The Sweetest Gift is the fourth studio album (and first Christmas album) by country singer Trisha Yearwood.
Composition and release Yearwood sings a mixture of familiar traditional and popular material, along with more recent compositions such as "It Wasn't His Child" and "There's a New Kid in Town".
Two of its tracks managed to achieve positions near the lower end of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. "It Wasn't His Child" peaked at #60, and "Reindeer Boogie" at #63. The album rose to the #17 position in the Country Albums chart. A re-release of the album in 2000 has a different album cover, a promotional photograph taken during the Real Live Woman promotional period.
Reception The album was a given a positive review by Allmusic, receiving 4 out of 5 stars.
Track listing "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" (Bob MacGimsey) – 2:42 "Reindeer Boogie" (Charlie Faircloth, Hank Snow, Cordia Volkmar) – 2:38 "Take a Walk Through Bethlehem" (Ashley Cleveland, John Barlow Jarvis, Wally Wilson) – 3:49 "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – 3:00 "It Wasn't His Child" (Skip Ewing) – 3:54 "Away in a Manger" (traditional) – 2:39 "The Sweetest Gift" (James Coats) – 3:02 "There's a New Kid in Town" (Don Cook, Curly Putman, Keith Whitley) – 4:27 "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 2:26 "The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells) – 3:58
Personnel
Musicians
Trisha Yearwood – lead vocals, harmony vocals (2, 5, 6, 7) Steve Nathan – keyboards (1), acoustic piano (2, 3, 5–10) Matt Rollings – acoustic piano (1) Becky Priest – acoustic piano (4) Billy Joe Walker Jr. – acoustic guitar (2, 3, 5–10) Bobby All – acoustic guitar (4) Biff Watson – acoustic guitar (7) Dann Huff – electric guitar (2) Brent Mason – electric guitar (3, 5–10) Johnny Garcia – electric guitar (4) Paul Franklin – steel guitar (2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), dobro (7) Stuart Duncan – mandolin (7), fiddle (7) Dave Pomeroy – bass (2, 3, 5–10) Jay Hager – bass (4) Eddie Bayers – drums (2, 3, 5–10) Rick McClure – drums (4) Sam Bacco – percussion (3, 5, 9) Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson – harmonica (1, 10) Aubrey Haynie – fiddle (2) Heather Risser – fiddle (4) John Hobbs – string arrangements (5, 6, 8) Ashley Cleveland – harmony vocals (3) Garth Fundis – harmony vocals (5) Beth Yearwood Bernard – harmony vocals (7)
The Nashville String Machine Bob Mason – cello Jim Grosjean – viola Lee Larrison – viola Kristin Wilkinson – viola David Davidson – violin Connie Ellisor – violin Carl Gorodetzky – violin Pamela Sixfin – violin Alan Umstead – violin Mary Kathryn Vanosdale – violin
Production Garth Fundis – producer, mixing Gary Laney – recording Dave Sinko – recording, mixing Carlos Grier – digital editing Denny Purcell – mastering Georgetown Masters (Nashville, Tennessee) – mastering location Scott Paschall – production assistant Katherine DeVault – art direction, design Jim "Señor" McGuire – photography
2000 Reissue Randee St. Nicholas – photography Virginia Team – art direction Jerry Joyner – design Debra Wingo – hair stylist
Charts Album Chart (1994) Peakposition
Singles Title Date Chart Peakposition "It Wasn't His Child" January 6, 1995 "Reindeer Boogie" January 8, 1999
Certifications
References