Old 97's "Love the Holidays"

The band's first-ever collection of original Christmas songs drops Nov. 16 on ATO. The album was produced, mixed and engineered by John Pedigo in Texas.

The release presents a sack full of new songs and "Auld Lang Syne." Songs include the title track, co-written with Kevin Russell (The Gourds, Shinyribs), "Gotta Love Being A Kid (Merry Christmas)" and "Snow Angels," both co-written with Ben Greenman, and "Rudolph Is Blue," co-written by Old 97's and Dan Bern.

Old 97's will celebrate the release as well as Miller's upcoming new solo album, "The Messenger," with a holiday tour, headlined by Old 97's and opened by a solo acoustic set from Miller. The dates begin November 28 at The Neptune in Seattle and then continue through late December at the Statler Ballroom in Dallas.

"We're going to hit the road right after Thanksgiving," Miller said. "The evening will begin with me doing an acoustic set. I'll play some of my new songs, some from my solo catalogue, and probably a few oddball songs too. Then I'll leave the stage, Michael Casey will come out, he's a punk rock magician from Raleigh, N.C., he's super-brilliant, he's going to do a magic show before I come back out with the Old 97's, and we do the full Old 97's holiday extravaganza."

Tour dates are:
Nov. 28 - Seattle, WA - The Neptune w/Rhett Miller solo
Nov. 29 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom w/Rhett Miller solo
Nov. 30 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 1 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 2 - Solana Beach, CA - The Belly Up w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 3 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriets w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 6 - Richmond, VA - The National w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 7 - Philadelphia, PA - TLA w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 8 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live! w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 9 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 10 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 12 - Hamden, CT - Space Ballroom w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 13 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Wonder Bar w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 14 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 15 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr Smalls w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 28 - Austin, TX - Mohawk w/Rhett Miller solo
Dec. 29 - Dallas, TX - Statler Ballroom w/Rhett Miller solo
Jan. 26 - Ponte Vedra, FL - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall w/Shooter Jennings