Carrie Underwood unwraps ‘My Gift’ Special Edition

Deluxe release includes three additional tracks

Seven-time GRAMMY Award winner Carrie Underwood will release My Gift (Special Edition) on CD and digital September 24th, and on vinyl November 5th, featuring three additional tracks. Initially released September 25, 2020, Underwood’s first-ever Christmas album, My Gift, debuted No. 1 across multiple global charts, including Billboard’s Country, Christian and Holiday album charts. The album remained at No. 1 on the Christian album chart 11 weeks after it was released and debuted No. 1 on the UK and Canadian Country album charts. It consistently remained in the Top 5 on the Billboard Holiday album chart throughout the 2020 holiday season, hitting No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200.

My Gift is a combination of beloved traditional songs celebrating the spiritual nature of Christmas and several originals, two of which were written by Underwood, frequent collaborator Brett James (“Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Something In The Water”), and her Cry Pretty co-producer, David Garcia. In addition to a special appearance by Underwood’s then five-year-old son, Isaiah Fisher, on the holiday classic that inspired the album title, “Little Drummer Boy,” My Gift also features her first collaboration with Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar, and Tony Award-winner John Legend, on the original track, “Hallelujah,” written by Legend and Toby Gad (“All of Me”). The video for “Hallelujah,” directed by Randee St. Nicholas, recently won the CMT Music Award for Video of the Year, continuing Underwood’s record as the most-awarded artist in that show’s history.

The updated edition will feature three additional tracks: “Favorite Time Of Year,” “All Is Well” and “Let There Be Peace/Something in the Water.” “Favorite Time of the Year” was previously released exclusively as an Amazon Original and featured in Ring’s 2020 Doorbell Season holiday campaign. Written by Underwood, Hillary Lindsey, and Chris DeStefano and produced by Greg Wells, “Favorite Time Of Year” also opened the HBO Max Original, My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood. “All Is Well” (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) is an all-new studio recording of Smith’s classic, produced by Greg Wells. “Let There Be Peace/Something In The Water” (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia, Chris DeStefano), is a live recording of the powerful medley that provided a stunning finale to the Max Original special.

My Gift is an album I’ve wanted to make from the beginning of my career,” says Underwood. “It’s been such a blessing to share this special music and I’m excited to share even more with the release of My Gift (Special Edition).”

GRAMMY Award-winning producer, mixer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Greg Wells produced and arranged the album, which features a world-class orchestra, led by the pre-eminent arranger, composer, and conductor David Campbell. The album was mixed by 14-time GRAMMY Award winning mixer, Serban Ghenea. Acclaimed gospel quartet The McCrary Sisters, who have performed backing vocals on previous Underwood songs including “Choctaw County Affair” and “The Champion,” can also be heard on the album’s “Let There Be Peace.”

Additionally, HBO Max began streaming My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood in December 2020, a breathtaking musical holiday special with Underwood performing songs from My Gift with a full orchestra and choir. The Max Original special was executive produced by Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks for Playtone, along with Underwood and her manager Ann Edelblute.

Underwood also released a companion album of beloved gospel hymns, My Savior, this past March. My Savior debuted No. 1 on the Billboard Country chart, making it her ninth consecutive release to do so, extending her record as the only artist to accomplish that feat with all nine of her album releases from the beginning of her career. The album was brought to life with a virtual livestreamed event from the legendary Ryman Auditorium on Easter Sunday which raised over $112,000 for Save the Children. The My Savior: LIVE From The Ryman concert DVD and television special were released this month.

CD

1. Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Traditional)
2. O Come All Ye Faithful (Traditional)
3. Let There Be Peace (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia)
4. Little Drummer Boy (featuring Isaiah Fisher) (Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati, Katherine Davis)
5. Sweet Baby Jesus (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia)
6. Hallelujah (with John Legend) (John Stephens, Toby Gad)
7. O Holy Night (Traditional)
8. Mary, Did You Know? (Buddy Greene, Mark Lowry)
9. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin)
10. Away In A Manger (Traditional)
11. Silent Night (Traditional)
12. Favorite Time Of Year (Carrie Underwood, Hillary Lindsey, Chris DeStefano)
13. All Is Well (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick)
14. Let There Be Peace/Something In The Water (LIVE From HBO Max’s My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood) (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia, Chris DeStefano)

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com