Clay Walker releases Christmas album featuring his wife and five children

Official A Clay Walker Family Christmas album artwork, via ClayWalker.com.

Clay Walker released A Clay Walker Family Christmas on November 6, recording an 11-song holiday album with his wife, Jessica, and their five children. Keith Stegall produced the collection, which includes individual performances by the children and a closing track with all seven family members. Walker sings familiar seasonal selections alongside the original holiday song “All Wrapped Up in You,” which he introduced ahead of the album.

The children take lead roles on several recordings. Will performs “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” while Mary-Elizabeth sings “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Eli handles “Please Come Home for Christmas,” and Ezra joins Mary-Elizabeth on “Little Drummer Boy.” Jessica and the youngest child, Christiaan, join the rest of the family for “O Little Town of Bethlehem (The Christmas Story).” Walker’s own performances include “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Feliz Navidad” and “Holly Jolly Christmas.”

For the country artist known for “If I Could Make a Living” and “She Won’t Be Lonely Long,” the album fulfills a personal recording ambition. “I’ve dreamed about recording with my kids for years,” Walker said in a statement reported by MusicRow. He explained that music forms part of the family’s Christmas memories and that his children had developed the skills to record with him. Walker also said he wanted them to have the album to play for their own children and grandchildren. Those individual vocal credits give listeners a record of the children’s performances as well as his own.

Walker will follow the release with the previously announced A Clay Walker Family Christmas Tour, opening November 27 at Packard Music Hall in Warren, Ohio. His publicist says the family will join him onstage, extending their collaboration from the recording sessions to live performances. The itinerary includes a November 28 stop in Gas City, Indiana, and is scheduled to conclude December 22 at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Select shows will include toy drives, with fans invited to bring gifts for children in need.

Sources: Clay Walker Heads Into The Holidays With New Family Christmas Album, Tour — MusicRow | A Clay Walker Family Christmas Album Releasing November 6 — 117 Entertainment Group | Clay Walker Releases A Clay Walker Family Christmas Album — 97.1 HANK FM | A Clay Walker Family Christmas is here — Clay Walker official Facebook release post | A Clay Walker Family Christmas CD — Clay Walker official store
Image: Official A Clay Walker Family Christmas album artwork, via ClayWalker.com.