Description
On This Christmas Night is a multi-artist Christmas project released on MCA Songbird in October 1979, a CCM imprint of MCA Records.
This is MCA/Songbird’s first release in the gospel market and they have shown themselves to be inventive and conservative at the same time. This album features the likes of B.J. Thomas, Reba, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Amy Grant, B.W. Stevenson, the Boone Girls, David Meece, Dan Peek and Mike Warnke all doing Christmas numbers, although none of the Christian ‘standards’ are here. A great start. [Cash Box magazine, November 3, 1979]
MCA/Songbird Sets TV Special
LOS ANGELES – MCA/Songbird Records, in conjunction with the Christian Broadcasting Network, will produce a major television special, “On This Christmas Night,” according to Michael Ehrman, executive director of the label. Based on the MCA/Songbird album of the same title, the special will feature such performing artists as B. J. Thomas, Dan Peek, The Boones, Tennessee Ernie Ford and B. W. Stevenson, singing songs from the album.
The 60-minute program, carried on CBN and cable stations, will reach more than 14 million households, airing both December 7th and 24th. It will spotlight the entire album cast, which, besides the aforementioned, will include Reba, Amy Grant, Mike Warnke and David Meece.
Prior to the airdates, a number of the performers will appear on the popular Christian program, “The 700 Club,” to promote this special. The program will be filmed at Estes Park in Colorado.
Additionally, MCA/Songbird will reinforce the importance of “On This Christmas Night” with banners and posters spotlighting both the album and the CBN special. [A note featured in the October 27, 1979 issue of Record World]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/on-this-christmas-night/62013477)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. B.J. Thomas – “On This Christmas Night”
A2. Reba Rambo – “The Whole World Is Colored With Love”
A3. Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Born A Child In Bethlehem”
A4. Amy Grant – “Santa’s Reindeer Ride”
A5. B.W. Stevenson – “A Special Wish”
Side Two
B1. B.J. Thomas – “God Bless The Children”
B2. The Boones – “Gift Of Love”
B3. David Meece – “Almost Christmastime”
B4. Dan Peek – “The Star”
B5. Mike Warnke – “A Christmas Song”
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by MCA Songbird.
A full-page advertisement for various new releases on MCA Songbird Records, including the multi-artist album On This Christmas Night, was featured in the July 1980 issue of CCM Magazine.
A New Alternative for Gospel Music. A full-page advertisement for MCA Records’ new gospel label, MCA Songbird Records, was featured in the August 4, 1979 issue of Record World.
WHO’LL JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON NEXT??? MCA/Songbird’s entry into the gospel market has both major secular and gospel record companies closely following the company’s moves. The potential of the gospel market is no doubt sparking the interest of other major secular labels as the rumors start to fly. The possibility of an Andrae Crouch/Warner Brothers deal is looking brighter. While nothing has been signed, negotiations are underway, and according to a WB spokesman, they are at the present time looking to record non-gospel music for Warners and continuing to record gospel for Light . . . And speaking of rumors, could it be that Bob Dylan’s long discussed efforts to start up his own label with CBS will result in a gospel label called Renaissance? As stated in Record World’s Coast column a few weeks ago, Dylan is now a born-again Christian, and his new album due out soon is reported to have strong religious overtones. (Record World, August 4, 1979 (Excerpt from the magazine’s Gospel section)
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