It's a Wonderful Christmas

It's a Wonderful Christmas
It's a Wonderful Christmas
Studio album by Michael W. Smith
Released	October 16, 2007
Genre	Holiday, pop, instrumental
Length	39:46
Label	Reunion/Sparrow
Producer	Michael W. Smith, David Hamilton
Michael W. Smith chronology
Singles from It's a Wonderful Christmas
	"Christmas Day"; Released: November 20, 2007;

Last updated February 11, 2023

It's a Wonderful Christmas is an album by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith. Released in October 2007, this epic album is Smith's third album of Christmas music and features four choirs and a 65-piece orchestra.^[1] About half the album is instrumental pieces, including "What Child is This", "Audrey's Gift", and "It's a Wonderful Christmas". Vocal numbers such as "The Promise" and "Christmas Angels" reflect Smith's trademark personal touch and evoke his previous Christmas albums, Christmas (1989) and Christmastime (1998). Smith utilizes the full sound of the orchestra and choirs to produce an album that exudes a "mastery of the adult contemporary sound" and adds "so richly to the Christmas songbook."^[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Michael W. Smith, except where noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Christmas Angels"		3:50
2.	"It's a Wonderful Christmas"	Michael W. Smith, David Hamilton	5:05
3.	"The Promise"		5:05
4.	"Song for the King"		4:19
5.	"Christmas Day" (featuring Mandisa)		3:20
6.	"A Highland Carol"		2:18
7.	"Sing Noel, Sing Hallelujah"		3:40
8.	"What Child Is This?"	Traditional	4:48
9.	"Son of God"		2:53
10.	"Audrey’s Gift"		1:49
11.	"All Year Long"		2:39
Total length:			39:46

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
About	^[2]
AllMusic	^[1]
Billboard	Mixed^[3]
Jesus Freak Hideout	^[4]

It's a Wonderful Christmas sold 12,759 copies in its first week, 6,000 of them digital. The album has since sold 39,000 copies.^[5]

The album received several positive reviews. However, Billboard gave the album a mixed review.

In 2008, the album won a Dove Award for Christmas Album of the Year at the 39th GMA Dove Awards.^[6]

Personnel

Michael W. Smith – vocals (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11), grand piano (1–5, 8, 9, 10), arrangements
David Hamilton – orchestra conductor (1-9, 11), orchestra arrangements (1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11), choir arrangements (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), synthesizer (1, 5), Hammond B3 organ (5), celeste (5), grand piano (11), rhythm track arrangements (11)
Adam Lester – electric guitars (1, 5)
James Gregory – bass (1, 5)
Craig Nelson – upright bass (11)
Paul Leim – drums (1, 5, 11)
Sam Bacco – Scottish snare drum (6), bass drum (6)
David Davidson – violin solo (4)
Skip Cleavinger – Highland bagpipes (6), penny whistle (6), low whistle (8)
Carl Marsh – orchestra arrangements (1, 5)
Ronn Huff – orchestra arrangements (6)
The London Session Orchestra – orchestra (1-9, 11)
Perry Montague-Mason – concertmaster
Isobel Griffiths – orchestra contractor
Charlotte Matthews – orchestra contractor
Lori Casteel – music preparation
Mike Casteel – music preparation
Ric Domenico – music preparation
Eberhard Ramm – music preparation
The Nashville Choir – choir (1, 3, 7, 9)
John Coates – The Nashville Choir director (1, 3, 7, 9)
Children's Choir – children choir (1, 5)
Sandy Hamilton – Children's Choir director (1, 5)
Kathy Goodrich – Children's Choir assistant director (1, 5)
Marie Morris – Children's Choir assistant director (1, 5)
New Cumberland Choir – choir (3, 7, 9)
Greg Thomas – New Cumberland Choir contractor (3, 7, 9)
The Choristers of Reigate St. Mary's – boychoir (3, 9)
John Tobin – Reigate St. Mary's choir master (3, 9)
Mandisa – vocals (5)
Bonnie Keen – backing vocals (11)

Production

Michael W. Smith – producer, executive producer
David Hamilton – producer, digital editing
Michael Blanton – executive producer
Ronnie Brookshire – rhythm section recording
Mark Petaccia – rhythm section recording assistant
Humberto Gatica – orchestra recording, additional piano recording
Andrew Dudman – orchestra recording, boychoir recording additional piano recording
Fred Paragano – additional piano recording
David Schober – additional piano recording, mixing
Dominic Christie – boychoir recording assistant
Scrap Marshall – boychoir recording assistant
Jeff Pitzer – recording (violin solo on "Song for the King")
Bill Whittington – recording (New Cumberland Choir and Highland bagpipes)
Lowell Reynolds – recording assistant (New Cumberland Choir and Highland bagpipes)
Doug Sarrett – recording (The Nashville Choir and Children's Choir)
Steven Beers – recording assistant (The Nashville Choir and Children's Choir)
Dave Dillbeck – vocal recording, digital editing
Derik Lee – vocal recording (Mandisa's vocal)
Brian Calhoon – mix assistant
Jeff Cain – digital editing
Andrew Mendelson – mastering
Melissa Leonelli – librarian, production assistant
Ken Johnson – production manager
Jason McArthur – A&R coordination
Michelle Box – A&R production
Allen Clark – photography
Stephanie McBrayer – art direction, stylist
Tim Parker – art direction
Michealle Vanderpoolhair – hair, make-up

Studios

Blackbird Studios (Nashville, Tennessee) – recording location, New Cumberland Choir and Highland bagpipes for rhythm section.
Brentwood Baptist Church (Brentwood, Tennessee) – The Nashville Choir and Children's Choir recording location.
Deer Valley Studios (Franklin, Tennessee) – vocal recording location.
Paragon Studios (Franklin, Tennessee) – vocal and additional piano recording location, mixing location.
Studio One at Abbey Road Studios (London, England) – recording location for orchestra, boychoir and additional piano.
Legacy Recording Studios (New York City, New York) – Mandisa's vocal recording location.
Georgetown Masters (Nashville, Tennessee) – mastering location.

Charts

Chart	Peak position
US Billboard 200	54
US Billboard Top Christian Albums	2
US Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums	15
US Billboard Top Holiday Albums	2

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References

1 2 3 "It's a Wonderful Christmas" . Retrieved October 21, 2018.
↑ Jones, Kim. "It's a Wonderful Christmas". Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
↑ "It's a Wonderful Christmas" . Retrieved December 11, 2011.
↑ Summerford, Lauren. "It's a Wonderful Christmas" . Retrieved December 11, 2011.
↑ "It's a Wonderful Christmas". Archived from the original on July 19, 2008. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
↑ "Nominations Announced for 39th GMA Dove Awards" . Retrieved December 11, 2011.

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[allmusic-1] 1 2 3 "It's a Wonderful Christmas" . Retrieved October 21, 2018.

[about-2] Jones, Kim. "It's a Wonderful Christmas". Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.

[billboard-3] "It's a Wonderful Christmas" . Retrieved December 11, 2011.

[jesusfreak-4] Summerford, Lauren. "It's a Wonderful Christmas" . Retrieved December 11, 2011.

[variety-5] "It's a Wonderful Christmas". Archived from the original on July 19, 2008. Retrieved December 11, 2011.

[cbn-6] "Nominations Announced for 39th GMA Dove Awards" . Retrieved December 11, 2011.

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v t e Michael W. Smith
Studio albums	Michael W. Smith Project Michael W. Smith 2 The Big Picture i 2 (EYE) Go West Young Man Change Your World I'll Lead You Home Live the Life This Is Your Time Healing Rain Stand Wonder Hymns Sovereign Hymns II - Shine On Us A Million Lights
Instrumental albums	Freedom Glory
Christmas albums	Christmas Christmastime It's a Wonderful Christmas The Spirit of Christmas
Live albums	The Live Set Worship Worship Again A New Hallelujah Surrounded
Compilation albums	The Wonder Years The First Decade (1983–1993) The Second Decade (1993–2003) Decades of Worship
Songs	"Friends" "Great Is the Lord" "Wired for Sound" "Old Enough to Know" "Secret Ambition" "Place in This World" "I Will Be Here for You" "Christmas Day" "You Won't Let Go" "A Million Lights"
Related articles	Discography Rocketown Rocketown Records