Christmas with Ronnie Milsap, the sole holiday album from the legendary country star, is being reissued by Craft Recordings and released on Nov. 12. Originally released in 1986, the release marks the first time in 35 years the project will now be available on CD. The album is available for pre-order now.

Backed by orchestral arrangements, Milsap offers a country take on traditional yuletide favorites while peppering in originals like “Only One Night of the Year” and the bluesy “It’s Just Not Christmas (If I Can’t Spend It With You).” He also offers a spoken message to his fans in “Christmas Thoughts,” before closing with “We’re Here to Love,” which originally appeared on his bestselling 1983 LP, Keyed Up. 

Christmas with Ronnie Milsap was originally released at the height of Milsap’s fame, when he was enjoying an incredible streak of No. 1s on the Billboard country chart, as well as crossover success with songs like “Show Her,” “Stranger in My House” and the Grammy and ACM Award-winning “Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night).”

The 78-year-old recording artist continues to release new material and entertain fans around the world, most recently releasing his 29th studio album, A Better Word for Love, this year.

Willie Nelson‘s latest studio album, The Willie Nelson Family, featuring the country legend’s family of musicians, is set for release from Legacy Recordings on Nov. 19. The first single from the project, “Family Bible,” is available everywhere now.

“Family Bible” was penned in 1957, and was inspired by scenes of Nelson’s grandmother singing “Rock of Ages” and reading from her Bible after supper. As a struggling young songwriter in Texas, Nelson sold the song to Paul Buskirk, who enlisted singer Claude Gray to record Nelson’s songs. Gray’s single of “Family Bible” was released in February 1960 and reached No. 7 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Singles chart. The single’s success enabled Nelson to move to Nashville, where he established his reputation as a songwriter. Nelson recorded his own version of “Family Bible” for the first time on his 1971 album, Yesterday’s Wine.

The full Nelson and Steve Chadie-produced project features 12 favorites from the Nelson Family repertoire, including A.P. Carter’s “Keep It On The Sunnyside” and the traditional hymn “In The Garden;” Hank Williams’ “I Saw The Light;” Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me;” and more.

Willie’s Family Band includes sister Bobbie (piano); Lukas (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lead vocals, background vocals); Micah (drums, bass, background vocals); Paula (background vocals); Amy (background vocals); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); Billy English (drums); Paul English (percussion) and Kevin Smith (bass).

Willie’s son Lukas, who fronts Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, sings lead vocals on two of the album’s tracks–”All Things Must Pass” and “Keep It On The Sunnyside”–while sharing lead vocals with Willie on “I Saw the Light,” “I Thought About You, Lord” and “Why Me.”

Willie Nelson & Family are slated to headline Farm Aid 2021 in Hartford, Connecticut on Saturday, Sept. 25. This year’s Farm Aid lineup will include sets by Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and Particle Kid (Micah Nelson’s musical ensemble).

The Willie Nelson Family Track List:
1. Heaven and Hell (Willie Nelson)
2. Kneel at the Feet of Jesus (Willie Nelson)
3. Laying My Burdens Down (Willie Nelson)
4. Family Bible (Claude Gray, Paul Buskirk & Walt Breeland)
5. In the Garden (traditional)
6. All Things Must Pass (George Harrison)
7. I Saw the Light (Hank Williams, Sr.)
8. In God’s Eyes (Willie Nelson)
9. Keep It On the Sunnyside (A.P. Carter)
10. I Thought About You, Lord (Willie Nelson)
11. Too Sick To Pray (Willie Nelson)
12. Why Me (Kris Kristofferson)

Leah Turner. Photo: Chelsea Thompson

CMT Next Women of Country alum Leah Turner is continuing to embrace her Latin heritage with her upcoming Lost In Translation EP, due out on Oct. 15.

The six-song project includes tracks like her 2020 single release “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” “Vaquera and the Cowboy,” and the recently unveiled “Wax on the Table,” a sensual song co-written with Skip Black and produced by Andrew King.

“I want women to be able to embrace their sexuality and their sensuality. I want them to embrace the skin that God gave us, no matter what shape, size or color,” Turner says of the track. “We shouldn’t be ashamed because we feel like badass, strong women who love our skin and wanna love our man! Men do it all the time and are praised for it… I wanted power to come across in this song.”

Turner was originally discovered by Kenny Loggins and first produced by Grammy Award-winners Humberto Gatica and David Foster. Once moving to Nashville, she was promptly signed to Columbia Records while her debut single, “Take the Keys,” achieved Top 40 status on the Billboard Country chart and quickly accrued over 3 million Spotify streams. Turner has also had cuts with Cody Purvis, Kristy Lamb, and Academy Award-nominated actor Jeremy Renner.

Born to a rodeo champion father and a first generation Mexican-American mother, Turner marries the two backgrounds on Lost in Translation.

“The process was completely natural, given country music and the Latino culture both put such an emphasis on the value of faith, family, and hard work. A lot of the American cowboy traditions came from the vaquero, who was the original cowboy. So marrying the two seemed effortless, and gives a strong representation of who I am.” She sums, “Country music has always had a love affair with the Hispanic culture. I’m just the product of a good old-fashioned country song and the American dream.”

Leah Turner. Photo: Chelsea Thompson

Lost In Translation Track List:
Once Upon A Time In Mexico (Jesse Frasure, Leah Turner)
Wax On the Table ( Skip Black, Leah Turner)
Vaquera and the Cowboy ( Lamont Coleman, Leah Turner)
Vaya Con Dios ( Josh Ronen, Kylie Sackley, Leah Turner)
Lost In Translation ( Micheal August, Evan Coffman, Leah Turner)
Where Did All The Cowboys Go ( Andy Albert, Adam James, Leah Turner)

Karen Waldrup

Music Benefactors has partnered with country music artist and entrepreneur Karen Waldrup to fund her new project Somebody’s Got To Be First. The 5-song EP is being produced by Paul Worley (Lady A, Martina McBride, Big and Rich).

Through Music Benefactors, Waldrup and other artists can use the platform to raise capital while maintaining ownership of their master recordings and copyrights. When music is streamed, purchased, played on the radio or used in TV and films, royalties are paid to rights holders. Through this new endeavor, all fans and investors can participate in this investment class. Waldrup’s team is conducting a public equity offering, and fans can purchase shares in the project for as little as $50.

Waldrup shares, “Somebody’s Got To Be First is a project that fascinates me and gives me peace all at the same time. I love being first in endeavors that I am a part of and I have always dreamed of working with this producer Paul Worley.” She continues, “When I first moved to town, we used to meet in his office between my club days on the road and I remember he always encouraged me to ‘keep building my live performance and fanbase muscles.’ I believe with over one million #waldrupworldwide fans, this new music coupled with legendary producer, Paul Worley, we can be the first successful public securities offering of a music project in country music history. After all, Somebody’s Got To Be First.”

Waldrup’s debut album Justified, produced by multi-award winner Garth Fundis and funded solely through fan participation via an Indiegogo campaign, debuted on four of Billboard‘s Album Charts (Country Album Sales, Heatseekers, Heatseekers South Central and Independent Albums).

Worley adds, “I met Karen several years ago and was immediately taken by her voice and passion for her work. Since then I have watched her grow exponentially! She has it all! She is beautiful with a ‘never met a stranger’ personality. Her singing is spot on perfect, and so emotional. She now has a very large fan and touring base, and the songs she is ready to record are great. I am fully committed to her career and encourage anyone interested in supporting great music to get on board.”