Dove Award-winning, Grammy®-nominated hitmaker, NewSong hopes to recreate Christmas magic with its new holiday CD, The Christmas Hope, which releases on September 26 on Integrity Music. The band proved its magic when in 2001 it scored a #1 mainstream Billboard hit with The Christmas Shoes and followed up later that year with the release of their first Christmas album of the same name.

The Christmas Shoes inspired a series of three New York Times best-selling books by Donna VanLiere and two CBS Movies of the Week, including 2005’s smash “The Christmas Blessing”. The holiday ratings success proved to be the most watched movie on television in 2005 and included NewSong on stage in the movie singing the title track. The Christmas Hope is the third book in the series and this time, the book inspired the new NewSong CD and its title track.

“We have been incredibly blessed in so many ways by all the success of ‘The Christmas Shoes.’ It is only fitting that we embraced the song and what followed as the foundation for this new Christmas record,” said founding member Eddie Carswell. “At the same time, The Christmas Hope is also totally unique and we hope that that great experience of making this record translates into a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying Christmas record for everyone who listens.”

Produced by Bernie Herms for SoulFuel Productions (Natalie Grant, Nate Sallie, Avalon) and additional tracks produced by NewSong members Drew Cline, Matt Butler, Rico Thomas and former member Michael O’Brien, The Christmas Hope features 13 tracks, including six original Christmas songs and a remake of The Christmas Shoes. Both the classic holiday songs and treasured sacred carols on The Christmas Hope showcase NewSong’s trademark powerhouse vocals along with lush string and jazz arrangements and several guest artists and musicians.

“The only word I can think of to sum up this record is ‘special,’” said NewSong’s newest member Drew Cline. “When you record an album, you always hope for that one special co-write or guest vocalist or amazing musician; we got that on every song on The Christmas Hope. “Bethlehem Calls,” written by Carswell and Cline features The Nashville String Machine and is no exception.

The Nashville String Machine also appears on The Christmas Hope’s opening anthem, The Song of Christmas and the timeless What A Wonderful World. Other noteworthy contributions on the Christmas CD include Matthew West, who co-wrote the album’s title track with Carswell; a duet with Rachael Lampa on The Christmas Blessing; (which also features The Prague Orchestra) and Anointed who provides guest vocals for the sacred spiritual Jesus What a Wonderful Child.

Some of Nashville’s most acclaimed and in-demand session musicians like guitarist Kenny Greenberg and horn player Rod McGaha are featured on The Christmas Hope, and the drum corps from Middle Tennessee State University provides an authentic touch to Little Drummer Boy. Finally, the Christmas spirit would not be complete without children and they are prominent on The Christmas Hope, including the brand new version of The Christmas Shoes.

The Christmas Hope will be available at Christian retailers across Canada on September 26th. Visit NewSong’s YMZ artist page to hear one of this Christmas season’s most fun albums.