bass | Charles Craig |
Drums | Arthur Marbury |
Piano | Aretha Franklin |
Harp | Onita Sanders |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
9 One Night With The King
Bass | Charles Craig |
Drums | Arthur Marbury |
Guitar | Matt Dahlgren |
Organ | Darryl Houston |
Piano | Richard Gibbs |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
10 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Bass | Nathan East |
Drums | Ricky Lawson |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | Tim Heintz |
Background Vocals | The Fire Choir |
Vocals | Aretha Franklin |
Other Musicians
The Fire Choir – Alvin Chea, Bridgette Bryant, Carmen Twillie, Clydene Jackson, Dorian Holley, Gerald White, Lynne Fiddmont, Oren Waters, Susie Stevens-Logan, Terry Wood, Wendy Fraser
Liner Notes
Producer – Tena Clark (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11)
Producer – Aretha Franklin (Tracks 4, 8, 9)
Arranged By – Aretha Franklin (Tracks 4, 8)
Arranged By (Orchestra), Conductor – Bill Meyers
Arranged By (Rhythm Arrangement) – Tim Heintz (Tracks 1, 6, 10)
Arranged By (Rhythm Arrangement) – James Wright (Tracks 2, 3, 7)
Arranged By (The Fire Choir Vocals) – Carmen Twillie (Tracks 1, 5, 6, 10)
Conductor – H.B. Barnum (Tracks 4, 8, 9)
Conductor (The Fire Choir Vocals) – Carmen Twillie (Tracks 1, 5, 6, 10)
Edited By – Steve Genewick
Engineer – Michael J Powell (Tracks 4, 8, 9)
Engineer (Assistant) – Don Goodrick, Ed Woolley, George Gumbs, Tony Rizzo
Mastered By – Doug Sax
Mixed By – Al Schmitt
Recorded By – Les Cooper (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11)
Recorded By – Todd Fairall (Tracks 4, 8, 9)
Recorded By (Strings) – Al Schmitt
Art Direction, Design – Diana Barnes
Photography – Timothy White
Mastered At The Mastering Lab
Mixed At Capitol Studios
Recorded At Firehouse Studios
Recorded At Capitol Studios
Recorded At Studio A, Dearborn Heights, MI
Recorded At Legacy Recording Studios
Recorded At Glenwood Place Studios
Phonographic Copyright DMI Records
Copyright DMI Records