Personnel includes: Emmylou Harris (vocals, acoustic guitar); Ricky Skaggs (banjo, mandolin); Albert Lee (mandolin); Emory Gordy, Jr. (bass); Willie Nelson (background vocals). One of country music's classic Christmas albums, LIGHT OF THE STABLE offers a satisfying mix of seasonal favorites and new compositions, all served up by the most compelling guardian of country music tradition, Emmylou Harris. On this 1979 release, Harris is joined by Ricky Skaggs, Albert Lee, Rodney Crowell, James Burton, and Willie Nelson. Needless to say, they provide the stellar support typical of all of Harris' efforts. On LIGHT OF THE STABLE, Harris somehow manages to put a new twist on Christmas standards like "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Away in a Manger," and "The First Noel," imbuing them with the sweet sadness of her quavering vocals and spare acoustic settings. Among newer material, Rodney Crowell's "Angel Eyes" stands out, as does the title track (which features backing vocals by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Neil Young). Best of all, however, is the opener, a faithful cover of Tex Logan's bluegrass classic "Christmas Time's A-Coming." Because the record fits so seamlessly into the rest of Harris' recorded work of the era, LIGHT is one of those rare Christmas albums that sounds great all year round.

• Genre: Christmas / Chanukkah
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 11/17/2014