I am partial to the Country singers from the Golden Age of Country Music.  There are a few of "Today's" Country Music Artists who have released Christmas albums, but they just don't compare to the artist previously mentioned in Chip's first post.

The County Christmas songs of today, there are a few good songs here and there, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy their CD's for 1 or 2 songs.  I do like "Where Are You Christmas" sung by Faith Hill, from the move "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" by Elmo and Patsy.

There may be a few more individual songs by other of todays Country Artists, but again, they just don't compare to Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Jim Reeves, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, Charley Pride, Tammy Wynette, Brenda Lee, Buck Owens, Danny Davis, Floyd Cramer, Marty Robbins, Jimmy Dean, Tennessee Ernie Ford and even Jimmie Rogers (Edited because he wasn't a Country Singer, but a Folk/Ballad Singer).   Oh, and we can't forget Gene Autry.  I'm sure there are a few more Country Music Singers, I just remembered Johnny Cash, but again I'm sure there are a few more from the 50's through the very early 1970's.

{EDITED by Christmas Always to correct a typo}

Chip,

I thought Jimmy Rodgers was more of a Rockabilly song with some Country in there too, but I think back and a lot of his songs were Ballads and Folks Songs.  I don't know what made me think he was a Country Singer.

I like The Johnny Cash Christmas and I agree with you about his album having some bright spots, but his version of The Little Drummer Boy is different than the way most people would sing it.

Some other Country music singers like Roy Clark, Tom T. Hall, appeared on Compilation Christmas Albums but I don't think they ever released an entire Christmas Album on their own.

I couldn't remember Anne Murray, but her album came out in 1981, if I'm not mistaken, so she really doesn't fit in this category of Classic Country and I forgot about Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard (released a couple Christmas LP's), and Willie Nelson earlier.

Merle Haggard released Goin' Home For Christmas (PROMO) Epic Record PE38307 with a Winter Scene on the jacket, and there was another of the same title but the artwork showed Merle getting ready to board a train.  I can't tell what Record Label the second one was on.  The person listing it used the Bar Code for numbers.   Then there was Merle Haggard Christmas Present in 1973

I knew there were other Country artist from this era, but I couldn't think of them.  I was fortunate to find a VG+ to NM copy of "The Christmas Spirit"  by Johnny Cash from 1963, and I believe, I have "The Johnny Cash Family Christmas" too.  Then of course, he appears on many Compilation Christmas Albums.

Another artist I think we left out was Jim Nabors.  He wasn't strictly Country, but did a lot of Gospel and Pop Music too.

I agree if Lynn Anderson had recorded "Snowbird" and released it as a single before Anne Murray, it would have been a bigger hit than Anne Murray had.  I can't say for sure, but I think I remember something about why Lynn didn't record and release "Snowbird" before Anne Murry, but I can't remember right now.  I don't know it it was on a Documentary or what.  I could be completly wrong and thinking of something else too.

Thanks for the clip of Lynn Anderson's Version of "Snowbird"

{EDITED by Christmas Always to change the title of a Johnny Cash Christmas album from "The Spirit of Christmas" to "The Christmas Spirit"}

Sorry Chip,

It was a typo I didn't catch, I will edit the post to change it.  It was a bit late for me when I did the post, I had gone to bed and forgot something to do on the computer and was up until 5:30 so my mind wasn't clear.  I normally am in bed by 10:00PM, and watch TV for about an hour and an half, but I got back up to do something I forgot online and then saw your response and I responded, and by the time I got off the computer it was 5:30AM.  I had been in a discussion about keeping The Spirit of Christmas alive 365 days a year, and that was probably why I typed the title wrong

I had known that Jim Nabors forte wasn't Country for the most part, but I have his Columbia Record album "Galveston" Catalog # CS 9817 from 1969,  which is part Country, Gospel, Pop, but I couldn't think of Crooner.   It has been several years since I've played it, and since my apartment is so small, I basically have only my Christmas LP's out.

Then I wasn't sure about Lynn Anderson being offered to record and release "Snowbird" before Anne Murray and it may have been an something else

Chip,

I didn't realize that you had edited James post, but in re-reading it, I see that it was his post, so I apologize for the confusion on my part.  I only saw that it was edited by you, and wasn't thinking that is was James post you had edited.  I am still running on only 3 hours sleep in 48 hours, so my brain sees things but I don't put the entire thing together and then I cause confusion for you and myself, and others.

In rereading the post, I see where my confusion came in and that is why I sent you what I did in the email as I was thinking it was you.  But I got it now, so I'm sure what I sent you, you already knew.

Yes, unfortunately even though you disabled the Quote and Reply feature, we can copy and paste and use "Quotation Marks" so it would be as if we were quoting you as a Quote and Reply.

I knew if I had posted what I privately emailed you, it would have added more confusion, so at least I think it is straightened out now on my part anyways.