Clay Aiken - Merry Christmas with Love

Clay Aiken is a show-biz creature, so it's only appropriate that the sequel to his hit 2003 debut, Measure of a Man, is 2004's Merry Christmas with Love -- after all, there are few things quite as show biz as a holiday album. Aiken is a rarity in the new millennium: an old-fashioned, unironic middle-of-the-road singer. Those are the kinds of vocalists that always fare very well on christmas records, so it should be no surprise that Aiken turns in a good holiday album. Actually, there are no surprises on the album -- the song selections are all standards, the arrangements are traditional and unobtrusive, always emphasizing Clay's voice, and the record is given a safe, high-gloss sheen ideal for adult contemporary radio. If there are any surprises with Merry Christmas with Love -- well, apart from Clay's impish, elfin look on the front cover -- it's that his singing is better, more assured here than it was on Measure of a Man. Then again, that debut was released a little over four months after he came in second on the second season of American Idol. He's had more time to work on Merry Christmas with Love, and it seems to benefit his performance, which bodes well for his second proper studio album. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alex Rodriguez Assistant Engineer Allan Schwartzberg Drums Andy Zulla Mixing Angela Fisher Vocals (Background) Bertilla Baker Alto (Vocals) Catrice Joseph Hart Soprano (Vocal) Chris Zelno Tenor (Vocal) Clark Anderson Vocals (Background), Vocals (Background) Clay Aiken Vocals Conesha Monet Vocals (Background) Danielle Greaves Alto (Vocals) Darryl Phinnessee Vocals (Background) Dave Reitzas Vocal Engineer David Channing Engineer David Finck Bass David Lowe Orchestra Contractor Elena Barere Concert Master Eliseo Román Tenor (Vocal) Emanuel Kiriakou Digital Editing, Engineer, Vocal Engineer, Programming, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) Eric Ogden Photography Frank Harkins Art Direction Gerti Lee James Soprano (Vocal) Glenn Pittman Assistant Engineer Glenn Rainey Tenor (Vocal) Humberto Gatica Engineer Ira Siegel Guitar (Acoustic) Jacob Luttrell Vocals (Background) Jay Spears Assistant Engineer Jeff Mironov Guitar Jill Dell'Abate Production Coordination, Contractor Joe Wohlmuth Engineer Joe Yannece Mastering Joel Moss Engineer John Eric Parker Tenor (Vocal) Jorge Calandrelli Arranger Kenny Ascher Piano Larita Gaskins Alto (Vocals) Laura Dean Soprano (Vocal) Lucia Giannetta Alto (Vocals) Mark Valentine Engineer Maurice Lauchner Tenor (Vocal) McCrary Choir Vocals (Background) Michael Elroy Vocals (Background) Michael Landau Guitar (Electric) Michael McElroy Vocals (Background) Michael Schroffel Assistant Engineer Nathan East Bass Patrick Williams Arranger Phil Ramone Producer, Audio Production Quiana Parler Vocals (Background) Rich Davis Production Coordination Sandy DeCrescent Orchestra Contractor Stephen Ferrera Harp, Percussion, A&R Tanesha Gary Soprano (Vocal) Torrie Zito Arranger, Conductor Tracy Nicole Chapman Alto (Vocals) Vinnie Colaiuta Drums Walter Afanasieff Programming, Arranger, Audio Production, Keyboard Programming, Producer William Ross Conductor, Orchestral Arrangements