The Holiday Hits series of Christmas songs was used in the Hit Records and Country & Western Hits racks during the 1963 Christmas season, but continued to be sold throughout the 60's. Because they were mastered prior to the introduction of the Hit Records compatible single, all Holiday Hits releases are pressed in mono. Some of the Holiday Hits series also appeared on a Current Hits album. As with most Christmas selections, these were recorded during one of those hot Nashville summers, at the Sam Philips Studio.

Christmas Session Personnel were: Singers: Bobby Russell, solo, and various members of different studio background singing groups, The Margie Singleton Singers and The Jordanaires. Musicians: Piano/organ: Bill Pursell Xylophone: Boots Randolph Bass Guitar: Jimmy Wilkerson Bass: Henry Strzelecki Drums: Willie Ackerman Guitar-Rhythm: Kelso Herston Guitar-Lead: Wayne Moss Arranger: Bill Justis

THE FIRST HOLIDAY HITS SINGLE IN A SLEEVE THE SAME SLEEVE WAS USED FOR THE WHOLE SERIES.

HOLIDAYS HITS

900 WHITE CHRISTMAS

Credited To: The Music City Chorale with Bob Russell

Master number 6208

b/w SILVER BELLS

Credited To: The Music City Chorale with Bob Russell

Master number 6209

901 RUDOLPH, THE RED NOSED REINDEER

Credited To: Bob Russell and the Music City Chorale

Master number 6210

b/w HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS

Credited To: Bob Russell and the Music City Chorale

Master number 6211

902 SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

Credited To: The Music City Chorale with Bob Russell

Master number 6212

b/w JINGLE BELLS

Credited To: The Music City Chorale with Bob Russell

Master number 6213

903 I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Credited To: Bob Russell and the Music City Chorale

Master number 6214

b/w CHRISTMAS SONG, THE

Credited To: Bob Russell and the Music City Chorale

Master number 6215

904 THE FIRST NOEL

Credited To: William Randolph, Organist with Chimes

Master number 6200

b/w SILENT NIGHT

Credited To: William Randolph, Organist with Chimes

Master number 6196

905 JOY TO THE WORLD

Credited To: William Randolph, Organist with Chimes

Master number 6197

b/w OH, COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

Credited To: William Randolph, Organist with Chimes

Master number 6201

THE ARTIST NAME WILLIAM RANDOLPH MAKES ITS FIRST APPEARANCE EVER ON THE HOLIDAY HITS SERIES. IT WOULD LATER BE USED FOR BILL PURSELL RECORDINGS ISSUED ON THE HIT LABEL. THE NAME WAS DERIVED FROM "WILLIAM" BILL PURSELL, ORGANIST, AND BOOTS "RANDOLPH", CHIMES

906 OH, LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

Credited To: William Randolph, Organist with Chimes

Master number 6198

b/w IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR

Credited To: William Randolph, Organist with Chimes

Master number 6199

907 AWAY IN THE MANGER

Credited To: Music City Chorale

Master number 6202

b/w GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN

Credited To: Music City Chorale

Master number 6207

OH HOLY NIGHT

908 DECK THE HALLS

Credited To: Music City Chorale

Master number 6204

b/w OH HOLY NIGHT

Credited To: Music City Chorale

Master number 6205

HOLIDAY HITS LABELS WERE EITHER PRINTED IN RED OR GREEN

909 HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING

Credited To: Music City Chorale

Master number 6203

b/w THE FIRST NOEL

Credited To: Music City Chorale

Master number 6200V

THE FOLLOWING IS A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS EP RELEASE:

CHRISTMAS CLASSICS

1000 (EP) OH, HOLY NIGHT & JINGLE BELLS

Master number 6236 EP

1000 (EP) HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING & DECK THE HALLS

Master number 6237 EP

Comment: I have not located a copy of this EP so artist listings (if any) are unknown

THE FOLLOWING APPEARS TO BE A MASTER PURCHASE.IN SUMMER 1964

MASTER NUMBER

6492 IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME

6493 CHRISTMAS TIME IS THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR

Credited To: J.T. Adams and the Jordanaires

Comment: Though issued a contemporary master number these two selections were not recent recordings , but rather dubbed possibly from a 78 rpm. One internet reviewer went so far as to say the "the track was apparently dubbed from a copy someone found in the street."

MASTER NUMBER

7146 JINGLE BELL ROCK

Issued On: Modern Sound 2, 4

7147 WINTER WONDERLAND

Issued On: Modern Sound 3

7148 FROSTY THE SNOWMAN

Issued On: Modern Sound 2, 4

7149 I SAW MAMA KISSING SANTA CLAUS

Issued On: Modern Sound 2, 4

7150 BLUE CHRISTMAS

Issued On: Modern Sound 3

7151 ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS MY TWO FRONT TEETH

Issued On: Modern Sound 2, 4

7152 LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW!

Issued On: Modern Sound 3

7153 UP ON THE ROOF TOP

Issued On: Modern Sound 2, 3

7154 LITTLE DRUMMER BOY

Issued On: Modern Sound 3

7155 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Issued On: Modern Sound 3

SPECIAL HOLIDAY ISSUE: CURRENT HITS VOLUME 22 - CHRISTMAS FAVORITES HIT RECORDS 422 ISSUED NOV 1964

Jingle Bells; Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer; Silver Bells; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town; Here Comes Santa Claus; White Christmas; Silent Night(Instrumental); Away In the Manager; Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem (Instrumental); Hark The Herald Angels Sing; Oh Come All Ye Faithful (Instrumental); Joy To The World (Instrumental).

Vocals are credited to either the Music City Choir and Band or The Music City Carol Singers. Instrumentals are listed as Instrumental Organ And Chimes. The same recordings were issued on the Holiday Hits label.

SONGS OF CHRISTMAS MODERN SOUND 531 ISSUED SEP 1964

INSTRUMENTAL ORGAN AND CHIMES: Silent Night; The First Noel; Joy To The World; Oh Come All Ye Faithful; Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; THE MUSIC CITY CHOIR: Away In A Manager; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Deck The Halls; Oh Holy Night; The First Noel; Hark The Herald Angels Sing.

This album was reissued on HALO 1002 under the title Christmas Organ And Chimes with the Music City Choir.

AN OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS MODERN SOUND 532 ISSUED SEP 1964 White Christmas; Silver Bells; Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer; Here Comes Santa Claus; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town; Jingle Bells; I'll Be Home For Christmas; Christmas Song; It's Christmas Time; Christmas Time Is The Best Time Of The Year.

MODERN SOUND CHRISTMAS SERIES(This series was issued in November 1967 after MS531/532 were deleted.)

1 Title Unknown

Believed to be a reissue of SONGS OF CHRISTMAS

INSTRUMENTAL ORGAN AND CHIMES: Silent Night; The First Noel; Joy To The World; Oh Come All Ye Faithful; Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; THE MUSIC CITY CHOIR: Away In A Manager; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Deck The Halls; Oh Holy Night; The First Noel; Hark The Herald Angels Sing.This album was reissued on HALO 1002 under the title Christmas Organ And Chimes with the Music City Choir.

A CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR CHILDREN MODERN SOUND CHRISTMAS ALBUM 2 ISSUED NOV 1967 Jingle Bells; The Night Before Christmas(recitation); Up On The Roof Top; All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth; Frosty The Snowman; Silent Night (instrumental); The Littlest Angel (recitation); Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer; Jingle Bell Rock; I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus; Here Comes Santa Claus.

Reissued on HALO 1001 as Children’s Christmas Party in 1974 THIS ALBUM IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON CD AND CAN BE PURCAHSED AT WAL MART, DOLLAR GENERAL STORES AND AMAZON.COM

CHRISTMAS FAVORITES Fea. The Little Drummer Boy MODERN SOUND CHRISTMAS ALBUM 3 ISSUED NOV 1967 Little Drummer Boy; Let It Snow; Blue Christmas; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town; Christmas Time Is The Best Time Of The Year; Up On The Roof Top; Winter Wonderland; 12 Days Of Christmas; Jingle Bells; It's Christmas Time.

WHITE CHRISTMAS AND OTHER HOLIDAY FAVORITES MODERN SOUND CHRISTMAS ALBUM 4 ISSUED NOV 1967 The Christmas Song; Frosty The Snowman; White Christmas; Silver Bells; I'll Be Home For Christmas; Jingle Bell Rock; I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus; Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer; Here Comes Santa Claus; All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth.

CHRISTMAS FAVORITESFEATURING "THE UNIQUE ORGAN STYLE OF BUDDY AND BUNNY BURDEN" MODERN SOUND CHRISTMAS ALBUM 5 ISSUED NOV 1967 White Christmas; Frosty The Snowman; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town; Jingle Bell Rock; Sleigh Ride; Silver Bells; Christmas Polka; The Christmas Song; Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer; I'll Be Home For Christmas; Jingle Bells. This album was produced as a seasonal follow up to the duo’s "Gatlinburg Swings", recorded live at the Ski Lodge, Gatlinburg Tennessee, issued on Spar 3009. It does not contain any of the Holiday Hits series recordings.

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