Christmas in My Home Town

Christmas in My Home Town is a studio album by American country artist Charley Pride. It was released in November 1970 via RCA Victor Records and was produced by Jack Clement. The album was Pride's first collection of holiday music and his ninth studio recording, overall. The project originally contained ten tracks in its initial release, but was re-released with additional tracks in 2013. Christmas in My Home Town received positive reviews from critics following its release.

Christmas in My Hometown
Studio album by Charley Pride
Released	November 1970
Recorded	August 27, 1969
Genre	Country holiday[1]
Label	RCA Victor
Producer	Jack Clement (original)
Charley Pride chronology
Charley Pride's 10th Album (1970) Christmas in My Hometown (1970) From Me to You (1970)
Singles from Christmas in My Home Town
"Christmas in My Home Town" Released: November 1970

Background and content

By 1970, Charley Pride had several major hits after becoming country music's first commercially successful African-American artist. He had recently had five number one hits, which heightened his musical popularity: "All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)," "(I'm So) Afraid of Losing You Again," "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone," "Wonder Could I Live There Anymore" and "I Can't Believe That You've Stopped Loving Me."[2] Pride's commercial success prompted his record label to have him record album of Christmas music. The project was first recorded on August 27, 1969, at the RCA Victor Studio, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The sessions were originally produced by Jack Clement.[3]

Christmas in My Home Town contained a mixture of seasonal holiday classics and original holiday tunes.[3] The album originally contained a total of ten tracks. A re-release in later years, added three more tracks, which totaled it to 13 songs. Two of the project's tracks were composed by Pride himself: "Santa and the Kids" and "Happy Christmas Day." Other original tracks featured was the title track, which was composed by Lassaye Van Buren Holmes and the "The First Christmas Morn." Holiday covers included "Silent Night," "Little Drummer Boy" and "O Holy Night."[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Billboard	Favorable
Ultimate Twang	Favorable

Christmas in My Home Town has received positive reviews since its initial release in 1970. In a November 1970 issue of Billboard magazine, writers praised Pride's performance on the record. "Country Charley Pride has a sure winner in this top program of new and older Christmas favorites." He called his covers of songs such as "O Holy Night" to be "first rate treatments." They also praised Pride's original material that was also included on the album.[4] The online music publication, Ultimate Twang, reviewed the original LP as well and also gave it a positive reception. Writers commented that it was "an excellent album, by one of the best country singers of all-time."[5] The re-released version of the album was reviewed by Allmusic's David A. Milberg, who rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars. "The title tune was a great Christmas hit. This is mellow C&W for the holidays," he wrote.[1]

Release

Christmas in My Home Town was originally released in November 1970 on RCA Victor Studios. It was Pride's ninth studio recording in his career.[6] The project was originally distributed as a vinyl LP, containing five songs on either side of the record.[7] The album was then re-released on a compact disc in 2013, and featured three additional holiday tracks that first been recorded for various Christmas compilations. The newer version featured re-mastering and production as well. The re-release was issued on Music City Records, Pride's record label at the time.[3][1] The re-released version was also issued to digital and streaming services, which included Apple Music.[8] The title track was the album's only single. It was released in November 1970.[9] The single received significant holiday airplay and became one of the year's top holiday tunes.[3][1]

Track listings

Vinyl version

Side one[7][6]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Christmas in My Home Town"	Lassaye Van Buren Holmes	2:03
2.	"Deck the Halls"	Traditional	1:50
3.	"They Stood in Silent Prayer"	Alex Zanetis	4:02
4.	"Santa and the Kids"	Sue Lane Charley Pride	1:51
5.	"Silent Night"	Traditional	3:00

Side two[7][6]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Little Drummer Boy"	Harry Simeone Katherine Kennicott Davis Henry Onorati	2:03
2.	"Happy Christmas Day"	Lane Pride	2:09
3.	"The First Christmas Morn"	Lane	3:12
4.	"Christmas and Love"	Holmes	2:01
5.	"O Holy Night"	Traditional	4:15

Digital and compact disc versions

Side one[3][8]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Christmas in My Home Town"	Van Buren Holmes	2:07
2.	"Deck the Halls"	Traditional	1:54
3.	"They Stood in Silent Prayer"	Zanetis	4:05
4.	"Santa and the Kids"	Lane Pride	1:55
5.	"Silent Night"	Traditional	3:05
6.	"Little Drummer Boy"	Simeone Kennicott Davis Onorati	2:06
7.	"Happy Christmas Day"	Lane Pride	2:15
8.	"The First Christmas Morn"	Lane	3:15
9.	"Christmas and Love"	Holmes	2:06
10.	"O Holy Night"	Traditional	4:20

Bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
11.	"Out of the East"	Harry Noble	3:34
12.	"Christmas Without Mary"	Blake Mevis William Shore David Wills	3:48
13.	"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow"	Sammy Cahn Julie Styne	1:51

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the 2013 liner notes of Christmas in My Home Town.[3]

Musical personnel

Willie Ackerman – drums Beegie Adair – piano Doris Allen – violin Joseph Babcock – background vocals Bobby Becker – violin George Binkley – violin Harold Bradley – guitar David Briggs – piano, keyboards Mark Casstevens – guitar Jimmy Colvard – bass Pete Drake – steel guitar Ray Edenton – guitar Dolores Edgin – background vocals Jack Eubanks – guitar Solie Fott – viola Sonny Garrish – steel guitar Johnny Gimble – fiddle Billy Grammer – rhythm guitar Lloyd Green – steel guitar Milton Hackney – violin Rob Hajacos – fiddle Buddy Harman – drums Hoyt Hawkins – background vocals Mitch Humphries – keyboards David Hungate – bass Junior Huskey – bass William Irwin – organ Jimmy Isabelle – drums The Jordanaires – background vocals

Millie Kirkham – background vocals Neal Matthews – background vocals Terry McMillan – background vocals Farrell Morris – bells, percussion, vibraphone Robert Mowrey – viola The Nashville Edition – background vocals Fred Newell – guitar June Page – background vocals Jo Parker – violin Larry Paxton – bass Gary Prim – keyboards Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano Brent Rowan – guitar Billy Sanford – bass, electric guitar Dale Sellers – electric guitar Lisa Silver – background vocals Buddy Spicher – fiddle Bobby Thompson – guitar David Vaderkool – cello Pete Wade – guitar Carol Walker – violin Raymond Walker – background vocals Gary Williams – cello Bergen White – bells Chip Young – guitar Curtis Young – background vocals Joe Zinkan – bass

Technical personnel

• Jack Clement – producer
• Doug Crider – assistant engineer
• Greg Gosselin – art direction, design, liner notes, project supervisor
• Bill Harris – engineer
• Jack D. Johnson – arranger
• Les Ladd – recording technician
• Blake Mevis – producer
• Jimmy Moore – cover photo
• Al Pachucki – engineer
• Tom Pick – engineer
• Roy Shockley – recording technician
• Bergen White – arranger
• M.G. Wilder – mastering
• Norro Wilson – producer

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[10]	Gold	50,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
Canada	November 1970	Vinyl	RCA Victor Records	[11]
United States				[6][7]
United Kingdom	1973			[12]
United States	1976			[13]
	2010s	Digital download streaming	Sony Music Entertainment	[8]
	2013	Compact disc	Music City Records	[14]

References

1. Milberg, David A. "Christmas in My Home Town: Charley Pride: Songs, Reviews, Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
2. Vinopal, David. "Charley Pride: Biography & History". Allmusic. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
3. Pride, Charley (2013). "Christmas in My Home Town (CD Liner Notes & Album Information)". Music City Records.
4. "Billboard Album Reviews". Billboard. 82 (45): 36. November 7, 1970. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
5. "Charley Pride "Christmas In My Hometown, 1970, Classic Album Review". Ultimate Twang. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
6. Pride, Charley (December 1970). "Christmas in My Home Town (LP Liner Notes & Album Information)". RCA Victor.
7. "Charley Pride – Christmas in My Home Town (1970, LP) (U.S.)". Discogs. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
8. "Christmas in My Home Town (Expanded Edition) by Charley Pride". Apple Music. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
9. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
10. "Canadian album certifications – Charley Pride – Christmas in My Home Town". Music Canada. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
11. "Charley Pride – Christmas in My Home Town (1970, LP) (Canada)". Discogs. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
12. "Charley Pride – Christmas in My Home Town (1973, LP) (U.K.)". Discogs. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
13. "Charley Pride – Christmas in My Home Town (1976, LP) (U.S.)". Discogs. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
14. "Charley Pride – Christmas in My Home Town (2013, CD)". Discogs. Retrieved December 30, 2020.