Columbia CS-8917

Released   Original: November, 1963

                   Reissued: September, 1995

Recorded  In Bradley Film & Recording Studio, Nashville in August, 1959

                   In Radio Recorders, Hollywood in February, 1961

                   In Columbia Recording Studio, Nashville in June, 1962

                   In Columbia Recording Studio, Nashville in March, 1963

                   In Columbia Recording Studio, Nashville in July, 1963

                   In Columbia Recording Studio, Nashville in September, 1963

Genre        Country

Length       Original:

                   Reissue:

Label         Columbia Records

Producer   Don Law, Frank Jones

Johnny Cash' first christmas album (he would later release many more). In addition to the eight tracks written by others, including "Blue Christmas", "Silent Night" and "Little Drummer Boy", four of the songs were written by himself.

Track listing:

1. 1.The Christmas Spirit (Johnny Cash) -
   

2. 2.I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, John B. Calkin) -
   

3. 3.Blue Christmas (Bill Hayes, Jay Johnston) -
   

4. 4.The Gifts They Gave (Johnny Cash) -
   

5. 5.Here Was a Man (Johnny Bond, Tex Ritter) -
   

6. 6.Christmas as I Knew It (June Carter, Jan Howard) -
   

7. 7.Silent Night (Franz Gruber, Josef Mohr) -
   

8. 8.The Little Drummer Boy (Katherine Davis, Henri Onerati, Harry Simeone) -
   

9. 9.Ringing The Bells For Jim (June Carter, Jan Howard) -
   

10. 10.We Are The Shepherds (Johnny Cash) -
    

11. 11.Who Kept The Sheep (Johnny Cash, June Carter) -
    

12. 12.Ballad of the Harp Weaver (Vincent Millay) -
    

Personell:

1. •Johnny Cash - Guitar, Vocals
   

2. •The Carter Family - Backing Vocals
   

3. •Luther Perkins - Electric Guitar
   

4. •Jack Clement - Guitar
   

5. •Grady Martin - Guitar
   

6. •Marshall Grant - Bass
   

7. •W.S. Holland - Drums
   

8. •Maybelle Carter - Autoharp
   

9. •Bill Purcell - Organ/Piano
   

10. •Hargus Pig Robbins - Organ/Piano
    

11. •Anita Kerr - Organ
    

12. •Bob Johnson - Flute
    

13. •Don Law - Producer
    

14. •Frank Jones - Producer
    

15. •Vic Anesini - Mastering
    

16. •Frank Bez - Photography
    

Charts

One song from the album reached the billboard:

Year    Single                                              Chart                    Position

1959:   The Little Drummer Boy                  Country Singles        24

1959:   The Little Drummer Boy                  Country Singles        63

The album also reached the billboard:

Year    Chart                    Position

1963    Country Albums         7