Faith Hill previews Xmas CD for fans

Joy to the World

Faith Hill's first Christmas album is an uptown affair, rather than any down home celebration. Making this point from the very outset, the opening title cut features a full adult choir and orchestra. Furthermore, Hill is dressed for the ball in a beautiful red gown on the disc's front cover. The first time Hill steers away from overly philharmonic-ready material, she heads straight for swing town with horns a plenty on both Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town. and Holly Jolly Christmas. ...

The Hits

Finally, after 14 years in the recording business and more than 30 charting songs, Faith Hill released a greatest hits plus package. The songs go all the way from "Wild One" and "Piece of My Heart," her first two singles ever from 1993 and 1994 with both going number one up to "Mississippi Girl" from 2005 plus a few new songs. Hill had more of a country vibe starting out, but grew progressively pop (the new and catchy, but not very country "Red Umbrella"). ...

Fireflies

Faith Hill stayed so far from her country roots with 2003's "Cries" that she laid an egg on country radio. The album was so pop that there was nothing for radio to play. Hill did not make the same mistake twice as there is a significant amount of country instrumentation starting with the Dan Dugmore banjo and Stuart Duncan mandolin on the lead off "Sunshine and Summertime." The autobiographical and well delivered hit single, "Mississippi Girl," written in part by John Rich, who had a hand in 3 of ...