Grammy Award-winning musician, producer, author as well as founding member of hard rock bands ALTER BRIDGE, CREED and TREMONTI, Mark Tremonti has just released his first-ever Christmas album, “Christmas Classics New & Old”.
The official music video for the LP’s third single, the original composition “Christmas Morning”, can be seen below. The song was penned by Tremonti and tells the story of the excitement of waking up on Christmas morning. The song draws from personal experience and how special that moment is to him and his family. The music video is a claymation work of art created by Ollie Jones and follows a father who finds Santa‘s naughty/nice list and ventures to bring it back to him. The visual masterpiece is the perfect backdrop for song produced and arranged by Carey Deadman.
“Christmas Classics New & Old” is Mark‘s interpretation of nine holiday classics and one original penned song from the acclaimed songwriter himself. After the success of his interpretation of songs Frank Sinatra made famous on his album “Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra”, Mark decided to partner up with the orchestra from that album to work on the holiday album.
From the opening horns of “The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” to the slow fade of the Donny Hathaway classic “This Christmas”, Tremonti showcases the music that was the bedrock of his childhood holidays. Mark‘s interpretations of songs like “Jingle Bells”, “The First Noel” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” find their place among the many great versions that preceded them. “O Holy Night” is one of Mark‘s personal favorites and finds new life in the inspired arrangement by producer Carey Deadman. Mark also took the time to create his own holiday composition called “Christmas Morning”. Piano twinkles as a marching band drum roll picks up the momentum. As if changing from black-and-white to technicolor, horns herald a wonderfully warm picture on the track’s finale, “My lady and me will make sure our children believe in the glory of Christmas morning.”
“Christmas Classics New & Old” will sit alongside the most cherished holiday albums and continues to showcase the musical diversity inside Tremonti.
“Christmas Classics New & Old” track listing:
01. The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
02. Jingle Bells
03. The Christmas Song
04. Christmas Morning
05. The First Noel
06. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town
07. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
08. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
09. O Holy Night
10. This Christmas
As a Grammy Award-winning multiplatinum musician, Tremonti‘s dynamic musical career spans influential bands from ALTER BRIDGE and CREED to his own TREMONTI, leaving an indelible imprint on hard rock with over 40 million albums sold, chart-topping debuts, countless television appearances and magazine covers, sold out arenas everywhere, and dozens of other accolades. To say he broadened his horizons with 2022’s “Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra” might just be the understatement of the century though. He paid homage to 14 Sinatra classics backed by surviving members of Ol Blue Eyes’ band in addition to a cadre of A-list session players. Right out of the gate, it incited widespread audience and tastemaker applause. Beyond features from Billboard, CBS New York, Washington Post and many more, Carson Daly spotlighted the project on “Today” and raved, “Bar none the best Frank Sinatra cover I’ve ever heard.” Donating 100% of the album’s proceeds to the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) as part of his Take A Chance For Charity organization, NDSS notably honored Mark and his family at its annual gala and auction in 2023. Moreover, the album hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart, and he would go on to play a handful of sold-out shows in support of the album. However, he has yet to musically contribute to the happiest season of all — until now. Just in time for the holidays, he delivers “Christmas Classics New & Old” with nine renditions of holiday anthems and one original tailor made to “put a smile on your face, make you feel good, and get you into the Christmas spirit,” according to Mark.
Photo credit: Chuck Brueckmann