Kenny Rogers’ Christmas Trek

What’s different about Kenny Rogers’ 34th annual Christmas tour compared to past outings?  This time he’ll have a new album to go with it – the first collection of new holiday songs he’s released since Bill Clinton was president.

Photo: Joel Ryan / Invision / AP
Glastonbury Festival, Worthy Farm, Pilton, UK

Once Again It’s Christmas lands in stores Sept. 25 via Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville.  Along with being his first new album of Christmas songs since 1998, the LP is his third full studio release of all new recordings since 2011.

The Country Music Hall Of Famer invited a few friends over to join him on the album.  Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles joins Rogers for “Here It Is Christmas/Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” Alison Krauss appears on “Some Children See Him,”  A cappella group Home Free performs with Rogers on “Children, Go Where I Send Thee,” Jim Brickman guests on “That Silent Night” and country-pop duo Winfield’s Locket sings with Rogers on “There’s A New Kid In Town.”

Concluding the album is a new song Rogers wrote with longtime bandmate Steve Glassmeyer and former bandmate Warren Hartman called “The Light.”

“I can’t tell you how much fun it’s been doing another Christmas album – it’s my favorite time of year,” Rogers said.  “Recording a project like this means I was able to re-live some old memories singing some of the songs I was raised listening to and grew to love as a child.  The process also allowed me to make many new memories working with some very talented people. I’m excited about all of the special guests who joined me for this, and hope you enjoy it, too.”

Photo: Wade Payne/Invision/AP
Accepting the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 47th annual CMA Awards while Jennifer Nettles looks on.

The multiple Grammy/ACM/CMA winner begins his Christmas tour in mid-November with a four-night stand in Niagara Falls, Ontario and concludes the adventure in Westbury, N.Y., a couple of days before the big holiday. Here’s the plan:

Nov. 11-14 – Niagara Falls, Ontario, Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort
Nov. 17 – Moncton, New Brunswick, The Molson Canadian Centre
Nov. 18 – Truro, Nova Scotia, Rath Eastlink Community Centre
Nov. 20 – Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Pepsi Centre
Nov. 21 – Clarenville, Newfoundland, Clarenville Events Centre
Nov. 22 – St. John’s, Newfoundland, Mile One Centre
Nov. 27 – Northfield, Ohio, Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park
Nov. 28 – Merrillville, Ind., Star Plaza Theatre
Nov. 30 – Terre Haute, Ind., ISU Hulman Center
Dec. 2 – Norfolk, Neb., Divots Event Center
Dec. 4 – Bowler, Wis., North Star Mohican Casino Resort
Dec. 5 – Battle Creek, Mich., FireKeepers Casino
Dec. 6 – Windsor, Ontario, Caesars Windsor “The Colosseum”
Dec. 8 – Ashland, Ky., Paramount Arts Center
Dec. 10 – New Brunswick, N.J., State Theatre
Dec. 11 – White Plains, N.Y., Westchester County Center
Dec. 12 – Uncasville, Conn., Mohegan Sun Arena
Dec. 13 – Bangor, Maine, Cross Insurance Center
Dec. 15 – Hagerstown, Md., Maryland Theatre
Dec. 16 – Roanoke, Va., Berglund Performing Arts Theatre
Dec. 17 – Verona, N.Y., Turning Stone Resort Casino
Dec. 18 – King of Prussia, Pa., Valley Forge Casino
Dec. 19 – Englewood, N.J., Bergen Performing Arts Ctr.
Dec. 20 – Concord, N.H., Capitol Center for the Arts – Chubb Theatre
Dec. 22 – Erie, Pa., Warner Theatre
Dec. 23 – Westbury, N.Y., NYCB Theatre At Westbury 

Some shows are already on sale and VIP packages are available for several dates.  Visit KennyRogers.com for more details.