Rocky Mountain Christmas - Stone Mountain Christmas

Rocky Mountain Christmas is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver, released in 1975.

His first Christmas-themed release, the album includes renditions of several traditional carols and popular Christmas standards; re-recorded versions of two songs from earlier Denver albums, "Aspenglow" from Take Me to Tomorrow and "Please, Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas)" from Farewell Andromeda; and the newly penned compositions "Christmas for Cowboys" and "A Baby Just Like You".

Track listing

Side 1

1. "Aspenglow" (Denver)
2. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells)
3. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Johnny Marks)
4. "Silver Bells" (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans)
5. "Please, Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)" (Bill Danoff, Taffy Danoff)
6. "Christmas for Cowboys" (Steve Weisberg)

Side 2

1. "Away in a Manger" (Traditional)
2. "What Child Is This" (Traditional)
3. "Coventry Carol" (Traditional)
4. "Oh Holy Night" (Traditional)
5. "Silent Night, Holy Night" (Traditional)
6. "A Baby Just Like You" (Denver, Joe Henry)

The current CD reissue of the album includes 2 bonus tracks: "Jingle Bells" (from Denver's 1970 album Whose Garden Was This) and "White Christmas" (an outtake from the 1975 album sessions). The 1998 reissue also added "The Music is You" (from Back Home Again), "Perhaps Love" (a solo version of his duet with Plácido Domingo) and "Dreamland Express" (from the eponymous album).

Personnel

• John Denver - vocals, 6- and 12-string guitars
• Dick Kniss - bass
• Lee Holdridge - piano, celeste, harpsichord, tack piano
• Steve Weisberg - guitar
• John Sommers - guitar, mandolin
• Hal Blaine - drums, percussion
• Herb Lovelle - drums
• George Marge - English horn, oboe on "Silver Bells"
• Harvey Estrin - flute on "Silver Bells"
• Sid Sharp - violin
• William Kurasch - violin
• Samuel Boghossian - viola
• Jesse Erhlich - cello
• Pearl Kaufman - piano, harpsichord
• Chuck Collazzi - guitar on "What Child Is This"

Technical

• Kris O'Connor - production assistance
• Mickey Crofford - engineer
• Acy Lehman - art direction
• Peter Palombi - cover illustration

References