Vince Gill & the Patrick Williams Orchestra - Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection

Once again, Vince Gill rises above the commonplace and delivers a project of supreme substance and divine emotion. This holiday offering is one of the best in recent years and comparable to the popular holiday recordings of Crosby, Como, and Elvis. As far as contemporary christmas music is concerned, Gill, backed by Patrick Williams & His Orchestra, manages to keep tradition vibrant and immediate. Uptempo tunes such as "Winter Wonderland," "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" complement more sacred offerings like "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "O Holy Night," and "O Come All Ye Faithful." Especially good is Gill's version of the rock & roll "Blue Christmas," as are his "Silver Bells" and the title cut. He also gives an essential and fundamentally emotional performance on "The Christmas Song" that seems to transcend time, space, and religious affiliation to create a moment of recorded music that is wholly and completely Christmas. Encompassing both the sacred and secular in this instant elevates Gill's performance here to classic status. Moreover, he has never sounded as rich, warm, and substantial as he does on this gift of holiday music. Experience never looked, felt, or sounded so good. ~ Jana Pendragon, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al Hershberger Violin Al Schmitt Mixing, Engineer Angela Wiegand Flute Assa Drori Violin Barbara Northcutt Oboe Bill Baker Music Preparation Bill Smith Assistant Engineer Bill Watrous Trombone Bob Becker Viola Bob Sanov Violin Carolyn Osborn Violin Cecilia Tsan Cello Charles Loper Trombone Chauncey Welsch Trombone Chuck Berghofer Bass Curt Berg Music Preparation Danny Perito Music Preparation Darius Campo Violin Dave Wells Music Preparation David Speltz Cello David Stenske Violin Dean Parks Guitar Denny Purcell Mastering Gary Foster Flute, Clarinet Gene Puerling Arranger Gregg Field Drums Gwen Heller Violin Hank Nirider Assistant Engineer Harry Shirinian Viola Jennifer Walton Violin Jessie Noble Coordination John Scanlon Viola Jon Clarke Flute, Oboe Jonathan Barrick Griffiths Music Preparation Julie Berghofer Harp Keith Greene Viola Kristin Fife Violin Larry Bunker Percussion Larry Hall Trumpet Lisa Jurkowski Coordination Marcia Dickstein Harp Mario Diaz de Leon Violin Marion Sherrill Music Preparation Mathew Cooker Cello Michael Omartian Keyboards, Percussion, Producer Mike Lang Piano Miwako Watanabe Violin Natalie Leggett Violin Patrick Williams Arranger, Conductor Peter Doell Assistant Engineer Phil Teele Trombone Ralph Mullins Music Preparation Ray Kelley Cello Raymond Tischer Viola Rick Baptist Trumpet Robert Brosseau Violin Ron Folsom Violin Stephen Erdody Cello Steve Genewick Assistant Engineer Terry Christian Engineer Terry Woodson Music Preparation Timothy Landauer Cello Tina Soule Cello Tony Brown Producer Wayne Bergeron Trumpet