for KING & COUNTRY – known the world over for its grand re-envisioning of the classic “Little Drummer Boy,” especially following its rousing, show-stealing performance of the song during the 2019 CMA Country Christmas TV special on ABC that received a standing ovation – is bringing that signature style to a brand-new, 13-song album, A Drummer Boy Christmas. The duo’s first-ever, full-length studio Christmas album features Gabby Barrett on “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” and NEEDTOBREATHE on “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”
“It all started on a dreary winter’s night in our American hometown of Nashville, TN. It was the end of 2012, the year the band began. We piled ourselves into an old factory - cellos, brass, bass, guitars and of course, a load of drums. We began to frantically rehearse and prepare for an incumbent Christmas tour that we frankly, due to the fact that we’d yet to release a Christmas album or song, had no right to embark on,” shares Joel and Luke Smallbone of for KING & COUNTRY.
“Yet,” the brothers continue, “From that shotgun rehearsal (where we insolently dreamt up our rendition of “Little Drummer Boy”) to today, the beauty, drama, and ultimately the miracle of Christmas has caught our musical imagination and therefore been laced into the DNA of the band. With this as the backdrop, coupled with all we face socially, politically and ethically across the globe, we felt it was the imperfectly perfect time for us to do our small part in telling the story of the redemption that Jesus’ birth offers to you, and to me. So bake those chocolate chip cookies, make a little hot chocolate, strike up that cozy fire, and let us take you on a 44 minute and 49 second musical Christmas journey to celebrate the greatest story the world has ever known!”
Executive produced by GRAMMY Award®-winning musician and producer Aqualung, aka, Matt Hales (Sara Bareilles); orchestrally arranged by Davide Rossi of Coldplay fame; mixed by Ban Baptie (Ellie Goulding, U2, Adele); and mastered by Dave Kutch (Dua Lipa, 5 Seconds of Summer, The Weeknd) - A Drummer Boy Christmas includes 13 tracks and features two original Christmas songs entitled “Heavenly Hosts” and an emotionally moving ballad from Joseph’s perspective, “The Carol of Joseph (I Believe In You).” A Drummer Boy Christmas was produced by Tedd T. and for KING & COUNTRY, and co-produced by Benjamin Backus.