Shelly Streeter

If you like what you see and hear from the web site, the enhanced CD is available from CDNow. What is an enhanced CD? Basically, it is a multimedia CD that plays the audio tracks when placed in a regular CD player but also plays videos when the same disk is put in the CD ROM drive of your computer. This enhanced CD contains the same three videos as does the web site, but of course the video quality is much better. There have been several enhanced CDs produced by various artists and record labels, but this technology has not been used to the extent first promised when the industry developed the capability. Anyway, I heartily recommend the site and the CD.

One of the joys of the Chrismas season is the music. Now I like the traditional carols as much as the next person, but what intrigues me is contemporary, original music that reflects the true religious "reason for the season." Originally, this intrigue focused on the sacred choral works of English composer John Rutter, but lately I've found several great examples written and recorded by Country Music composers and artists. Below are some quick examples; more can be found on Country Music Viewpoint. Please note, the links are to the artists' web sites and don't directly relate to the Christmas music.

Kathy Mattea has a good collection of original holiday music in this CD. Original songs include There's A New Kid In Town (the best of many versions of this song), Good News (written by Kathy Mattea) and Mary, Did You Know? If there's one country Christmas CD to own, this is it!

Vince Gill has a nice collection of both traditional and original music on this CD. He sings a duet with his daughter Jenny in Let There Be Peace On Earth and pays tribute to his late brother in It Won't Be The Same This Year.

Trisha Yearwood is having one of the biggest years of her carreer. On her holiday CD, you'll find another version of There's A New Kid In Town (a third is on Alan Jackson's holiday CD). Also featured here is Take A Walk Through Bethlehem, a reminder to keep the true meaning of Christmas in our hearts as we hustle through the season.

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