Matthew and Gunnar Nelson Release "This Christmas"

By Timothy Yap Nov 20, 2015 04:48 AM EST

Matthew and Gunnar Nelson are the sons of rock n' roll legend Ricky Nelson. Together the Nelsons have achieved international success, with a double-Platinum album, multiple top 40 hits, including a No. 1 single, and sold-out concerts around the world on their list of accomplishments. Now, the duo are looking ahead to the next chapter, which begins with their first-ever holiday release, This Christmas. The album, currently available for pre-sale on iTunes and Amazon, will be available digitally starting on Nov. 20 and in stores on Dec. 4. More than just a collection of holiday songs, the album, which was produced by Matthew and Gunnar, affirms the power of their unique bond and family heritage.

"In addition to our original single 'THIS CHRISTMAS', we were able to rearrange Christmas classics that people the world over have loved like family members for generations," said Matthew. "We've made them sound fresh and new while at the same time respecting their integrity and history. We're absolutely thrilled with the results, and hope our listeners will be too," added Gunnar.

This Christmas Track Listing:
1. This Christmas (ft. Alyssa Bonagura)
2. Joy To The World
3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town (ft. Molly Cherryholmes)
4. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
5. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
6. Mele Kelikimaka (ft. Molly Cherryholmes)
7. Away In A Manger
8. Holly Jolly Christmas
9. Blue Christmas (ft. Molly Cherryholmes)
10. Jingle Bells
11. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (ft. Molly Cherryholmes)
12. White Christmas

An all-star support team added depth and dimension to the brothers' fundamental tracks, with Nashville studio veteran Ed Seay mixing and a lineup of musicians that included fiddle virtuoso Molly Cherryholmes and Michael Bonagura from Baillie & the Boys. Michael's daughter, singer/songwriter Alyssa Bonagura, plays a prominent vocal role on the title track, written by Matthew, Gunnar, Alyssa and Michael with an unusual narrative twist.

"It's a challenge to write a Christmas song that's not like something people have heard a million times before," Gunnar admitted. "So we started talking about this concept of two best friends that realize, on the night of miracles, that actually they're in love with each other and always have been. If miracles can happen on Christmas, maybe that's the night people in love can risk telling each other."

For all the wonders conjured throughout This Christmas -- the rich harmonies and imaginative thematic development in "Joy to the World," the fresh rhythmic perspective on "O Come All Ye Faithful," the intimacy of "White Christmas" - the title track most vividly forecasts what lies ahead.

Impeccably written, with a cascading motif adding a special shimmer to the story, it suggests that the Nelson brothers are about to pass their most significant career milestone since their debut.

"I believe we've reclaimed the same excitement we had before we made our first album," Matthew offered. "We were firing on all cylinders. We knew exactly what we wanted. We're there again -- two brothers with a vision and a sound that no one else has."

"We've made a conscious decision to come from the heart," Gunnar summed up. "It's amazing what happens when you stop fighting the universe and start doing what you were born to do."

For so many around the world, Christmas means rebirth. For Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, This Christmas heralds an adventure that's only beginning.

Nelson Tour Dates:
Nov 20 The Coach House - San Juan Capistrano, CA
Nov 21 The Cave - Big Bear Lake, CA *
Nov 22 Saint Rocke - Hermosa Beach, CA *
Nov 27 South Point Hotel & Casino - Las Vegas, NV †
Nov 28 South Point Hotel & Casino - Las Vegas, NV †
Nov 29 South Point Hotel & Casino - Las Vegas, NV †
Dec 01 Green Valley Recreation Center - Green Valley, AZ *
Dec 02 Musical Instrument Museum - Phoenix, AZ *
Dec 04 McPherson Opera House - McPherson, KS *
Dec 05 McPherson Opera House - McPherson, KS *
Dec 06 Missouri Theater - St. Joseph, MO *
Dec 12 Williams Center for the Arts - Oelwein, IA *
Dec 13 Lucille Tack Center for the Arts - Spencer, WI *
Dec 14 Paramount Theatre - Saint Cloud, MN *
Dec 15 Paramount Theatre - Saint Cloud, MN *
Dec 16 Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts - Bloomington, IL *
Dec 17 Holly Springs Cultural Center - Holly Springs, NC *

* Christmas With The Nelsons
† Ricky Nelson Remembered