A Diamond Rio Christmas: The Star Still Shines

1	The Star Still Shines 4:01
2	Winter Wonderland 2:53
3	The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) 3:19
4	Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! 2:35
5	O Come, O Come Emmanuel 2:52
6	Sleigh Ride 4:52
7	Christmas Time Is Here 2:49
8	I'll Be Home for Christmas 3:56
9	Christmas Times a Comin' 2:46
10	Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 2:15
11	Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 4:00
12	Christmas Is Coming From Charlie Brown Christmas 2:22

Barnes & Noble

A group doesn't sell more than 10 million albums and notch nine chart-topping singles without having something going for it. In Diamond Rio's case, that's good songs and impeccably executed contemporary-country harmony singing. Both qualities are abundant on the sextet's first Christmas album, built on the newly penned title song, a message about enduring faith built on a swirl of strings and a forceful, rhythmic attack, all in service to those alluring vocal harmonies. The other 11 tracks are traditional seasonal fare, but some surprises surface along the way to infuse the timeless sentiments with new energy. "Winter Wonderland" is a juiced-up country strut here; "Sleigh Ride" frolics along behind speed-picked banjo-guitar-mandolin work and ebullient harmonies; and the fellows perform not one but two tracks from Vince Guaraldi's wonderful score for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" -- "Christmas Time Is Here" at once summons the bonhomie of the season and expresses a poignant hope that the Christmas spirit could last through the year, in an arrangement that remains largely true to Guaraldi's easy, shuffling style with brush drums and Dan Truman rolling off some signature Guaraldi-style piano arpeggios; the album closes with Guaraldi's lively instrumental, "Christmas Is Coming" (fans of the TV special may recall Schroeder playing it on piano during rehearsal for the Christmas play), complete with a Latin jazz feel but adding a bluegrass touch via mandolin. Add to this confection a rousing bluegrass rendering of "Christmas Time's a-Comin'" indebted to Bill Monroe, and a reverent, moving rendition of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," and the sum of the parts amounts to a seasonal classic a-borning. David McGee

All Music Guide

Diamond Rio Christmas: The Star Still Shines features the country/pop band performing a variety of holiday favorites. The disc features such well-loved songs as "Winter Wonderland," "Sleigh Ride," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," and "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" along with their original composition "The Star Still Shines." This is perfect background music for any Christmas get-together. Les Campbell