Acoustic Guitar Christmas

The classic melodies of Christmas music are just crying out for some acoustic fingerstyle arrangement. So here are six great albums that hit the spot, from fingerstyle greats like Tommy Emmanuel and Lawrence Juber.

The arrangements vary – from full band with Chet Atkins, to the strippped down, grooving acoustic of Adam Rafferty – but the holiday cheer is always on tap.

Premium

Shows the father of country-rock guitar performing 16 holiday standards in his own incomparable style. Although the uptempo stuff such as “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Winter Wonderland” are excellent readings, it’s in the slower-paced selections that Chet Atkins really shines. His version of “Silver Bells” is, quite simply, one of the best versions of the standard ever, and possibly one of Atkins’ most arresting performances of all-time. Also excellent is the medley of “The Coventry Carol” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman.” Overall, criminally underrated, this disc should be rated up there with such fodder as Charlie Brown Christmas. Gorgeous.

Best Country Christmas Songs: Tunes For Your Holiday Playlist

Is a new album of holiday music from Tommy Emmanuel, showcasing new arrangements of favourites such as ‘Jingle Bells, ’ ‘Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, ’ and ‘White Christmas.’ In addition, the album includes three original tunes that are sure to become instant Christmas classics, including ‘Christmas Time, ’ ‘Let’s Make a Christmas Memory’ and ‘Christmas Memories.’ With Emmanuel on guitar and vocals, the album features long-time friend and collaborator John Knowles CGP on guitar, Pat Bergeson on guitar and harmonica, and Annie Sellick on vocals. The album serves as a follow up to 2011’s ‘All I Want For Christmas, ’ his first-ever holiday album.

A set of popular Christmas carols and tunes arranged by Adam Rafferty for solo acoustic guitar, recorded with all Adam’s combination of funky grooving guitar, his jazz influence, and bass-over-melody style.

Adam claims that he switched from jazz into fingerstyle guitar after hearing Tommy Emmanuel. Seems it was the right step as his popularity has rapidly grown.

Tracks

Blown Glass Christmas Ornament, Acoustic Guitar

Guitarist John Fahey’s concept of Christmas music was a little different from the norm. The acoustic guitarist’s visionary 1968 set, The New Possibility: John Fahey’s Guitar Soli Christmas Album, was a collection of solo steel-string adaptations of traditional Yuletide melodies (“Joy to the World, ” “We Three Kings of Orient Are, ” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”). It reportedly sold more than 100, 000 copies on Fahey’s own Takoma label, tabbing it as his best-selling album, and inspired several more memorable holiday sets from the guitarist.

All four of those brilliant albums are generously represented on Fantasy’s newly compiled Christmas Guitar Soli With John Fahey, a 14-song compilation of highlights from Fahey’s Yuletide catalog. Scheduled for October 29 CD release, the collection provides a soundtrack for the upcoming holiday season and boasts newly created cover art by Tom Weller, who designed the artwork for many of Fahey’s original Takoma albums, that’s done in the “wood print” style of those classic sets.

Christmas

Phil Keaggy is a giant of a player with a long history, stretching from his 70’s Beatles-influenced singer-songwriter albums to more recent acoustic fingerstyle albums.

Easy Christmas Songs For Fingerpicking Guitar By Troy Nelson Music

This album includes the London Festival Orchestra and serves to put his impeccable playing on display against a background of beautiful orchestral arrangements.

Christmas

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Acoustic