VIA PRESS RELEASE | Craft Recordings is pleased to announce a vinyl reissue of Joy: A Holiday Collection from award-winning singer-songwriter Jewel. In stores October 18th, the best-selling title features beloved holiday classics as well as festive, original compositions. The album has been remastered by George Horn and Anne-Marie Suenram at Fantasy Studios and manufactured at Memphis Record Pressing. This reissue marks the very first vinyl availability of the title, which was originally released in 1999.
Joy: A Holiday Collection marked the first outing of yuletide music from Jewel, who had skyrocketed to fame following the release of her first two albums (1995’s Pieces of You and 1998’s Spirit). Jewel worked with producers Arif Mardin (Carly Simon, David Bowie, Diana Ross) and Joe Mardin (Queen Latifah, Bette Midler) to record 13 lushly arranged songs. Backed by a choir (which includes such esteemed singers as Vaneese Thomas, James “D-Train” Williams, and Janice Pendarvis), the singer’s distinctive vocals and versatile range shine as she performs holiday favorites like “Winter Wonderland,” “Joy to the World,” “Ave Maria,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and “O Holy Night.” She also sings several original tracks, including “Face of Love,” “Gloria,” and a Christmas version of her 1998 hit single, “Hands.” Impressively, just one month after its November 1999 release date, the album was certified platinum, peaking at Number Two on the Billboard Holiday Albums chart and Number 32 on the Billboard Top 200.
Having sold over 30 million albums worldwide, Jewel has captivated a generation’s worth of audiences with her unique vocals, folk-pop melodies and introspective lyrics. The Homer, Alaska, native (born Jewel Kilcher) began performing at an early age and, by her late teenage years, was pursuing a career as a musician in San Diego. Despite a rough start, living out of her van as she struggled to make ends meet, Jewel built a loyal local following in coffee shops and clubs, and soon attracted the attention of several record labels. Her debut album, Pieces of You, was released in 1995 when the artist was just 21 and, thanks to hit singles “Who Will Save Your Soul,” “Foolish Games,” and “You Were Meant For Me,” went on to sell over 12 million copies—becoming one of the highest-selling debuts of all time.
To date, Jewel has released 12 studio albums (six of which have been in the Billboard 200 Top Ten) and 33 singles. Over the course of her career, she has received multiple GRAMMY Award nominations, an American Music Award, and an MTV Video Music Award, among others. The tireless artist has also appeared in numerous film and television roles, and has written several books, including her 2015 New York Times best-selling memoir, Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story. Jewel is also highly engaged in philanthropic work, and currently oversees two non-profits: Project Clean Water and the Never Broken Foundation, which offers free tools for mindfulness and emotional intelligence to the masses.
Track Listing
Side A:
1. Joy To The World
2. O Holy Night
3. Silent Night
4. Winter Wonderland
5. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
6. Ave Maria
7. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Side B:
1. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
2. Face Of Love
3. Medley – (A) Go Tell It On The Mountain, (B) Life Uncommon, (C) From A Distance
4. I Wonder As I Wander
5. Gloria
6. Hands (Christmas Version)
