Randy Travis' An Old-Time Christmas Turns 20
If you're fan of traditional country music, it's hard to imagine a more satisfying holiday album than Randy Travis' An Old-Time Christmas. Released 20 years ago, at the peak of Travis' popularity, I think the album was originally meant to hearken back to simpler times. Listening to it today, I'm remembering just how much I love the understated country music from the late 1980s -- and how that era is pretty much "old-time" now. Am I getting old or what? (Maybe so. I'm turning 35 on Sunday.) Travis chose a handful of Christmas standards, such as "Winter Wonderland" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," to blend with newer tunes like "Oh, What a Silent Night." If you dread the holidays because you're single (again), you might find comfort in "White Christmas Makes Me Blue." Yes, there are some sad tunes on here. However, Travis perks up toward the end with the romantic "How Do I Wrap My Heart for Christmas," as well as a sterling rendition of "The Christmas Song." Twenty years later, An Old-Time Christmas endures as a modern country classic.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
Peacock Queen says:
This is a really wonderful Christmas cd. I agree that country music was laid back and simple a few years ago, and very nicely done. I loved Vern Gosdin. I love Randy Travis. I play his “This Is Me” cd all the time.
Lin1945 says:
Watching CMT Top Twenty Countdown today, 12/20, I really thought the host’s comments for song #12, artist Josh Turner, was out of place. I do not hunt nor even like the thought of hunting but to put down Josh Turner just before playing his song was in poor taste and totally out of place. The host should just be the host and not offer personal comments. It takes away from the program and is not appropriate. It is a turn-off . . . and will cost viewers.