''This Christmas'' is the first Christmas album and thirty-sixth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

by American singer

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...

. Produced by Franklin and Tena Clark, it was originally released on October 14, 2008, as a

Borders A border is a geographical boundary. Border, borders, The Border or The Borders may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Border'' (1997 film), an Indian Hindi-language war film * ''Border'' (2018 Swedish film), ...

exclusive, consisting of eleven cover versions of Christmas standards and carols. In 2009, the album was reissued by DMI Records. ''This Christmas'' peaked at number 102 on the US ''Billboard'' 200.

Critical reception

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

editor Andy Kellman wrote:

Track listing

Credits taken from the album's liner notes.Franklin, Aretha. "This Christmas, Aretha" (Album Notes). DMI Records. 2008.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. Vocalists *

– vocals (2–3, 8–9, 11, lead on 1, 4–7, 10) *

Tawatha Agee Tawatha Agee (born November 14, 1954) is an American vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in ''The New York Times'' as an "acrobatic, gospel-charged soprano." She was the lead singer of funk and soul band Mtume; her soulful lead ...

– background vocals (4) *Bridgette Bryant – Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) *

Alvin Chea Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel music, gospel sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood University, Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received seve ...

– Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) *Lynne Fiddmont – Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) *The Fire Choir – background vocals (1, 5–6, 10) *

Lisa Fischer Lisa Melonie Fischer (born December 1, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She found success with her 1991 debut album '' So Intense'', which produced the Grammy Award–winning hit single " How Can I Ease the Pain". She has been a back ...

– background vocals (7) *Edward Franklin – vocals (2) *Wendy Fraser – Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) * Dorian Holley – Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) *Clydene Jackson – Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) *Shelly Ponder – background vocals (4) *Susie Stevens-Logan – Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) *Vanesse Thomas – background vocals (7) *

Fonzi Thornton Alfonso "Fonzi" Thornton is an American vocalist, songwriter, producer and vocal contractor. In a career spanning 40 years, Thornton has sung backing vocals for top artists across many genres of music. His vocal credits can be found on the re ...

– background vocals (4, 7) * Carmen Twillie – Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) *

Oren Waters Oren Waters is an American vocalist best known for his work with the backup singing group The Waters, his siblings: Luther, Maxine and Julia. As an ensemble, Waters has been a part of 260 gold and over 100 platinum albums with artists including ...

– Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) *Gerald White – Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) *Brenda White-King – background vocals (4, 7) *Terry Wood – Fire choir member (1, 5–6, 10) Instrumentalists *Aretha Franklin – acoustic piano (5, 8) *

Luis Conte Luis Conte (born 16 November 1954) is a Cuban percussionist best known for his performances in the bands of artists including James Taylor, Madonna, Pat Metheny Group, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart and Shakira. He began ...

– percussion (2–3, 7) *Charles "Volley" Craig – bass played by (4, 8–9) *Matt Dahlgren – guitar (4, 9) *

Nathan East Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955) is an American jazz, R&B, and rock bass guitarist and vocalist. With more than 2,000 recordings, East is one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music. East holds a Bachelor of Arts ...

– bass played by (1–3, 6, 7, 10) * Brandon Fields – saxophone (7) *

Richard Gibbs Richard "Ribbs" Gibbs (born December 5, 1955) is an American film composer and music producer whose credits include '' Dr. Dolittle'', '' Big Momma's House'', '' Queen of the Damned'', the television series ''Battlestar Galactica'' and the fir ...

– piano (4, 9) *Timothy Heinz – keyboards (1, 6, 10) *Darryl Houston – organ played by (4, 9) *

Paul Jackson Jr. Paul Milton Jackson Jr. (born December 30, 1959) is an American Jazz fusion, fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist. In addition to being a recording artist in his own right, Jackson is also a session player, with a career ...

– guitar (1–2, 6–7, 10) *

Ricky Lawson William Riser III (November 8, 1954 – December 23, 2013), better known as Ricky Lawson or Ricky Remo, was an American drummer and composer. A native of Detroit, Michigan, he worked extensively as a session musician, collaborating with Stev ...

– drums (1–3, 6–7, 10) *Arthur Marbury – drums (4, 8–9) *Teddy Richards-White – guitar (4) *Michito Sanchez – percussion (7) *Onita Sanders – harp (8) *James "Big Jim" Wright – keyboards (2–3, 7) Technical *Aretha Franklin – producer (4, 8–9) * H. B. Barnum – conductor (4, 8–9) *Tena Clark – producer (1–3, 5–7, 10–11) *Les Cooper – recording engineer (1–3, 5–7, 10–11) *Todd Fairall – recording engineer (4, 8–9) *Steve Genewick – Pro-tools editing *Don Goodrick – assistant recording engineer *George Gumbs – assistant recording engineer *Timothy Heinz – rhythm arrangements (1, 6, 10) *Bill Meyers – orchestral arrangement, orchestra conductor * Michael J. Powell – recording engineer (4, 8–9) *Tony Rizzo – assistant recording engineer *

Al Schmitt Albert Harry Schmitt (April 17, 1930 – April 26, 2021) was an American recording engineer and record producer. He won twenty Grammy Awards for his work with Henry Mancini, Steely Dan, George Benson, Toto (band), Toto, Natalie Cole, Quincy Jone ...

– audio mixing, strings recording engineer *Carmen Twillie – choir arrangements, choir conductor (1, 5–6, 10) *Ed Woolley – assistant recording engineer *James "Big Jim" Wright – rhythm arrangements (2–3, 7)

Charts

References

Aretha Franklin albums 2008 Christmas albums Christmas albums by American artists Contemporary R&B Christmas albums 2000s covers albums {{2000s-RnB-album-stub