I picked this up to review the next one in line and was excited that it was Jim Reeves’ classic Christmas album from 1963, Twelve Days Of Christmas.  Re-released on CD in 1988 by BMG Music, it brings fond memories for me because it was one of the first Christmas CDs I bought, and it has some wonderful Christmas songs on it.  Yea!

Jim Reeves was born in Galloway, Texas in 1923 into a large family with 8 children, Jim being the youngest.  Throughout his teens, Jim Reeves was quite athletic and earned an athletic scholarship in baseball to the University of Texas.  He would go on to play baseball in the minor leagues for the St. Louis Cardinals before an injury cost him his career.

After baseball, Jim Reeves started working at local radio stations in Louisiana, performing on the Louisiana Hayride as well and singing in small clubs when he got the chance.  After meeting the right people, he eventually ended up at RCA Nashville in 1955.  He initially sang like the other Country Western stars of the day, but he was not happy with that style.  Eventually he took a chance and sang in a much softer, deeper voice and he became an instant hit.  He scored big hits on the Country and Pop charts with “Four Walls” and his signature song, “He’ll Have To Go”.

Jim Reeves enjoyed international success as well and was more popular in South Africa than Elvis.  He even made a few records in that native language.  In fact, this very album was released in South Africa a year earlier as Merry Christmas From Jim Reeves, minus Silver Bells.

Sadly, Jim Reeves died young, at age 40, in a plane crash during a violent thunderstorm over Nashville, Tennessee.

The artwork on the front cover of this reissue resembles the cover on the original album from 1963, except the CD has a green border around the edges.  Otherwise, the picture is identical.  The back of the CD features a numerical track listing on a green background.  All the songs are in their original order and there are only 12 original songs.

The inside artwork is a little disappointing.  The front cover does not open up; it is a single piece of paper with the cover on one side and the same numerical track listing as on the back of the CD except on a white background.  It would have been nice to have at least a few pages with a small biography and some historical notes on the recording of this Christmas album.

There are some Christmas classics on here.  There are personal favorites, and even some that have become Christmas standards.  Without much information from the CD to go by, I must rely on my knowledge and intuition to come up with the rest.  The back of the original album has some good information, so I was able to gather it from that.  Also, I use sites like Wikipedia, Discogs and AllMusic to collect information for many of these reviews.  (Look for my Disclosure page to see a list of the sources I use to gather information).

Knowing that Jim Reeves was on RCA and recorded in Nashville, it tells me that Chet Atkins was the producer and the group responsible for the music was collectively known as the ‘A Team’.  In addition to releasing his own albums, Chet Atkins was the main producer for RCA Nashville, and he liked to use the same musicians in all his recording sessions.  Some of the major performers include Floyd Cramer on piano, Chet Atkins on guitar, Charlie McCoy on harmonica, Norbert Putnam on bass, Earl Scruggs on banjo, Boots Randolph on sax, and so many others.  In addition, the background singers consisted of The Jordanaires and the Anita Kerr Singers.  (I have Christmas albums and CDs on many of these artists).

The song selection is a mix of Christmas standards from the twentieth century, sacred hymns and carols and some that are unique to just a few Country Christmas releases.  The best of the more uncommon Christmas songs is C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S, written by Eddy Arnold and Jennie Lou Carson in 1949.  Eddy Arnold may have written it, but Jim Reeves owns it.  His is the most featured version of the song on many Christmas compilations.

Another Christmas classic most associated with Jim Reeves is An Old Christmas Card.  It tells the story of a man finding the first Christmas card he received from his wife, mixed in with the old Christmas decorations.  The song does not explain how he came to lose his wife, but it speaks of true sentimentality.

Another song that seems to be written for this album in 1963 is Senor Santa Claus.  This is the only version I have, and the only instance of it showing up in my collection.  It tells the story of a cowboy asking Santa for a single peso so he can buy something special for his senorita.  It’s one of those unique Christmas songs that is tucked away on an album from a long time ago.

Jim Reeves does an excellent job with all the familiar Christmas songs.  Jingle Bells, Silver Bells, Mary’s Little Boy Child and Silent Night are exceptional.  All the songs feature a mixed chorus of background singers.  Without solid information to go by, I can only assume they are the Anita Kerr Singers.  They were tied to RCA Nashville, and I know Chet Atkins used them a lot.  They provide a soft, somber accompaniment to Jim’s deep baritone voice.

Do not think of this only as a Country Christmas album.  After hitting it big in the late fifties, Jim Reeves consistently charted on both the Country and the Pop charts equally.  There is not a bad song on here.  With some not so familiar songs and other easily recognizable ones, most listeners would find this very pleasing during the holidays.  Most of the instrumentation does employ traditional country instruments and there is also a wonderful string section to give it that Classic Christmas feel.  With a little Country flavor thrown in, this CD will mix in well with Christmas songs from all decades.  This wonderful Christmas album from 1963 still holds up well in the 21st century.

I give this CD :

****1/2 *