Billy Gilman Album: “Classic Christmas”

Whew! What a talent this boy has! Billy's Christmas album is simply fantastic. He has a beautiful, angelic voice, and where better for an angelic voice than a Christmas song? Just as on his "One Voice" album, he sings with a lot of emotion. And the musical accompaniment on these songs is top notch!

Most of the songs here are traditional Christmas favorites, but there are a couple of new ones, too. "There's A New Kid In Town" (baby Jesus) is kind of country sounding and really pretty. "Warm & Fuzzy", although written for this album by two of Billy's producers (Malloy and Cook), sounds like it SHOULD be an old standard. His renditions of "White Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland" are superb, and "Silent Night" and "O Holy Night" are so beautiful. I think "The Christmas Song" showcases his vocal talent particularly well, as does the a cappella opening of "Angels We Have Heard On High". The livelier "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" are real toe-tappers (I especially like "Rockin"). On "Sleigh Ride" Billy sings a duet with 14-year-old classical singing sensation Charlotte Church, where they produce some excellent harmony.

So who better to sing a Christmas song than a child? Especially a child whose vocal skills are on a par with the very best adult singers. Unless you are a grinch or something, you will love this album. It certainly deserves to be in your Christmas collection!

Billy Gilman is a voice to listen to. He has great range and tone. This is one young man that has nowhere to go but up. Look for his new CD coming out on April 15th.

I realize this title makes a bold statement...and is one that is very subjective in nature; However, for me, it's the honest truth. There are only three I ever listen to: Mariah Carey's Christmas Album, Barbra Streisand's early Christmas Album...and this one. Wait...I take that back. I also have Anne Murray's on stand-by. Still, it doesn't make my Top Three.

This Christams CD is aptly named: Classic Christmas. The musical production on each track is meticulously and wonderfully crafted and, listening to it, you truly wish you were in front of a crackling log fire with your family and friends...or sipping a spicy, hot mug of steamy cider, while snow collects on your window sill. If you love Christmas, you'll love these sounds that are so carefully situated behind Billy's ethereal vocals.

Billy has always amazed me with his records. How an eleven or twelve year old could possess this much vocal skill, I'll never know. It's completely crazy how he could have possessed the vocal expertise that he displayed at that time. He has the phrasing perfection of Streisand and the vocal craft and control of any of the greats you can name. If you put on a pair of headphones, turn up the volume to a moderate level...and then truly listen with a critical ear...you can truly appreciate the instrument that is this kid's voice. He ever only breathes in just the proper places and he's never a prisoner to his own vibrato, which is sometimes rapid and staccato like contemporary Streisand, and sometimes slow and measured like Leanne Rhymes or Aaron Neville. Make no mistake: This boy's voice is pure gold...and he was in complete control of how he used it.

Young male singers just don't get any better than this. And I have some experience behind that opinion, being the parent of a fledgling young singer myself, Joey Pearson...who began by imitating and covering Billy's early hits.

When I look for an artist, I always look first at the vocals. That's just me. Yes, good music is wonderful...but if you have vocal excellence, it can effectively cover a lot of the sins of bad production, should any exist. None of that exists here. On this collection, we have an expert combination of both perfect musical production and vocal perfection. When Billy sings "There's A New Kid in Town"...you can feel the emotion that went into the writing of that lyric. That is the measure of a true vocalist: Delivering the lyric in the spirit in which it was written. He delivers it perfectly and with just the right combination of both melancholy and nuance. And by album's end, when he hits that last soaring, unbelievably high note on "Oh Holy Night"...you fully understand why Billy Gilman made it as big as he did...and why that one voice will be the reason why this Christmas album will stand the test of time. (Er...did I say..."One Voice"?)

Two other stand-out numbers: Away In A Manger...delivered perfectly with just the right measure of gentleness...and Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree. If this version of that classic number doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit...well then, I suggest checking your name tag. It's likely that it reads "Scrooge" or maybe even "Grinch".

Others may disagree with me, but I fully believe that the duet between Billy and Charlotte Church was misconceived. Both were prodigies at that time, true...but I don't think they were matched well for a duet. You can actually hear the different treatments the producers applied to each voice. Charlotte was drowning in reverb while Billy soared on his vocal part, easily navigating the song, completely in the epitome of his element. Charlotte's is a grand voice...but she was ill-suited for this number, in my opinion. You can hear it most at the end when they each had a solo line...Billy sings, "It's lovely weather..." and Charlotte completes with, "....for a sleigh ride together". The extra reverb they gave her is so apparent and completely takes you out of the song. At least that's my experience. I even doubt that they were together in the same studio.

Billy is now 18 years old, so I know this review is late...but it's still relevant since the album is a classic. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves wonderful Christmas music...or is a fan of Billy Gilman. You won't be disappointed.

I LOVE this album!! It has become one of my top three favorites over the past few Cchristmases! I highly recommend it!

This is really remarkable collection of Christmas songs. Maybe too short, but from begining to end it lives. Billy Gilman sing with so much energy, humour, emotions and love, which as a result show you what the Christmas are about. Don't waste your time and get this CD, even if you can't have it this year. You can hear many usally played songs, but so offbeat and rocking there, like "Winter Wonderland", "Away In A Manger" or "O Holy Night". Others that fits this young star perfectly like "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree" and "Jingle Bells Rock", or duet with Charlotte Church "Sleigh Ride", all twelve extra special. In addition the new ones upbeat "Warm And Fuzzy" and tearjerker "There Is A New Kid In Town" really could get the classic in future. Thank you Billy for your excellent work and keep it up! Merry Christmas!